EP #62 | Sunday, May 4th featuring Ellex Swavoni and Grace Kisa in conversation with Oronike Odeleye.
ADAMA Arts Salon is a series of conversations featuring contemporary artists, curators, scholars, and more from across the African Diaspora. Join us for ADAMA's upcoming in-person Arts Salon. Oronike Odeleye will moderate a conversation with sculptural artists Ellex Swavoni and Grace Kisa.
ADAMA Arts Salon |Ep #62
May 4, 2025
2-3 pm EST
Register to attend in person or virtually! To attend virtually please visit adamatl.org/live.
About moderator: Oronike Odeleye is a skilled Arts & Entertainment Project Manager with over 20 years of experience in Business Administration, Account Management, and Event Planning and Logistics in service of artists, organizations, and projects aimed at creating meaningful public engagement with the Art & Culture of Africa and the Black Diaspora. From July 2022 to February 2025, Oronike has served as the Artistic Director of the National Black Arts Festival (NBAF), a non-profit recognized as the oldest in the country dedicated exclusively to the support and promotion of Black art and artists. As a freelance Project Manager, Oronike has managed both local and international arts, culture, and entertainment projects for various non-profit and governmental agencies including WonderRoot arts organization, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and the City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs.
Ellex Swavoni: At the young age of nine encountering art toys online ignited a lifelong passion for sculpture. With resourcefulness and the power of the internet, Swavoni taught herself the art of sculpting and creating toy-like figurative sculptures. She pursued graphic design at Campbellsville University, earning a Bachelor of Science in 2014. During her studies, she developed an art practice focused on Afro-futurism, depicting women as powerful entities and reimagining ancient ideas through a futurist lens.
Her work often involves the use of computer programs, 3D printing, and fine finishes. In her process, Swavoni creates detailed sketches using computer programs, which are then 3D printed, meticulously programmed, and finished with fine paint details. This blend of traditional and digital techniques allows her to craft intricate, futuristic pieces that challenge conventional narratives.
Grace Kisa: As a multimedia artist whose primary form of expression is mixed media sculpture, Kisa's work draws inspiration from a childhood spent in Kenya, Ethiopia, Botswana, Virginia and as a practicing artist in Georgia (US). By transforming what is familiar, she creates narratives that engage various histories while working through concepts of intersectional identities, examining migration processes and cultural exchange beyond borders.