Once an artwork leaves the studio, it begins a life beyond the artist.

In this exchange, artist Alimi Adewale speaks about how art carries emotion long after it is made. When collectors live with a work, their own experiences — joy, pain, memory — become part of its energy.

...Over time, the piece gathers new meanings.

The conversation continues on The Pearl Lam Podcast.

Colour in Alimi Adewale’s work carries meaning far beyond aesthetics.

Through dyeing, stitching, and layering, the materials reflect labour, spirituality, and cultural memory — elements that are often overlooked when viewed only through a Western lens.

From my conversation ...with Alimi Adewale and Maria Bojan on The Pearl Lam Podcast.

Available on YouTube and Spotify.

What does it mean to build an artistic practice outside the traditional art capitals?

Artist Alimi Adewale reflects on why Lagos remains central to his work — a city whose intensity, challenges, and raw energy continue to influence his thinking and artistic language.

Discover ...the episode, only on The Pearl Lam Podcast.

Can an artist truly remain independent within the global art system?
Together with artist Alimi Adewale and curator Maria Bojan, we discuss the reality that artists must often adapt in order to survive. But how much adaptation is too much?

What would you do?

This conversation ...continues on The Pearl Lam Podcast.

One of my favourite things about travelling to Europe is the sheer number of breathtaking historic sites to visit – Turin in Italy was no exception.

I had a whale of time exploring the Musei Reali Torino @museirealitorino , a sprawling museum site that’s home to everything from the ...Royal Palace, Royal Gardens, and Royal Armory to the Galleria Sabauda (royal art collection), historic exhibition galleries, and even the Chapel of the Holy Shroud.

Awash in gold and crimson, it was safe to say that the opulent royal interiors took my breath away. I was particularly amazed by the large, arresting tapestries that hung from floor to ceiling, and how they contrasted in texture with grand paintings on display.

It was easy to lose myself in the grandeur, and this trip marks one of the most memorable ones I’ve taken in a long time. I highly recommend a visit for anyone who loves a dose of culture with their holidays.

#PearlLam #ArtsandCulture #Museums #ArtHistory

Minimalism is often framed as a Western or Asian tradition. But is that really the case?

In this conversation, artist Alimi Adewale explains how his practice draws on collaborative labour, traditional dyeing and stitching processes, and visual languages rooted in African culture. What some... might call “minimal” is, in fact, a synthesis of materials, hands, and histories.

Watch the full conversation on The Pearl Lam Podcast on YouTube.

The global art world celebrates visibility. But visibility can also come at a cost.

Artist Alimi Adewale and curator Maria Bojan join me to explore whether international recognition strengthens artistic voices, or whether the global art system can sometimes flatten cultural differences ...into a shared aesthetic language.

Discover the full conversation on The Pearl Lam Podcast on YouTube.

Taste is not a criteria of art history.

In this episode of The Pearl Lam Podcast, artist Alimi Adewale, curator Maria Bojan, and I discuss why taste alone cannot determine what enters the canon. Art history moves through shifting systems of visibility, representation, and power — and ...understanding those dynamics helps us see where the art world is today, and where it might be heading.

Watch the full conversation on The Pearl Lam Podcast on YouTube and Spotify.

2 bangles, 4 hair colours, 9 countries, 64 episodes and 100,000+ subscribers.

Nearly three years of The Pearl Lam Podcast — and I’ve had the privilege of sitting down with some of the most inspiring artists, designers, and cultural thinkers of our time.

Thank you to everyone ...who has been a guest and a listener.

To many more!

Speaking with Georgina Adam, I reflect on how collectors of previous generations often donated their works to public museums — whereas today, many choose to build their own institutions and shape their own legacy.

What does this shift mean for public culture and the future of art?
...
Listen to the full episode on the Pearl Lam Podcast.

Learning about art history-themed Barbie dolls recently was not on my Bingo card for 2026.

Legendary toy company @mattel and @themuseumofmodernart (MoMA) have come together to create Barbie dolls styled after some of the most famous artworks of all time. Imagine a Da Vinci Barbie that’s... inspired by the Mona Lisa and her enigmatic smile, or a Barbie draped in whimsical wreaths of teal, cobalt, and gold that evoke Van Gogh’s iconic ‘Starry Night’. While some might view objects like this as treasured collectors’ items, I love the idea of young children discovering an interest in the visual arts thanks to collaborations like these.

Down the line, I’d love to see Mattel expand their range and draw inspiration from the Asian artworks in MoMA’s collection, to further raise awareness of the art world’s global nature.

Did any of you manage to get your hands on this collection?

Image credit: Mattel

#PearlLam #Collectibles #Collecting #ArtHistory

How do you get the attention of the art market?

In my conversation with Georgina Adam, we talk about how auction results increasingly shape reputation. For many buyers, monetary value sets the agenda. But does price equal cultural importance? And when the market decides who is “best,” ...what happens to artistic merit?

The full discussion is now live on The Pearl Lam Podcast.

In this episode of the Pearl Lam Podcast, I’m joined by artist Alimi Adewale and curator Maria Bojan to unpack authorship, taste, and the global contemporary art landscape.

From questioning “art for art’s sake” to confronting the fetish of authenticity, the dialogue explores how ...artists across China, Africa, Europe, and beyond can move past imposed narratives—toward intention, strength, and a shared creative language.

Thank you both for such an insight and engaging discussion!

Catch the full episode next week, available on YouTube and Spotify.

#PearlLamPodcast #ContemporaryArt #GlobalArt #ArtDiscourse #CulturalExchange Authorship ArtWorld

Whilst some attend art fairs for the parties and others for the photographs, the spectacle can begin to overshadow the substance.

Meanwhile, cities like New York remain comfortable anchors in the calendar, while places such as Abu Dhabi are working harder to draw audiences back.

...The full conversation with Georgina Adam is available on The Pearl Lam Podcast.

In speaking with Georgina Adam, we returned to a reality the art world sometimes overlooks: however global the market may seem, the United States remains its central force. Nearly half of all sales take place there, and without American collectors supporting an artist, prices rarely gain real ...traction.

Emerging regions may generate excitement, but America continues to determine scale, visibility, and value.