dialogue
Toluwani Adejuyigbe | Collector & Patron
January 2025
4 min read
In this week’s dialogue, we have the privilege of sitting down with Toluwani Adejuyigbe, CEO of Brompton Industries, as he reflects on his journey as an art collector, ignited by formative experiences exploring museums during his youth. These encounters sparked a deep-seated passion for reshaping representation within private collections, inspiring Toluwani to curate a diverse and inclusive collection that champions contemporary artists without confining itself to predefined themes.
Hey Toluwani. What inspired you to embark on your journey as a collector?
“As a teenager at random I would stroll through museums whenever visiting a new city and when back in London - wandering aimlessly for hours. At the time I didn’t have the language for it, but it certainly evoked ‘something’ in me.
Growing older and these visits becoming more frequent, I noticed some of the works which hung on the walls were loaned from private collections - what struck me after a while though, was that none of the names on the wall labels sounded like mine.
I view the collection as a deeply personal endeavour to inspire and increase representation beyond the traditional collector base. It’s for that reason the collection has no pre-determined theme, my role as a custodian of the collection is to ensure I support the most compelling artists of our generation and create an enabling environment that allows the right works to call the collection, home.”
Is there a specific artist or movement that resonates deeply with you, and why?
“I tend to resonate with artworks that evoke an emotional reaction and an artist that has done that for me in recent times is Danielle Mckinney. Her paintings are cinematic in nature, perhaps because she’s a photographer by training - they have a unique way of drawing the viewer in, as though you are right there with them in that moment. It’s a rare combination of intimacy and mystery in equal parts.”
What was the most recent artwork you acquired, and what drew you to the piece or the artist?
“Birth Me by Nour Malas, an emerging artist which I bought at New Art Dealers Alliance in Miami last month. I was already familiar with her work but there was a rhythmic fluidity and easiness to this one especially the distinctive use of colours. I am excited to see how her career evolves and I am truly privileged to have this in the collection.”
Are there particular galleries programmes you follow closely?
“Corvi-Mora and Carlos/Ishikawa are the two that come to mind - their commitment to consistently nurturing and supporting the careers of their artists is unparalleled.”
How do you envisage the legacy of your collection?
“I tend to view the collection as its own person and my role is merely one of a custodian and for that reason, I collect with a careful and extremely long term focus. My desire for the collection is that it becomes the artistic, emotional and visual representation of this generation; the gold standard for generations to come. I plan to eventually open it up to the public allowing anyone to benefit from the joys of living with these works in the hope that it also evokes ‘something’ in them.”
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