Meet final-year student of the Department of Creative Arts, Faculty of Arts, University of Lagos, Miss Jesudara Anjolaoluwa Hinmikaiye who is currently on a five-month exchange programme at the Hochschule für bildende Künste Hamburg (HFBK Hamburg) also called the University of Fine Arts, Hamburg.
Before her departure, Miss Hinmikaiye shared her expectations from the programme and how it would contribute to her personal and academic growth with the Communication Unit, UNILAG.
- Hi, tell us a bit about yourself
Hello, my name is Anjolaoluwa, I am a 400-level Visual Arts student at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. I am an artist. I delve into various aspects of art – I paint, work with textiles, and take photographs of things around me which have been used in publications. I am from Kogi State – a state where you see lots of textiles which also translates to how I also happen to be a textile major at UNILAG. I enjoy reading, listening to music, taking photographs during my free time and sometimes, writing.
- Why did you choose UNILAG?
I have always wanted to study in UNILAG since secondary school. My elder sister studied here too. Even though I gained admission to study Mass Communication at Covenant University, I didn’t want that, so I didn’t accept the admission and made my way to study Visual Art, what I really wanted, at UNILAG.
- How did you get selected to be an exchange student? What was the process of selection?
My lecturers made the selection. They held a meeting and I ended up being selected based on past works which I had done. I was also among students that were selected for the very first event where six students from Hamburg and six students from Nigeria worked together on an exhibition. I guess that also informed the decision to select me.
- Was it just you or were other students selected also?
I am the only student selected to go for this round. It is a yearly programme – a student went earlier in the year and has returned. Recently, an exchange student from Hamburg, Pablo Camargo, was at our department and he has also returned. It’s a continuous programme.
Read more: Exchange Student, Pablo Camargo Winds Down UNILAG Experience with Solo Exhibition
- What are your expectations from the exchange programme?
My expectations are varied. I expect to develop as an artist and as a person. I hope to see and approach art differently as well as use materials around me in a different way. I have seen several art works produced by students and graduates of the University and they are very exciting, down to using just ordinary objects in inventive ways. So, I am hoping that during my stay and with interaction with the lecturers and students at HFBK, I will have a new approach to my work as a person. I am also hoping to develop the existing ideas I have here, taking from my background as a Nigerian and from Kogi state and also see how I can marry the two experiences together. I believe it would be an amazing experience.
- Asides studying, what would you like to learn at the host institution and country?
At the country, I would like to experience the food and travelling. Traveling, because apparently there is a way to access other countries around the European Union via the country. So I would like to visit at least one country and get a feel of the art environment because the Art scene is very strong and pleasant, as well as the seaside, seeing as Hamburg is a port city.
At the institution, I would like to learn about the arts; the techniques; materials because I am guessing they will have more developed machinery and equipment to use and as a textile student, I would like to see how they work with their machines in the University. I would also like to experience the style of teaching. Over there, the teaching style is a bit different because here in UNILAG, it is a bit formal, but over there, it is informal where lecturers hold group sessions maybe once or twice a week with students and the students are free to create. Here, we have a well laid-down curriculum.
- If there was that one thing you would like to share with the host institution about UNILAG or Nigeria, what would that be?
I would like to share about how we support ourselves in the Creative Arts Department at the University of Lagos – how we are deliberately interested in the community, and how we exchange ideas. In UNILAG, there is this support that you get as a student that you might not be able to find in other universities. When foreigners come here, they notice that we are very friendly people and I will like to take that, as well as, our rich culture with me over there.
- What would you do if you had a free day to do anything you want?
If I had a free day to do anything I want, I would visit places I have always wanted to photograph – there is this place along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, there is this huge stretch of greenery and I believe that there are some plants species that we have killed off, due to the fact that people want to build houses. I would like to go and take pictures of those places and document it.
At Hamburg, I would maybe take a walk or stay indoors watching movies to see how their movies are and what the movie industry is like. I think the best way to know about a country is through its movies. I would also love to attend a musical at the Elbphilharmonie “Elphi”, a really popular theatre at Hamburg.
- What objective would you love to achieve as an exchange student?
First, I hope to create works that will be very memorable and remind people that, yes, this person from this university came here, and did this, which may or may not have a positive impact. My second objective would be to explore the textiles over there. The third one would be to explore new materials and merge them with ideas I have here. Yet another objective would be to learn something very new and totally different from what I do. Something along the lines of their technology – sound design. They have a department dedicated to sound and other techniques and it would be nice to explore how they work around it.
- What part of the host country’s culture will you be excited to experience?
The music, I think Disc Jockeying (DJing) is a very big thing there and I would like to experience that, maybe by attending an event or a concert. It seems to be huge, everyone wants to be a DJ, and they are a very popular thing. Another thing I would want to experience is the art scene like I mentioned earlier.
- What will you miss about Nigeria the most?
Our food because I don’t think they eat pepper (laughter), the communal spirit and our jovial nature
- What type of fun activities would you like to participate in the host country?
There is one thing I plan on doing. I once watched a video on things you can get with ten euros (€10) in Germany. In the video, a couple took a walk round the city, looking for ways to spend the money wisely. I would like to do this with a friend over there. There are plenty of things one can do – one can go to the beach or port, visit the seaside, get food, and also take a walk. A whole day well spent.
- How did you intend to stay connected with UNILAG?
Through regular conversation with my course mates and my lecturers – keeping updated with activities going on here; contributing where and when necessary; help create connections with people who can help with stuff etcetera.
- Do you anticipate any challenges while studying at the host institution? And how do you plan to overcome them?
Not sure what challenge might come up. The one I have thought about is the language. But from my research as well as my speaking with people there, English seems to be more acceptable. If any other challenge comes up, I’ll adapt and see what I can learn from it. It would be nice though if I face one or two “not-too-serious” challenges, as it would also help me stay grounded.
- How did you envision this exchange programme contributing to your personal and academic growth in the long-run?
One, it is a really huge opportunity, because by participating in this, I am a fellow of the Art School Alliance (ASA). The same way I am going to HFBK as a UNILAG student, there are students from other universities who are also going there as exchange students. So yes, it that is something huge.
Asides how instrumental being a fellow of ASA will be to my career, it will also be a launchpad for me to access opportunities with regards to exhibitions, grants and opportunities for residencies, wherein one will get to travel, stay at a place to create works for 2-3 months, exhibit the works and also get paid.
Also, seeing as I am a final year student, I believe the experiences I would gain at HFBK will be very useful for my project work and I hope it will not be just a project but something that will be very useful to the Nigerian Textile industry. Lastly, I hope to create good connections and memorable experiences.
- What are your personal and academic goals?
My academic goal is to be more studious, because one could say that being studious helped me get this opportunity to a large extent. It pays also to be serious academically. A lot of people downplay the importance of being studious by saying that if one is serious one can never get any where in life.
- Give a word of advice to your peers
It pays to be serious academically. It isn’t a waste of time, neither is it a wasted effort. Disregard what people say serious people getting nowhere and unserious people doing better in life. It all depends on how you apply what you have learnt in school.
- What are your plans after UNILAG?
I am a print designer. I have worked with several clients, Vlisco and some small fashion brands. I intend to take my career more seriously and create a proper structure around it. I am currently undergoing internship at Grapes Pattern-Bank – I am learning better business ideas, different ways to approach designs. Grapes Pattern-Bank is a successful surface pattern design store which creates print designs for fashion brands. So, I would also like to see how I can develop my brand, make it unique to me and create more physical products.
