معرفی
Peju Layiwola is a Professor at the Department of Creative Arts, University of Lagos. She earned a BA in Metal Design (1988) from the University of Benin, followed by MA (1991) and Ph.D. (2004) in Art History from the University of Ibadan. Her work spans multiple media, addressing postcolonial African themes such as artifact pillage, repatriation, history, memory, gender, and production processes. She has exhibited internationally and contributed to cultural institutions like Microsoft Lagos and the Yemisi Shyllon Museum.
- Education: BA (Metal Design, 1988), MA (Art History, 1991), Ph.D. (Art History, 2004)
Layiwola's research focuses on the intersection of art, history, and cultural restitution, particularly in Nigeria. She has curated exhibitions like Benin 1897.com: Art and the Restitution Question (2010) and Return (2018), while also exploring textile art's symbolic dimensions. Her academic leadership includes initiating curriculum reviews, establishing the Lagoon Gallery for community engagement, and securing TETFund grants for an Art and Craft Centre at the University of Lagos.
Scientific Awards:
- Departmental prize in Applied Arts (1987)
- Best graduating student at the University of Benin Art School (1988)
- Distinguished Scholar Award, Lagos Studies Association (2021)
- Terra Foundation grant (2018)
- British Council Sub-Saharan Africa Arts Cultural Exchange grant (2021)
- Goethe Resident Artist grant (2017)
- IVLP nomination (2011)
Layiwola founded the Women and Youth Art Foundation (Wy Art) in 1994, producing art education DVDs and establishing MasterArtClasses for post-COVID online art instruction. She has served as Acting Head and Head of the Department of Creative Arts (2013-2015, 2017-2020) and held visiting scholar roles at institutions like the University of Arkansas and the Art Institute of Chicago. Her international engagements include residencies at Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen (Germany) and the African Studies Association's ACASA presidency (2021-2022).
