A Heartening Conversation with Yussef Agbo-Ola
Portrait by Tabita Rezaire, Courtesy of the artist
Yussef Agbo-Ola (b. 1990 in Newport News, Virginia, United States ) is an artist and architect living between London, Lagos, and the Amazon Forest. Born in rural Virginia in a multi-heritage Nigerian, African-American, and Cherokee household, his work reflects hybrid identities and relationships to different landscapes, ecologies, and cultural rituals. Agbo-Ola’s multidisciplinary artistic practice is concerned with interpreting natural energy systems through interactive experiments that explore the connections between an array of sensory environments, from the biological and anthropological to the perceptual and microscopic. His practice questions how art, architecture, and anthropological research can create experimental environments that challenge the way we experience geological conditions and living ecosystems. His works manifest as architectural temples, photographic journalism, material alchemy, interactive performance, experimental sound design, and conceptual writing.
Yussef holds a Masters in Fine Art from the University of the Arts London and a Masters in Architecture from the Royal College of Art. He has led art and architectural commissions for the United Nations, Institute of Contemporary Art (London), Serpentine Gallery London, Van Abbe Museum, TEDx East End, BBC Arts, Museum Folkwang, Venice Architectural Biennials, Palais de Tokyo, Tai Kwun Arts Center, Sharjah Architecture Triennial, and Lexus Automotive Innovation Centre Japan, among others. Agbo-Ola is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Architecture at Columbia GSAPP, where he directs an experimental design studio called The Art of Poetic Environmental Architecture.
I had the pleasure of asking Yussef about his steps to ensure his continuous growth and development as an artist, his architectural commissions, his greatest inspirations regarding how he creates art, and so much more.
UZOMAH: Nader Khalili was an architect, teacher, and inventor whose innovative method was inspired by Rumi, the 13th-century mystic poet. How has poetry influenced your work as an architect?
YUSSEF: The space between the lines, the directness of feeling, and the motion between words are all initial influences that come to mind when I think about architecture and poetry. There are many forms of poetry that serve different purposes within various cultures, but I’m particularly drawn to poetry that embraces ambiguity. I appreciate the space it provides to reflect on the unknown and question reality through observation. This idea has anchored my work as both an artist and an architect: to use poetics as a tool to express the symbolic aspects of the unseen world.
Poetry communicates using symbols, which fascinates me as an architect. I’m interested in this symbolic element and the chemistry of poetry. I strive to use language and descriptive elements to express things not just as they are but in ways that provoke different imaginations. As an architect, I aim to illuminate the unseen realm—not literally, but through symbols.
There’s a beauty in the freedom that poetry allows for expression. Its capacity for introspection is crucial for my design process. Another wonderful aspect of poetry is how it positions one element next to another, creating contrasts. I think about what these contrasts mean and how they evoke emotions or gestures of understanding when combined into a cohesive expression of spatial poetry. I see poetry as an equation or formula that contrasts and reflects different elements. Through this contrast and reflection, you can see the reality of the world described in a way that encourages new perspectives. This philosophy is what I strive to incorporate into my work as an artist and architect.
Medicinal Skin Species- Extinction Collection [R64-IO], 2022, Courtesy of the artist & KÖNIG GALERIE
U: Can you explain how you merge and combine sculpture, installation, artifacts, and sound to create an immersive environment in your most recent exhibition, 7 RIVERS IN BONE ASH?
Y: The exhibition is a sacred space filled with various sacred artifacts that I’ve been creating over the past two years. For me, it’s like an ecosystem of experiences from the Amazon rainforest, Ibadan, Nigeria, and my studio in London. It serves as a capsule that brings together all the research conducted in the studio about endangered and extinct species, along with my spiritual reflections from different expeditions in nature. In the exhibition, you’ll find fabric-based works resembling tombstones or other sacred pieces that honor and reflect on our relationships with the nonhuman world. There’s also an altar in the center that commemorates endangered orchid species from the Amazon rainforest. The focus is on observation and reflection; I want people to connect with the works while understanding that they hold space for the unseen dynamism of the natural systems they represent. The variety of mediums in the show reflects an ecosystem of different forms of expression I’ve explored in the studio. There are drawings made with Indian ink and natural pigments, along with sacred totems crafted from Angelique wood and Amazonian wood. The sound work ties all these elements together; it acts as the exhibition’s voice, featuring a symphony of chants and sounds inspired by water movements and tectonic layers beneath the soil. This environment of reverence and sacredness creates a multisensory experience for contemplation.
As Silence Gave Birth in Watermelon Skin- Medicinal Skin Species 9, 2024, Courtesy of the artist & KÖNIG GALERIE
U: What do you find poetic about being an architect and a visual artist?
Y: I sometimes feel that titles can become limiting if you hold onto them too tightly. Doing so can make you miss the beauty and connection between different roles. What I appreciate about being both a medicinal architect and an artist is how they relate to scale. As an artist, I have the freedom to imagine, dream, and explore new ideas while also being persistent and dedicated to bringing those ideas to life. Combining architecture with art gives me a perspective that merges creativity and science, helping me define the rules to turn my ideas into reality.
My creative process begins with an artistic mindset focused on imagination, freedom, curiosity, and research. I think about symbolism and poetry, considering what’s at stake when translating various kinds of information or realities into art. The architectural side of my brain provides the critical thinking and planning needed to make those ideas spatially real. I find it poetic to move between architectural and artistic thinking because it allows me to translate symbols into works that operate on both human and nonhuman scales. I try not to separate these two energies; one side of my brain focuses on architectural thinking, while the other is more artistic, and I believe they work together in my creative process. This cross-pollination between art and architecture creates a space for freedom of expression while also providing the rationality needed to bring those different imaginations to life.
SAKO- 12 SEED ALTAR, 2024, Courtesy of the artist & KÖNIG GALERIE
U: How are art life and life art, and how do you find inspiration in everyday life to create a connection between your work and the world around you?
Y: Art and life intersect in many ways in my practice, and I don’t see a distinction between the two. Walking is essential for me, whether in a forest, city, or hiking up a mountain. As I move through these environments, different elements catch my attention, like a fallen seed, a blooming flower, a pile of stones, or a termite hill. I’m often surprised by what makes me slow down and take a closer look. When I do slow down and become present, I often feel a desire to share that experience of reflection with others based on my connection to the elements during my walk.
After these walks, a second stage of reflection occurs in the studio, where I tap into my imagination. During my walks, I’m always observing my surroundings and trying to connect with my environment in various ways. Curiosity is very important to me; I’m fascinated by the invisible world around me. In my daily life, I often take samples on my walks, exploring the microscopic world for inspiration. This is a vital part of my creative process. Picking up different seeds or pausing to observe flowers and leaves keeps me inspired. I’m amazed by the incredible details in nature that often go unnoticed.
Additionally, traveling to experience different cultural perspectives, ceremonies, rituals, and cosmologies fuels my inspiration. The world above and the world below serve as anchors for me. Looking at the deep sky and deep earth creates numerous connections and synergies, making my everyday life about discovering these connections.
The Grace of a Queen Bee- Medicinal Skin Species 9, 2023, Courtesy of the artist & KÖNIG GALERIE
U: How did living in a diverse home of Nigerian, African American, and Native American descent shape your artistic outlook? How do these cultural influences manifest in your work and contribute to your creative vision? Which area has the most impact?
Y: I didn’t fully understand it as a child, but as an adult, I’ve come to recognize that all of those cultures have a unique understanding of materiality, ritual, and ceremony, forming deep connections with nature. They grasp the concepts of transition and metamorphosis, believing that ancestors and the deceased can be linked through sacred artifacts. Their rituals and ceremonies have always inspired me, and researching the various artifacts and cosmologies in my heritage forms a foundation for my work. The sacred architecture of Nigerian shrines has been a significant influence as well. I often ask myself questions like, “What does a shrine that holds an entity or spirit look like, and why?”
In Native American culture, death is viewed as part of a cycle, similar to hunting a deer. You don’t just take the meat and leave the rest; every part of the deer is utilized because everything has a purpose. This idea of respecting and using all parts of the animal, along with honoring the energy involved in the transition from life to death, influences my work. I’m inspired by the notion of not wasting anything and recognizing the sacredness of material objects as they change from one state to another. The cosmological symbols and creative expressions found in sacred art also greatly inspire me.
When A River Dies She Becomes A Baobab- Medical Skin Species 9, 2024, Courtesy of the artist & KÖNIG GALERIE
U: What steps are you taking to ensure your continuous growth and development as an artist?
Y: I believe that the only way to grow outwardly is to grow inwardly, so self-care is essential for ongoing growth. I spend a lot of time swimming, walking, and reflecting. I truly think that being grateful for my purpose in life is key to sustaining that growth. Taking care of my health is also very important. Recently, I've developed a fascination with aloe vera; I drink it frequently and use it on my face and skin. The medicinal properties of the aloe vera plant really inspire me.
Another vital aspect of my growth is my dedication to appreciating nature. There’s so much I still don’t know about the natural world that I find it hard to run out of inspiration. Instead of trying to figure out how everything works, I focus on simply being amazed by nature and observing it from different angles. This mindset helps me recognize the complexity of the world around me and serves as a strong foundation for my growth as a creative person and an artist.
Roots of Rebirth- Bone Totems Series, 2024, Courtesy of the artist & KÖNIG GALERIE
U: Who and what are your greatest inspirations regarding how you create art?
Y: That's a tough question because I have many different sources of inspiration, so it’s hard to pinpoint just one. However, I can share two current inspirations. One of them is the Amazonian leaf cutter ant. There is something really beautiful about just seeing them walk and move in these enormous lines through the forest. They make trails one behind the other, working together as a collective to basically accomplish a goal. How they communicate with each other and share different resources for the common goal is really inspiring, so I've been looking a lot at their anatomy but also how they function within their micro-ecosystem underground. The architecture of tunnels and different habitats that they create underground is also very inspiring, thus I would say one of my biggest inspirations right now is the architectural, structural habitat of these leaf cutter ants in the Amazon.
The second inspiration is my grandmother. I have many memories of watching her in the garden when I was a child. She had a remarkable green thumb and poured so much love into her plants. Her relationship with them was truly inspiring. I remember her singing songs to the plants and caring for them with a delicate, motherly touch. I can vividly recall the energy she had; it felt like the plants were growing for her, as if she was literally pouring energy into them. This reminds me of leaf-cutter ants, who work together for a common goal. At the same time, I believe there's something beautiful about the solitude you can share with plants, as my grandmother did. She would spend one-on-one time with them, talking to them, and showing them love. She demonstrated the alchemy of energy exchange with plants, often saying, “I’m pouring into them, and they can feel my presence, so in that way, Yussef, they are also pouring into me.”
NUNU - Roots of a Mother's Heart #8 - Bone Totems Series, 2024, Courtesy of the artist & KÖNIG GALERIE
U: Having led art and architectural commissions for the United Nations, Institute of Contemporary Art (London), and more, what do you find the most similar and complex in doing commissions from work on your own and for your studio?
Y: There are many similarities between my work and the studio's work; in fact, they are one entity. I see the studio as a piece of art itself. It serves as a conceptual foundation, like a design studio operating as its own system. The main focus in both my personal work and the studio's work is how an ecosystem thrives. In the studio, we function as an ecosystem, where various ideas are developed, undergo deeper research, and eventually lead to different projects from that collective introspection. My personal work follows the same philosophy. It brings together different fabricators and sources of knowledge or inspiration to create an artwork, or what I would call a sacred architectural temple.
Diatoms in Indigo- Medicinal Skin Species 9, 2024, Courtesy of the artist & KÖNIG GALERIE
U: As Adjunct Assistant Professor of Architecture at Columbia GSAPP, where you direct the experimental design studio within the Advanced Architectural Design program, could you share your vision for the program? What are some of the exciting goals you have for the next year?
Y: The studio I lead at GASPP is called "The Art of Poetic Environmental Architecture." One of the main themes we explore is questioning the role of the architect and what it could look like in the future. The traditional understanding of an architect's role can feel outdated. It’s incredibly rewarding to work with students to first deconstruct and unpack this concept, with each studio session producing a new definition. This ongoing exploration shapes how we frame the studio and reconsider the purpose of architects.
A key focus is how we can conceptualize new forms of architecture that allow people to experience nature on different scales in entirely new ways, while embracing the idea of decay and the reuse of materials in the production process. We also question the spiritual or sacred aspects of architecture: what does it truly mean for a space to become sacred? These are some of the fundamental questions that guide our work.
I run the studio like a design think tank, where each student serves as a vital link in the overarching philosophy of the studio. Together, we form our own creative office, imagining and developing solutions for structures that connect us to the unseen forces in nature.
For more information about Yussef’s artwork and projects, please visit his site here. Yussef’s studio, Olaniyi Studio, can be found here and on Instagram here. His most recent exhibition is featured in the magazine and can be found here.
