Invitation to Invade
BY ADEDOLAPO BOLUWATIFE
Growing up in Lagos, I witnessed the devastating impact of flooding, often caused by plastic waste. This realisation ignited my passion for addressing environmental issues through my photography, leading to the creation of my project, Invitation to Invade. I collected plastic waste, transforming it into a visual narrative before depositing it at a recycling plant, aiming to provoke thought and raise awareness about pollution.
My art is deeply rooted in personal experiences, shaped by my thoughts, opinions, and the world around me. This connection to nature was further reinforced during the 2020 pandemic when I returned to my parents’ home. My mom’s garden became my sanctuary, revealing nature’s healing power and inspiring me to engage in meaningful conversations about environmental issues.
Invitation to Invade is a conceptual fine art photography series that challenges viewers to confront plastic pollution. Using symbolism and striking imagery, the series blends beauty with an unsettling truth about waste’s dominance over humanity, urging us to rethink our relationship with the planet and take responsibility for its future.
ABOUT ADEDOLAPO
Adedolapo Boluwatife is a photographer and filmmaker based in Lagos, Nigeria. Born in Ojodu in 1996, his creative journey began while studying English and Literary Studies at Obafemi Awolowo University, where he discovered photography as a quiet but powerful form of self-expression. Deeply influenced by modernist and avant-garde artists such as Alfred Stieglitz, Ansel Adams, and Rotimi Fani-Kayode, Adedolapo’s work bridges introspection with social commentary.
Centered around nature and marked by natural light and emotionally charged compositions, his photography explores themes of mental health, freedom, gender, and environmental degradation. His images are both poetic and political—acts of resistance and reflection that invite audiences into conversations about resilience, authenticity, and cultural identity.
Adedolapo has been recognized as a finalist for the LensCulture Fine Art Award (2024) and the CAP Prize (2024). His work has appeared in Nataal UK, Nowness, and MAPS Magazine (South Korea), and has been exhibited internationally in Paris, Lagos, and Côte d’Ivoire. Currently, his practice focuses on visual projects that respond to the psychological and ecological pressures of contemporary life, using art to navigate—and illuminate—the complexities of the world around him.