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Adejoke Tugbiyele

Biography

Adejoke Aderonke Tugbiyele is a Nigerian American multidisciplinary visual artist whose practice spans sculpture, performance, film, drawing, textiles, and installation. Born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, she returned to the United States to study at the High School of Art and Design before earning a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and an MFA in Sculpture from the Maryland Institute College of Art.


Drawing on Yoruba philosophy, African cultural traditions, and contemporary social issues, Tugbiyele explores themes of queer identity, migration, spirituality, gender, and human rights. Her work has been exhibited internationally and is held in the permanent collections of the Brooklyn Museum, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, the Newark Museum, and the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw.


Beyond her studio practice, Tugbiyele has collaborated with organizations advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and social justice while using art as a platform for dialogue, visibility, and community empowerment. She is recognized as the first openly queer woman of Nigerian descent to appear on CNN International.

BQW Impact

Adejoke Tugbiyele has expanded the visibility of Black queer African experiences through a multidisciplinary artistic practice that bridges sculpture, performance, film, and activism. By centering queer African narratives alongside spirituality, migration, and human rights, she challenges dominant cultural narratives while celebrating resilience and self-determination. Her work has helped broaden international conversations about LGBTQ+ visibility, contemporary African art, and the power of creative practice as a catalyst for social change.

Notable Works

  • Homeless Hungry Homo 

    Multimedia work examining queer identity, displacement, and belonging.

  • Past/Future (2015)

    Sculptural work exploring ancestry, memory, and the continuity of African identity.

  • Loss and Rebirth (2015 - 2016)

    Work reflecting on transformation, resilience, and healing through personal and collective experience.

  • Lovebird 6 (2014)

    Artwork exploring intimacy, identity, and queer visibility through symbolic imagery.

  • Testimony 

    Series examining spirituality, resilience, and the lived experiences of marginalized communities.

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