Behind the art magazine dedicated to serving as a home for African artists, Ojuromi Eboseyi Rachel.
“It is incredibly important that we give credit to the independent artists working every day in their room trying to make a difference in the world,” says Rachel Ojuromi, a Lagos-based multifaceted artist, storyteller, and the visionary behind The Process Africa magazine. Rachel is set to embark on a new chapter with an exciting event titled ‘The Artist Experience’ on December 16th, where she will bring together six remarkable artists to showcase their work and share insights into their creative processes. Rejecting traditional models, Rachel emphasizes a community-centric approach. The event is free, challenging capitalist norms. Her belief that “community is the antithesis to capitalism” underscores the importance of inclusivity. She envisions a meaningful impact on the Nigerian and global art scenes through The Process Africa.
Credits: theprocessafrica / daniellaalmona / debbyfasingha
Tell us a bit about your background. When did you first get interested in art and how did the journey begin?
Rachel: I’ve always been connected to art, but if I were to pick a specific time that things began, I would say in Secondary School, I used to write fictional stories in 60-leave notebooks and sell them to people. I also wrote a teen magazine that had stories, games, and poems, but I lost it because so many people kept renting it, and I lost track of who was with it. I was also a part of my school’s music and drama group, and I spent a lot of time trying out things and playing with everything I found interesting. At some point, I joined TikTok and used to make dancing videos, lip-syncing videos, and just random skits. I had a lot of free time and freedom to do as much as I wanted to do and to be as me as I could be. My parents were mostly at work, and my brothers didn’t have my time, so I had to learn how to be friends with myself. I think that allowed me to truly learn and find out all the things I wanted to do.
Just at the start of the year, you were known as a filmmaker/YouTuber. How did the evolution and inspiration for the magazine birth itself?
Credits: theprocessafrica / daniellaalmona / debbyfasingha
Rachel: Everything I have ever done has been born from a place of love and ease and even when things get hard there is a conviction and knowing that I am on the right path. After pouring so much of myself into film, that conviction began to slip. I didn’t enjoy it as much and began to feel unfulfilled. I took a trip to Ilorin after a film screening I held and during my trip, one of the exhibiting artists Temidayo Arise (SDL) held a musical gathering with his creative community. It was so beautiful and pure and seeing so many artists and creatives gathered just filled my heart with so much love and I knew I wanted that – a community fueled by love and something that would feel like home. And that is what The Process Africa is: a home for African art and culture, a safe space for African artists. This is what our upcoming event hopes to do. ‘The Artist Experience’ isn’t just a random title. The event will showcase the works of six handpicked artists, each bringing a unique perspective and story to the table. It is an opportunity for them to speak about their journey as artists and how they experience life. From painters to photographers, “The Artist Experience” promises a diverse and immersive journey into the world of African art. The exhibiting artists are ODEY ANTHONY, UZOR PHILLIP-NERI, TEMIDAYO ARISE, ABDULLAHI ALI, DANIELLA ALMONA, and RETEPOKI. Despite the wonderful art that they make, they were also selected for who they are, how they see the world, the principles they live by, and the stories they have to tell.
Credits: theprocessafrica
Given that this is the magazine’s first event, what can attendees expect from “The Artist Experience”?
Rachel: I want them to know that they are coming home and we mean this literally. The interior design of the art gathering is inspired by a traditional Nigerian home setting because growing up in my childhood home and sharing space with my neighbors and family framed my idea of community and I hope to share that same feeling with everyone that attends.
Do you envision this event fostering a sense of community and collaboration among artists?
Rachel: During the ideation and curation process, we made sure the exhibiting artists were in direct communication with the team and encouraged collaboration with each other. For example, the exhibited works by Abdullahi Ali were a collaboration between him and the magazine. Daniella Almona, another exhibiting artist, handled styling, makeup, and BTS photography. ‘Community’ is not just a buzzword for us. We live, breathe, and practice it every day.
Credits: theprocessafrica / shotbyabdullahi / daniellaalmona
Where do you hope to see ‘The Process Africa’ in the next 5 years?
Rachel: We are focused on taking things one step at a time and moving at our own pace but we hope to have more gatherings and build strong communities around Africa. We already have growing connections in Kenya and Ghana so we hope we can do more things there and also have printed issues of the magazine available. I also hope that the artists we are working with now have gained more recognition in their careers and have yet another thing to be proud of!
What words do you have for the community of artists out there?
Rachel: Art is a means of expression and a weapon against oppression so be very careful in choosing how you want to use that weapon. Do not let the system and the society we live in stop you from being all that you are and fighting for the right cause.
