Artist spotlight: Joseph Ijoyemi on art, sound, and migration

Swedish-Nigerian artist Joseph Ijoyemi is part of a new generation reshaping London’s art scene through sound, sculpture and storytelling.

Based in south-east London, his multidisciplinary work explores migration and belonging, using sound and material to reflect how identity travels and transforms.

This autumn, his performance Candles in the Dark lit up Whitechapel Gallery’s East London Art Prize Late, an after-hours showcase of emerging talent.

Ahead of the show, I spoke with Joseph about his creative journey, his roots in south-east London and what it means to make space for others.

You started out as a producer before moving into fine art. How did that early connection to music shape your practice today?

“Before all of this, I was a producer where I just loved sound, grime, hip hop, and R&B especially.”

“When I started linking sound and art, I realised music could remind you of a moment in your life,” he says. “That same emotion could exist in visual art too.”

Your work often combines different mediums like sound, sculpture, installation. What drew you to that multidisciplinary approach?

“I think it’s all about storytelling,” he says.

“Every idea calls for its own material or language, and sometimes that’s sound, sometimes it’s metal or video, but it’s always about how to make the story felt.”

You recently performed Candles in the Dark at the Whitechapel Gallery. Can you tell me about the concept behind it?

“These conversations with people who are part of migration, first, second or third generation, they’re about their perspectives, what we’ve been through.”

“The performance is in the dark because we are the candles. We are the light of the world, everywhere. We all have a story.”

The piece, he adds, was born from real conversations about migration, identity and resilience. “It’s not just the music,” he says.

“It’s the conversations about where we come from, what we’ve had to move through, and what we carry with us.”

Growing up in south-east London clearly shaped your work. What kind of influence did that environment have on you?

“Growing up in south-east London shaped me heavily,” Joseph says.

“The sounds, the culture, the energy, that’s where my curiosity started, wanting to contribute to art and music in my own way.”

“Now there are more opportunities, especially for Black creatives,” he adds, “but back then it was hard to navigate. Even now, it’s about finding balance, being selective, and protecting your energy.”

“That’s even why I started the collective” Joseph says. “To help emerging artists find opportunities, share open calls, and build something that feels accessible.”

Joseph Ijoyemi’s work is an act of illumination, one that blends sound, storytelling and community into something deeply human.

His art transforms the personal into the universal, showing how shared experience can be both tender and powerful.

In a city where opportunity often feels uneven, Ijoyemi reminds us that creativity can still be an act of generosity, a reminder that every candle, no matter how small, can help light the dark.