Bisi Fakeye

Bisi Fakeye is a carver of renown, from a family of famous carvers. His great grandfather was the carver Olawoyin from Ila Orangun. He is cousin to Lamidi Fakeye. The Fakeye family have maintained and developed the carving traditions of the Yoruba people and given them international fame.

©Adolphus Opara
©Adolphus Opara
©Adolphus Opara

Bisi Fakeye now lives in Ibadan where the curators of the John Randle visited him. He uses modern tools, but the process of making a carving would be familiar to his grandfather. The curators of the John Randle asked Bisi Fakeye to demonstrate the skill of a master carver. In the first stage, Ona-Lile, the basic design is blocked out – this is the most important stage and is only performed by the master carver. Other stages (Aletunle, Didan and Finfin) bring the sculpture into presence, with a smooth finish and clear features.

©Adolphus Opara
©Adolphus Opara
©Adolphus Opara