Sènámié grew up in Lagos in a household where art was already a language, a father who pursued it passionately, a mother who studied it formally, and a culture whose vibrancy and storytelling traditions would eventually become the heartbeat of a practice that now unfolds thousands of miles away in Poznań, Poland. The distance between those two places is not just geographical. It is the subject of the work itself: identity under pressure, belonging in flux, the tension and beauty of cultural displacement. A Master's degree in Horticulture added another layer, an understanding of organic growth cycles and natural transformation that now runs through the paintings as metaphor. What follows is a conversation about how all of that converges on the canvas, and why resilience is not just a theme but a lived condition.

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How has your upbringing or cultural heritage shaped the themes and techniques you  explore in your art today?

My upbringing in Lagos, Nigeria, played a foundational role in shaping who I am as an artist.  Growing up in a creative household with a father who pursued art passionately part-time and a  mother who studied it formally, I was immersed in artistic expression from a very young age. This  environment taught me that art is a language of connection and emotional release. 

My African heritage remains the heartbeat of my work. The vibrancy, resilience, and storytelling  traditions of Nigerian culture deeply inform the bold colors, exaggerated forms, and rich textures  in my paintings. As an immigrant now based in Poznań, Poland, I often explore the tension and  beauty of cultural displacement, identity, and belonging. These experiences have led me to address  themes of social anxiety, migration, and the human condition. 

My Master’s degree in Horticulture from Poznań University of Life Sciences also left a lasting  mark. I learned to observe organic growth cycles, forms, and transformations in nature, which I  now translate into metaphors for personal and emotional evolution in my paintings. This scientific  understanding of life’s processes combined with my cultural roots allows me to blend traditional  techniques with contemporary vitality, creating work that feels both timeless and urgently alive. 

Can you pinpoint a single moment in your life when you realized art was not just a passion  but your purpose? 

There wasn’t one single dramatic moment, but rather a powerful convergence. After years of  exploring photography and completing my Master’s in Horticulture, I found myself at a crossroads.  I was struggling with self-destructive patterns, and painting became the outlet that helped me  process and transform my pain into something constructive. 

The turning point came when I realized that creating art gave me a sense of purpose and clarity I  had never experienced before. Every brushstroke felt like reclaiming agency over my story. What  began as a personal necessity gradually revealed itself as my calling. Art wasn’t just something I  enjoyed, it was how I made sense of the world, connected with others, and contributed something  meaningful. That realization solidified my decision to dedicate myself fully to painting. 

Why do you personally turn to art, rather than another form of expression?

Art, particularly painting, offers a unique freedom and depth that I haven’t found in other mediums.  It allows me to manipulate reality, to stylize forms, exaggerate emotions, and layer textures in  ways that capture the inner world of my subjects rather than just their physical appearance. 

Painting also became my primary emotional outlet during difficult periods. It gave me space to  explore vulnerability, resilience, and hope without the constraints of words. For me, art is both 

therapy and testimony, a way to document personal evolution while speaking to broader societal  issues. 

If you could communicate just one core message through your entire body of work, what  would it be? 

The core message I hope resonates through all my work is resilience and hope in the face of  adversity. As an African immigrant navigating new cultural landscapes, I’ve experienced social  anxiety, identity struggles, and the complexities of migration. My paintings reflect these challenges  but always point toward strength, healing, and the beauty of human endurance. 

I want viewers to leave my work feeling seen and encouraged, also feeling reminded that even in  our most fragmented moments, there is potential for growth, connection, and renewal. 

Can art be truly therapeutic? Have you experienced its healing power personally?

Absolutely. Art has been profoundly therapeutic in my own life. During periods of emotional  difficulty, painting became a constructive outlet that guided me away from self-destructive  patterns. The act of creating allowed me to externalize inner turmoil, transform it, and ultimately  find clarity and strength. 

I’ve seen similar healing in others through my work and the community projects at Mothrland  Atelier. When people connect with a piece that mirrors their own struggles or aspirations, it creates  space for empathy, reflection, and emotional release. Art doesn’t just depict life; it actively  participates in shaping it for the better. 

Name five pivotal lessons you’ve learned that shaped your artistic journey. 

✧ Authenticity is magnetic. Staying true to my personal story and cultural roots has created  the most powerful connections with audiences.

✧ Discipline and freedom coexist. While creativity feels innate, mastery requires consistent  practice and technical growth.

✧ Vulnerability is strength. Sharing my experiences with social anxiety and migration has  made my work more resonant.

✧ Community multiplies impact. Founding Mothrland Atelier in 2025 taught me that art is  more powerful when created and experienced together.

✧ Growth comes from discomfort. Moving from Nigeria to Poland and shifting from  horticulture to full-time painting pushed me to evolve both personally and artistically.

List five core themes or messages you aim to convey through your art. 

✧ Resilience: The human capacity to rise despite challenges.

✧ Identity and Migration: The beauty and complexity of navigating multiple cultural  worlds.

✧ Emotional Evolution: Personal growth mirrored through organic, natural metaphors.

✧ Hope amid Anxiety: Finding light in moments of social and personal struggle.

✧ Human Connection: The shared essence beneath our different surfaces.

How do you envision the evolution of your work in the coming years?

In the coming years, I see my work continuing to deepen in emotional and technical complexity. I  want to push the dialogue between figurative and abstract elements even further, perhaps  incorporating more experimental textures and larger-scale pieces that reflect the growing ambition  of Mothrland Atelier. 

I’m excited to explore more collaborative projects and installations that bring my paintings into  immersive environments. As my practice evolves, I hope to maintain the core of raw emotion and  cultural storytelling while reaching wider audiences. Ultimately, I want my work to contribute  meaningfully to conversations about identity, belonging, and collective healing in an increasingly  fragmented world. 

What are your long-term aspirations as an artist, both personally and professionally?

Personally, I aspire to continue growing as a human being through my art, maintaining honesty,  curiosity, and openness. Professionally, I want Mothrland Atelier to become a significant cultural  hub in Europe that supports emerging voices from diverse backgrounds. I dream of international  exhibitions that bridge African and European perspectives, and of building a body of work that  stands the test of time while remaining deeply relevant today.