Ottokaji Iroke

Looking at Ottokaji Iroke’s work, you might come to the conclusion that misunderstanding is the default human relation. A ceramic towel reads ‘I said tower’ and a series of mugs deformed beyond recognition is called ‘I said mug, not mud’. Daily watercolours on pee pads continue in the same vein and a video shot in his EKWC bedroom is a rhythmical riff on the distinction between Hamburg and hamburger. For all its humour, Ottokaji Iroke’s play with words, images, sounds and signs often points to an underlying reality of societal tensions. A ceramic Identity Politics Bible is called ‘Ho Lee Fuk’. Trivial observations like the different shapes of croissants in the Oisterwijk supermarkets lead to gold-lustred sculptures referring Nike and the Venus of Willendorf to address thorny questions of food, fitness, success and body image. A word of caution is in order: only the holder of a Universal Passport to the United States of Pizza may safely travel this carefully constructed field of associative meaning.