LAYO BRIGHT

2022 - 2023

Layo Bright (b. Lagos, Nigeria) is a sculptor whose works explore themes of migration, inheritance, legacy, and identity through portraits, textiles, and mixed media. Bright’s work is currently on view in Undercurrents, a group exhibition organized by NXTHVN and Sean Kelly, that explores the nuanced relationship between materiality, human longing, and collective memory. Bright has exhibited work internationally in group exhibitions at Monique Meloche Gallery, IL, USA; Bode Projects, Berlin, Germany; Phillips, NY, USA; Welancora Gallery, NY, USA; Mike Adenuga Centre, Lagos, Nigeria; Anthony Gallery, IL, USA; Meyerhoff Gallery at MICA, MD, USA; Mana Contemporary, IL; Smack Mellon, NY, USA; among others. She has participated in notable art fairs such as Prizm Art Fair 2020, Future Fair (Holiday Market) 2020, and Future Fair (solo booth with Superposition Gallery) 2021. 

Bright received her LL.B (Hons.) from Babcock University (2014), was called to the Nigerian Bar Association (2015) and received her M.F.A. in Fine Art (Hons.) from the Parsons School of Design (2018). She is the recipient of honors and awards including the UrbanGlass Winter Scholarship Award (2021), UrbanGlass Winter Scholarship Award (2020), the International Sculpture Center’s 2018 Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award (2018); and the Beyoncé Formation Finalist Scholarship (2017).

She has partaken in residencies including NXTHVN Fellowship in New Haven, CT; Triangle, Brooklyn, NY; Flux Factory, Queens, NY; The Studios at Mass MoCA, North Adams, MA; Tri-tryagain Studio Residency, Brooklyn, NY; International Studio Center Sculpture Residency at Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton Township, NJ.

Read an interview with Bright in OkayAfrica.