Ádun, 2021 | Performance, 50 mins
Material (Body, Agbalumo fruit skin, Raffia rope, Lace fabric, Balloons, Paper)
Ádun is a Yoruba word which means ‘sweetness,’ as a performance it portrays sentimental reckonings between time shifts by a displaced subject, who uses the word as a term of empowerment; providing comfort, laughter, healing, peace and resilience past a season of hardship into joy.
Reflective Notes on Áduns’ Performance
Guttural noises again – from dad on early morning school days
''GRRRRRRRRRRGRRRRRRRRRRGRRRRRRRRRRGRRRRRRRRRRGRRRRRRRRRR'',
get up, get up, get up, get up… get ready for your day.
Hand out to the heavens asking the creator to get self-up.
Paper is grabbed from wall pocket, writing begins, mofe owo, mofe ra ile, mofe ko ile, mofe bimo, mofe se leyi, mofe, se leyi mofe, se leyi…
It’s written so aggressively that the papers get dragged, tossed, turned, pulled-apart, torn and discarded into nothingness. All the aspirational writings become refuse.
The being begins to see the usefulness in it after all.
“There's so much nonsense here, maybe it can be my gold. What do I have here that I can use?”
Being begins to tear up everything and all the paper turns into money, balloons pop continuously.
A gaze is set to see the window, light moves through, being pauses and thinks about their life.
They are in a whimsical Disney production with singing, and now the trance is over, very over.
Singing continues and then papers get thrown up and sprayed in the air, balloon pops!
Being stretches out body and begins to say 'Ádun', it will be sweet.
It changes from ''Ádun to Áadun to Ádun''.
A self-assurance rather than pity is done here.
Lippy sounds begin again and breathing takes place at a deeper and longer capacity.
''BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR''
It is tired and resting unable to move too much in this moment of absorption.
Amen is said, a plead to the lord to strengthen the journey of the season.
Then being says to self-soothe repetitively
''Eni to ba ni itelorun mati ni owun gbo gbo''
''Eni to ba ni itelorun mati ni owun gbo gbo''
''Eni to ba ni itelorun mati ni owun gbo gbo''
''Eni to ba ni itelorun mati ni owun gbo gbo''
(A person who has contentment has everything)
After its loss it then finds peace.
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Learn more
Ádun Performance video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaCsi_QK-7E
Beyond Otherness exhibition: https://571oxfordroad.com/exhibition/2021/07/09/beyond-otherness
Project Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondotherness/
Ádun was performed live at the Beyond Otherness exhibition, OpenHand OpenSpace Gallery, Reading, UK in July 2021.
The Beyond Otherness exhibition also included work from fellow Artists, Thirsika Jeyapalan, Maryam Kazimi, Nacheal Catnott, Oren Shoesmith, G.K. Field and Ollie Musson.
Special thanks to Project Facilitator Peter Driver and the OpenHand OpenSpace Gallery for their support.