SPOTLIGHT: Kamal Adisa’s motion art blurs the lines between US, Nigerian cultures

Kamal Adisa is a Nigerian visual artist in Brooklyn, New York. He is an award-winning motion graphics designer who works at Sony’s RCA Records. Kamal has collaborated with top artistes, including Wizkid, Doja Cat, Sza, and Steve Lacy. In this interview with TheCable Lifestyle’s VICTORY ORIMEMI, Kamal talks about his journey toward becoming an artist, his sources of inspiration, and his experience working with prominent figures in the entertainment industry.

TheCable Lifestyle: Describe your childhood and how it influenced your interest in art.

Kamal Adisa: It all started in childhood. Like anyone growing up around lots of creativity, I have always been into the journey generally. However, I had influences from my dad who works in advertising. He is the founder of Noah’s Ark, the ad agency. Whenever he brought me around his friends, a lot of them happened to be artists. I was always interested in what they were doing.  Like, I see what projects they were working on and it just looked like something that someone could do for the rest of their life. It looked like they made a living off art. So as someone who was already interested in art, I saw it as something that I could do eventually in the future and work towards.

TheCable Lifestyle: How has your cultural background shaped your work?

Kamal Adisa: In every aspect of my life, particularly the artwork I create, my Nigerian influence comes naturally. When I start a piece, it may not necessarily be focused on something Nigeria-related, but my background and expression influence the approach I take. I’ve noticed that this influence has been particularly useful in my projects. I’ve definitely pulled inspiration from an American animator, Gerald Braxton, who has a specific style of animation. I feel like, in the future, I want to continue bringing new ideas I encounter here with topics that are not discussed as much back at home should be. By doing so, I aim to breathe new life into these topics through new media.

TheCable Lifestyle: How do you deal with people who are unable to mentally connect with an artwork of yours?

Kamal Adisa: No one has approached me to say they didn’t understand what I was doing. As an artist, I try to keep things open to multiple interpretations. But I will say, in those cases, I wouldn’t want to tell them exactly what I’m trying to do. I would like them to experience the art in their own way and reflect on it. Ultimately, that’s what we are trying to do. We are trying to show a new perspective on something. People think differently, so I feel like it is good for you to let the audience work through their thoughts by themselves.

TheCable Lifestyle: I see you studied at Parsons School of Design in New York. How did this contribute to the development of your visual language and techniques as an artist?

Kamal Adisa: Parsons was really good at exposing me to new ideas. The professors were always trying to find new ways to expand our minds through activities we engaged in and the projects they gave us. But I would say one of the best things I got out of Parsons was the people I met who were just very talented and innovative in the kind of work they were doing. Luckily for me, I get to work with them now. I hope to continue working with them. So I’m very grateful for all the people that I have met at Parsons.

TheCable Lifestyle: What was your experience working with big names such as Wizkid and Doja Cat?

Kamal Adisa: In the beginning, I was just starstruck. When they told me I had this project to work on, I thought there is no way I’m working with Wizkid. One of my experiences working with him, which was just like crazy to me, was when ‘Made in Lagos’ dropped. I remember getting the email saying, “oh, you need to work on this small thing for the project.” And at first, I was like, “it’s crazy that I would get to work on it.” But then they had a link to a song that I did get to use for the project. I was like, “okay, nice.” I get a sneak peek of a song that hadn’t dropped yet.

So when they sent me the link and I got the whole album, it was crazy to hear the whole thing for the first time. Obviously, Wizkid is one of the biggest Nigerian artistes out there. It was a crazy experience for me that I had the chance to contribute to that album in some way.

Working with these great artistes felt like a great opportunity to contribute to those putting their all into their craft. So when I get the chance to add something, I really want to do justice. So yes, it has really been a great experience.

TheCable Lifestyle: You competed and won at a 2019 student animation contest in Denver, Colorado. Describe the concept and inspiration behind your award-winning animation entry.

Kamal Adisa: That was the first film competition I applied to. I remember it was a project that stemmed from a class I took, where we were tasked with making an animated short film. By the end of the class, the prof encouraged everybody to apply for a film competition he was involved in. So I came up with a short called ‘Paradise Island’ and we submitted it. At first, I wasn’t expecting much, as it was my film debut. However, it went well, and I got the opportunity to meet other filmmakers. It was a great experience to see everybody’s work and to win the exhibition.

TheCable Lifestyle: In what ways does your art reflect your personal values and experiences?

Kamal Adisa: I think every artist has something unique to them and it definitely comes from different angles. It could be from the media they consume, their upbringing, values, and the story they aim to convey through their art.

For me, what sets me apart from other artists is a combination of these factors, particularly the way I was brought up and the diverse experiences I have had. Growing up in Nigeria, attending high school in Jordan, and living in the US have all influenced my perspective and the stories I tell through my art.

I strive to create work that is personal to me but still accessible to anyone, regardless of whether or not they share my background. By keeping a broad audience in mind, I hope to create art that resonates with people from all walks of life.

TheCable Lifestyle: What challenges have you encountered and how did you manage to overcome them?

TheCable Lifestyle: Have you been inspired by your environment and the people around you as many artists claim, or do you draw inspiration from other sources?

Kamal Adisa: I feel the same way. I feel like the people who are my friends and whom I hang out with inspire me a lot, not just through their work but also through random funny videos that they might show me. All these little things definitely influence me. Moreover, just walking around and staring at random things on the sidewalk may also give an artist some sort of inspiration, as well as being online and surfing apps like Instagram or Twitter.

TheCable Lifestyle: You exhibited at the National Museum in Onikan, Lagos. Describe the process of selecting and curating these pieces.

Kamal Adisa: That exhibition was actually such a great opportunity. I remember working pretty long hours and exhibiting alongside two other young artists. I would say that we found out very early on how difficult it was to pull off an exhibition. There was a lot of organising involved, not just in putting up the art before people arrived, but also in figuring out how we wanted to talk about it and guide the audience through the pieces.

However, I will say that the inspirations behind the work I showed were not really centered around a strong theme for the exhibition. We just exhibited our personal works and were free to choose what we wanted to specifically do.

For my part, I was showing pieces that were very personal and were all self-portraits in a way. I actually had a self-portrait that was displayed there. What inspired most of them was just reflecting on things that were related to my upbringing, such as acrylic painters and Yoruba fabrics, as well as old pictures of my grandma or me and my brother as children. So they were very reflective pieces.

TheCable Lifestyle: What advice would you give to artists who are just starting to explore 3D animation, in terms of software to use, learning resources, and building a portfolio?

Kamal Adisa: As for incorporating both 2D and 3D motion, I usually end up working with movies if I’m trying to build a story that requires a lot more imagination. I guess it’s because I’m making a lot of things from scratch and creating the world and characters, and then writing a story. So for 3D, I usually work on more complicated stories, and for 2D, I usually work on animating something that’s already created. I tend to work more frequently with 2D, but I will say that with 3D and live-action, the possibilities are limitless. It’s definitely a medium that I encourage a lot of artists to explore, as you can literally make anything that you have in your head and bring it to life through the software. It’s just insane to think about, but it does require time and patience.

TheCable Lifestyle: What do you do when you’re not editing videos or designing?

Kamal Adisa: I try to relax. I love watching shows and have binged a lot of things. If I have any free time while I’m working, sometimes I just have the TV on in the background. I tell myself that I’m doing research, but I’m actually just chilling. I also hang out with my friends and go to bars or museums to relax.

TheCable Lifestyle: Are you planning on collaborating with other visual artists from Nigeria?

Kamal Adisa: Yeah, definitely. I’m always looking forward to collaborating with anyone. I have already collaborated with a lot of friends I have here in New York. I’ve been keeping tabs on just what people post on Instagram. There are so many talented Nigerian artists right now. Everybody is doing something super creative. I’m always looking forward to collaborating. So, eventually, I hope to have some projects with more Nigerian artists.

TheCable Lifestyle: Is there anything on your agenda in terms of upcoming projects or exhibitions that you would like to discuss or share?

Kamal Adisa: I’m currently working on an animated show where it’s basically an interview format. And it’s gonna be me interviewing a lot of my friends who are creatives in New York and possibly outside of New York. We’re just finding out more about them, their work, and their practice. We’re trying to make it all animated, so it’s gonna take some time to be made, but I’m super excited for that and to share that with you guys.

TheCable Lifestyle: As a creative established in the art industry, what tips would you give to those starting out?

Kamal Adisa: I would tell them to keep working on their craft, keep exploring, and be open to every source of inspiration. I’d also suggest having good friends around who keep them grounded because I know artists can really get into their heads sometimes, just trying to do the best work they can. But it’s always important to live life, take care of your health, and be in a good space to create.