ISHOLA

ISHOLA IS A FICTIONAL SOAP BRAND ROOTED IN MEMORY. IT DRAWS FROM FRAGMENTS OF MY LATE GRANDFATHER ISHOLA, “PAPY DE PORTO” WHOSE PRESENCE I REMEMBER THROUGH OBJECTS MORE THAN STORIES: HIS KOTTO LEFT IN THE BATHROOM, HIS WOVEN MECCA HAT TUCKED UNDER HIS GOBI, HIS AGBADA, AND THE QUIET SMELL OF BLACK SOAP.

I KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT HIM. IN MY MIND, HE EXISTS THROUGH HABITS, PLANTS, FABRIC, AND SOAP.

THIS PROJECT RECLAIMS AN UNUSED LOGO ORIGINALLY DEVELOPED FOR A RECENT WORK AROUND THE ILE-IFE HEADS. ALTHOUGH THE LOGO WAS NOT SELECTED, IT REMAINED ONE OF MY STRONGEST PROPOSALS. RATHER THAN DISCARDING IT, I REPURPOSED IT HERE, GIVING IT A NEW CONTEXT WITHIN A PERSONAL NARRATIVE.

THIS FICTIONAL PROJECT IS A PART OF “EVERYDAY PLAYGROUND”, AN ONGOING RESEARCH QUESTIONING AND PLAYING AROUND WITH CULTURAL ELEMENTS OF THE AFRO DESCENT EVERYDAY LIFE.