Laolu on the 'Sacred Art of Ori'

Arts.

“The Sacred Art of the Ori is a Spiritually Intimate Experience. It’s Cathartic for both me and my Muse. We Connect Our Minds, Bodies, and Souls on Higher Level. I paint their Spirit and Soul from that Connection. It Breathes Life into Us Both."

-Laolu

Origin of 'ORI'

The concept of Ori is rooted in the Yoruba belief system .Ori, literally meaning "head," refers to one's spiritual intuition and destiny.

It is the reflective spark of human consciousness embedded into the human essence, and therefore is often personified as an Orisha in its own right. It is believed that human beings are able to heal themselves both spiritually and physically by working with the Orishas to achieve a balanced character, oriwa-pele.

When one has a balanced character, one obtains an alignment with one's Ori or divine self. It is also believed that Ori be worshiped like Orisha. When things are not going right, Ori should be consulted. And to make things right Ori should be appeased. This is because whatever one becomes or whatever happens in one's life is as destined by Ori.

Laolu and the Ori Art

Laolu Senbanjo was born in Ilorin, Nigeria into a yoruba family. He has been drawing for as long as he can remember but coming from a traditional African family, he had to follow in his father's footsteps and become an attorney. He worked as a human rights attorney in Lagos, Nigeria, until he moved to New York City in 2013.

"I never gave up my love for art. I used to have my work featured in galleries around Lagos, but it wasn't until I quit my job as a lawyer and moved to New York that I did art full-time," Senbanjo told ESSENCE.

His unique style of art is known as “Afromysterics” which he coined around 2006 – 2007. It simply means “the mystery of the African thought pattern.”

Laolu is the creator of the performance art ritual called "Sacred Art of the Ori." It is an intimate spiritual experience between him and his muses. The foundation of the Sacred Art of the Ori ritual is the Yoruba religious practice of becoming one with yourself or awakening the God in you (Ori). Laolu's influence creating this practice is his paternal Grandmother (Mama) who strongly impacted his life and his Art.

From the horse's mouth,

'In my language, Yoruba "Ori" literally means your essence, your soul, your destiny and also comes with a mantra. When I work with a muse, we become one. My Art form is physically drawing what's on the inside, what's in your soul, and your essence and being; on your canvas which is the skin. It's the deepest most spiritual experience I've ever had with my Art as an artist. It's amazing and energizing. The connection is phenomenal.'

Ads

Works.

Laolu was hired by Nike NY as 'Master of Air' in 2016 to design a limited edition of air max sneakers for the company and it all sold out. This put him on the world map for the first time.