Interview with Aghogho Otega

ADRIAN WHITE: How would you define yourself as an artist and describe your current practice?

AGHOGHO OTEGA: My name is Aghogho Otega, and I am a photojournalist, multidisciplinary artist, filmmaker, and art instructor. I’m from the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. My work focuses on contemporary underreported social issues, culture, tradition, and conflict resolution. These themes are deeply rooted in our collective identity, and exploring them helps me better understand who we are and where we come from.

AW: In previous talks, you’ve touched on your relationship with family. Are there personal, biographical sources in your work that we should pay attention to?

AO: Absolutely. I live through these experiences every day, and they always bring memories to the surface. Growing up, my father had a strong connection to traditional African spirituality, and he practiced a conventional religion. To truly follow this path, you need to understand the language, and for him, that meant speaking in proverbs and parables. He never said things directly; everything he communicated was layered with symbolism.

For example, we’d see objects like a plate of food placed at an intersection or a cowrie shell tied to a feather on a doorstep. These weren’t random—they carried meaning. Language here isn’t just spoken; it’s carried through objects and rituals. I remember going with my father to the river, where we would offer animals, soda, and sweets as sacrifices to the gods for blessings and protection. These moments have deeply influenced my understanding of communication, ritual, and identity.

AW: What is the name of your self-portraiture project?

AO: It’s called Adam Lives in Theory. I’ve always been fascinated by questions of existence—how we came to be and what defines us. Over time, I’ve learned to follow my conscience. If something doesn’t feel right to me, I trust that instinct.

The idea behind Adam Lives in Theory is rooted in this constant questioning. Every day, we wake up thinking we know the “right way” to live, but in reality, there are countless paths to take, and none of them are absolute. It’s like looking into a shattered mirror—each fragment reflects a piece of who you are, but you can’t see the full picture until you gather all the pieces through lived experience. This project gave me the space to explore these questions about identity, choice, and the absence of a universal rulebook for life.

What works for one person might not work for another. Cultural norms often dictate behavior, but those norms vary widely. Through this work, I question tradition and societal expectations, trying to make sense of it all.

AW: Can you tell us about Adam Lives in Theory 4?

AO: This piece connects back to my memories of my father’s rituals. In our home, there was a huge mirror he'd use during spiritual practices. For him, the mirror was more than a reflective surface—it was a medium for communication with the spiritual realm. Other elements, like specific substances and objects, also came into play.

This idea of the mirror as a gateway stayed with me. When I use mirrors in my work, it’s not just about interacting with your reflection; it’s about accessing something beyond yourself. I see the mind as a powerful medium, capable of connecting us to realms we can’t perceive physically. For me, mirrors symbolize that bridge between planes of existence.

AW: Shadows feature prominently in this body of work. Do they hold symbolic meaning for you?

AO: Shadows are incredibly powerful to me. I’ve made many portraits that focus solely on shadows, especially since I often work at night. Shadows can play tricks on you—they can scare you, even.

In Nigerian culture, shadows have spiritual significance. There’s a belief that at night, people can press down on your shadow to induce sleep paralysis. Shadows are seen as an extension of ourselves, a spiritual element of our existence that most people overlook.

AW: Many people avoid things they don’t understand, especially when it comes to religion or spirituality. How would you explain this spiritual presence to someone unfamiliar with it?

AO: Honestly, it’s something you have to experience to understand. I could try to explain it, but most people wouldn’t believe me anyway. I usually respond, “Okay, I’ll show you someday.” Take traditional festivals in Nigeria, for example—they are deeply spiritual. One festival involves fish that jump onto the land. People take photos of them, but when they leave, the fish in the photos disappear. It’s a surreal experience that defies explanation but feels entirely natural when you’re there.

AW: Who are some of the artists that inspire you?

AO: If you’d asked me this three years ago, I might have said Pablo Picasso or other Western painters. I started as an abstract painter, and I drew a lot of inspiration from Western artists. But that’s changed.

I went through a transformation, starting to dig deeper into my history and culture. Africa’s heritage is incredibly rich, and I’ve learned to appreciate and draw from it profoundly. Today, I’m not inspired by any single artist—I’m inspired by the past. I take from it and bring it into the present, allowing it to inform my work and my identity.

From the series Adam Lives in Theory, 2020