Bio

Ayo Folayan is a Nigerian-born visual artist and portrait photographer based in Birmingham, UK. His practice explores identity, heritage, and resilience within the African diaspora, using fine art portraiture, symbolic styling, and chiaroscuro lighting to reframe Black representation.

In 2025, Folayan introduced Golden Resilience, a portrait series inspired by Kintsugi, exploring transformation and ancestral legacy. His earlier series, Gilded Roots and Woman of Colour, were exhibited at the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists (RBSA), receiving acclaim for their fusion of ancestral storytelling and contemporary aesthetics.

He has exhibited across the UK, Europe, and Africa, including at Espacio Gallery, Boomer Gallery, the Glasgow Gallery of Photography, and the 9th Circular Art Space. His work continues to amplify underrepresented voices and reimagine diasporic identity through visual storytelling.

With over six years of experience, Folayan’s evolving practice bridges fine art and cultural memory through portraiture.

Artist Statement

My work as a visual artist and portrait photographer explores identity, heritage, and resilience within the African diaspora. I use symbolic elements—flowers, gold, textiles, and adornment—combined with chiaroscuro lighting to construct portraits that honour ancestral memory while reimagining contemporary Black presence.

Influenced by African visual traditions, I blend fine art photography with conceptual storytelling. Projects like Woman of Colour, Gilded Roots, and Golden Resilience reflect this language—each series investigating how Black identity is shaped, fractured, and reclaimed across space and time.

Through my lens, I aim to create visual archives that center underrepresented voices, challenge stereotypes, and affirm the dignity of diasporic lives.