Falilat Ibrahim is a Lagos-based sculptor whose work explores the expressive possibilities of diverse materials, including stone, metal, clay, concrete, fibreglass, and fabric. She attended the University of Lagos, where she studied Fine Art.
Her interest in materials is rooted in her upbringing - her father being a woodmaker, and her devotion to interior design. Falilat’s work investigates materiality, cultural continuity, and womanhood.
Currently, the focus of Falilat’s practice is traditional stone carving. In an attempt to understand stone, she employs the method of subtraction; a methodical process of observing the stone’s irregularities and natural cracks. Followed by sketching and identifying the shapes and forms communicated in it. She then carves out the excess to reveal a feminine figuration, an expression of her imagination informed by the appearance of the matter before her.
Underpinning Falilat’s work is her belief that women are not simply a sum of their biological organs, but so much more than that; a woman’s body does not limit her value or potential. Being a woman is about strength, resilience, and achievement. Through her exploration of the female form, she emphasises the boundless nature of women, while her use of strong, rigid materials highlights the resilience of women and their enduring presence in African history.
Citing artist Ben Enwonwu as a key inspiration, Falilat also explores the perpetuation of women’s narratives through traditional techniques in a modernist society.