Nina Johnson is pleased to present A Miracle is a Reasonable Thing to Ask For, the first US solo exhibition by Nigerian-born Fadekemi Ogunsanya, featuring a new body of hand-embroidered and beaded Adire textiles. Rooted in Yoruba folklore, the exhibition explores the legendary tale of Oluronbi—a story of promises, sacrifice, and fate—while examining broader themes of gender, power, and autonomy.
Having worked primarily with oil, gouache, and watercolor for most of her career, this is Ogunsanya’s first solo exhibition of textile works and marks a significant milestone in her practice. Working with the historic craft of Adire, a textile tradition dating back to the 1800s that incorporates indigo-dyed cotton cloths decorated using a resist-dyeing technique to create striking patterns in blue and white, Ogunsanya explores a new medium that is deeply rooted in her own personal history. The multi-stage process for these works involved creating intricate hand-drawn designs (in some cases drawn with a feather quill) on starch resist-dyed fabric made in Kano, Northern Nigeria; the textiles were then completed with delicate embroidery and beadwork in the artist’s Lagos studio. The resulting works evoke a deep connection to history and community—Adire textiles were traditionally made and worn by women throughout the Yoruba region of southwestern Nigeria and West Africa—while asserting a contemporary visual language.
The exhibition features nine new textile works, each representing pivotal moments in the Yoruba folktale of Oluronbi, which chronicles a young barren woman who makes a deal with Iroko, a Yoruba god in the form of a tree. The Iroko spirit requires gifts or sacrifices in exchange for granting favors. Out of desperation Oluronbi promises Iroko her firstborn child in exchange for the gift of motherhood. Iroko grants her wish and Oluronbi gives birth to a daughter, Apombepore. Despite her vow, Oluronbi refuses to surrender her child to the Iroko tree. The story ends with Iroko seeking retribution and taking Aponbepore by force. Exhibited in a loosely chronological order I leave It All in Your Hands; To Be with You, That’s All I Want; and Teach Me How to Live Without offer glimpses into the emotional and symbolic weight of Oluronbi’s fateful vow to the mystical Iroko tree. Joy Is Entirely Possible captures the tension between joy and obligation, while The Impossible, Too, Bends to Faith When Summoned Gently illustrates the story’s dramatic climax—a moment of reckoning between mother, child, and the divine patriarchal force to whom they are bound. Presented in a sequence that unfolds like a visual folktale, the works guide viewers through Oluronbi’s journey, prompting reflections on societal structures, the negotiation of power, and the endurance of cultural traditions.
Nina Johnson presents Fadekemi Ogunsanya: A Miracle is a Reasonable Thing to Ask For from May 22nd through August 7th in the Upstairs Gallery.
