Headshot by: Naskademini
Our #BlackExcellence365 Artist Spotlight continues with Nigerian-Canadian artist (and creative director! And producer! And model!) Josef Adamu (@josefadamu). Your new favorite quadruple threat took some time to delve into his art, especially in regards to his recent collaboration with musical artist Mick Jenkins.
Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you become a photographer? How has Tumblr helped you leverage your work?
My name is Josef Adamu. I am a Nigerian-Canadian creative with a heavy passion for storytelling and social influence. I’ve always loved visual art, though I had only recently gotten into shooting photography as I worked closely with more experienced fellow creatives. Tumblr has opened my eyes to many perspectives, moods, and storylines that have sharpened my vision. I literally use it every day for image referencing and to grasp new inspiration.
What communities do you identify with both online and IRL?
As a millennial creative, I strongly identify with the creative community online, as well as creative groups I’ve been proudly apart of offline. To be more specific, I heavily identify with black millennial groups of all sorts, as we resonate with each other through topics such as politics, pop culture, art, etc.
How does your work comment on current social or political issues?
As a storyteller focused primarily on black experiences, my work pushes an ethnic narrative in a rather tasteful way. I aim to embrace stories about relationships, identity, and community, which are often overlooked by the industry as a whole. I’ve found an issue with the lack of stories stemming from black experiences, and I chose to fill that void with meaningful content from my point of view.
What was the inspiration for Pieces of A Man, your recent photo campaign with hip-hop artist Mick Jenkins?
Mick Jenkins approached me with a beautiful storyline that inspired his second studio album, Pieces Of A Man. I used this as an opportunity to envision what it means to me while considering what it means to him. The idea of grouping the various components of manhood, and making an album that speaks to pride, love, accomplishments, ownership, and respect, was something I’ve always wanted to be a part of. Thus, we created a visual story that mimics his words through photography.
Pieces of A Man delves into a broader conversation surrounding Black masculinity. How do you think your piece relates to the broader topic of the #BlackExcellence365 campaign?
Apart from the album being so well done, the photography helps paint an even stronger picture of the work. The #BlackExcellence365 campaign highlights creative efforts through personalized stories, and Mick Jenkins paved his own lane with the concept behind his new album. Elaborating about topics that most overlook [as well as] passionately describing how he is influenced by each throughout the record is unique. I stepped in to pair the music with suitable visuals, and I believe we did a great job showcasing what Black Excellence looks like when efforts are merged.
The concept of Mick Jenkins looking into the mirror is very telling about facing our true selves. Can you go into more detail about that?
The concept was very true to his initial vision. Jenkins told me his album symbolized a lot of self-reflection and identity shaping. We sketched out ideas that exposed these through a camera, such as breaking mirrors, looking at himself through a piece of the mirror, and even reaching for the mirror through his shadow. The purpose of the broken pieces directly reflects the album’s title, though the overall goal was to communicate a moment where Mick Jenkins is spending time alone reflecting on various components of masculinity (i.e. what makes a man?).
Black artists on Tumblr, we want to hear from you. Is your art informed by the current political landscape? Let’s talk about it. Share your work on your Tumblr by making a post. Don’t forget to tag it #BlackExcellence365 so the community can find it!
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
