Kikelomo’s maternity art is heavy with meaning

Artist Kikelomo Solomon-Ayeni recently embarked on a photography project titled African Preggy Ready to Party, which is a series of 10 photos shot in monochrome and edited to show off and deconstruct the pregnant woman’s body. She employs digital manipulation to drive home her metaphors, juxtaposing various poses against one another. In one photo, two women sprout from a single body like Siamese twins: one cups her hands as if reading a book, while the other cups hers in genuflection. This represents a certain duality unique to women according to societal expectations— she is supposed to be educated and high-flying yet subservient in the home.

Maternity art as a niche of its own has long been avoided despite the integral nature of maternity itself to life. From being considered works of taboo in the classical period (save for Votives) and then as works of protest at the turn of the millennium through artists like Gustav Klimt, maternity art has enjoyed little attention in literature and even less representation from the gender that actually experiences this phenomenon.

Things have definitely changed from the days of Catholic frescoes depicting the immaculate conception and a world where the ownership of women’s bodies was strongly contested. A pregnant woman is no longer a pariah or considered an eyesore. There now exists freedom of expression in this regard; baby showers are now frequent occurrences, there are elaborate gender reveal parties being thrown, and certain photographers have even carved out maternity shoots as a niche they’re known for. Kikelomo is one of these photographers, but beyond client work, her artistic projects create a distinction around her persona.

Kikelomo Solomon-Ayeni has experienced maternity herself, and she is curious to understand it more deeply. Her works celebrate pregnancy and attempt to further dissect the thinking of a pregnant woman. In one of the photos within African Preggy Ready to Party, a pregnant model piggybacks a smaller version of herself—speaking to how women carrying to term see this baby as an extension of themselves. If you care for the baby, you care for yourself. The artist shares in conversation, “If a pregnant woman smiles, then it is either the child in her womb gave her beautiful nudges, or she was given something that she craved.” She continues, “I love the fact that I was able to create a 2-in-1 story. Viewers of the picture can choose the side of the story they like.” In another photo, she deconstructs the various features of a pregnant woman, leaving only the baby bump, bosom, and face visible.

Beyond projects centered on pregnant women, Kikelomo has also shown a fascination with children. Her themes explore childcare and the bonds between offspring and parent. Backing the Baby is one of her projects that studies childcare through the age-old African tradition of using wrappers to carry and nurture babies on the backs of their mothers. “This age-old practice is not just a practical solution for childcare but a symbol of love, nurturing, and cultural heritage,” Kikelomo says.

Another interesting project Kikelomo created recently is titled ‘Olawole’, which is shot through a pane of glass and features her biological child who bears the same name. The child, dressed in agbada and adorned with chiefly bracelets, holds a horsetail—an artifact that represents royalty in Yoruba culture. The child, Olawole, is in tears, looking straight into the camera lens. In the picture, one can deduce these are the kind of tears children cry when their mothers want to step out without them. They are tears of attachment and naivety—Olawole is not assured that Kikelomo will return, but she will. In a broader sense, if the attire is taken into consideration, one can extrapolate that this project represents the unchanging dynamic between mother and child. Even beyond maturity and days of accolades, the child will always be attached to the mother, and any act of separation will wear on the child.

Kikelomo Solomon-Ayeni’s projects offer a refreshing perspective on a natural human process that has long been considered taboo. It is an up-close look at what was once considered unbecoming, and the results are moving pieces of humane quality. Kikelomo Solomon-Ayeni continues to share her story through lenses with projects planned and executed for the public to consume and interpret. Her works have been exhibited at galleries like Madeke Art Gallery, UK; Casa del Arte, Spain; Nicoleta Gallery, Germany; Cipriarte Venezia, Italy, and Artavita.