Contemporary Nigerian artist Armstrong Agoreyo’s solo exhibition Fluid Boundaries at Artcore Gallery in Derby presents a compelling and immersive body of work spanning drawing, installation, and video. Rooted in a distinctive visual language that merges magical realism with historical narrative, the exhibition explores themes of cultural identity, environmental fragility, and the complexities of contemporary consumption.
At the heart of Agoreyo’s practice is an intricate process of transformation. Repurposing discarded materials such as magazines and newspapers, he constructs layered paper collages that carry the residue of everyday life, such as fragments of text, image, and memory. These materials are not merely aesthetic choices but conceptual anchors; they function as vessels through which histories are preserved, reimagined, and recontextualised. In Fluid Boundaries, waste becomes a powerful storytelling medium, inviting viewers to reconsider notions of value, permanence, and meaning.
The exhibition’s strength lies in its quiet yet deliberate materiality. Agoreyo’s delicate mark-making and densely layered surfaces reward close looking, revealing complex narratives embedded within each composition. Boundaries between past and present, material and memory, personal and collective, are continually blurred. The result is a body of work that feels both intimate and expansive, grounded in lived experience while resonating on a global scale.
Agoyero is a magician with a pencil, using drawing and collaged paper to create captivating images with intriguing titles such as Ambivalence of a Trickster, which depicts a majestic looking tortoise held aloft by person with their tattoo-covered back towards the viewer. With the drawing Before the Dawn, Agoyero creates an optical illusion where a figure emerges from an intricate tree-like structure, and a spherical shape – which could be a globe or a pregnant belly – becomes the focal point of the image. A cat’s face stares out of the image and a pair of chickens are perched on top of the tree’s branches. Echoes of the Wild is a ghostly, half-formed portrait with one eye looking pensively at the viewer, created using cross-hatching strokes and bold pencil marks.
Agoreyo, who studied Fine Art at the University of Benin and completed his Masters degree at the University of Derby in 2023, brings a deeply rooted sense of storytelling to his practice. His works celebrate African heritage and resilience, bridging temporal and cultural divides through meticulous craftsmanship. This sensibility is further informed by his early experiences, which instilled in him a strong awareness of tradition, narrative, and social consciousness. Agoreyo developed his unique paper collage style – which involves layering fragments from printed materials – during his studies at the University of Benin. His colorful collaged compositions investigate themes of cultural memory and social justice.
At Artcore Gallery, Agoreyo presents two large-scale collaged works, each alive with a vibrant palette and imagery that echoes the richness of Yoruba tradition within Nigerian culture. In one, a winged figure appears alongside a cockerel – an emblem central to Yoruba creation myth and spiritual practice. Here, the bird carries profound significance, bound to the shaping of the earth itself and the sacred act of establishing land.
Agoreyo’s commitment to sustainability and social engagement is evident not only in his materials but also in his broader artistic ethos. As the founder of Think Artist, a creative movement centred on accessibility, healing, and community-building through art, Agoreyo extends his practice beyond the studio. This ethos of inclusivity and transformation is echoed throughout Fluid Boundaries, where art becomes both a reflective and regenerative force.
Agoreyo’s growing international presence – including exhibitions in Venice, the UK, and Nigeria – underscores the relevance and urgency of his work. His ability to translate local narratives into universally resonant visual forms positions him as a significant voice within contemporary art discourse.
Ultimately, Fluid Boundaries is more than an exhibition; it is an invitation to engage with the layered complexities of identity, environment, and material culture. Through his innovative use of reclaimed media and his nuanced storytelling, Armstrong Agoreyo challenges viewers to see beyond the surface, revealing the interconnectedness of memory, matter, and meaning
Fluid Boundaries, a solo exhibition by Armstrong Agoreyo is at Artcore Gallery, 8 Albert Street, Derby from 2 to 7 April, 2026. Find more information here.
Find out more about Armstrong Agoreyo here.
