An invitation into my world.
My name is Taoheed Bayo; I am a 26-year-old film director, curator, performance artist, and nomad. I was born and raised in a small town in Lagos, Nigeria for 15 years before moving to the US in 2013 in pursuit of higher education and a new life. The search for greener pastures and a voluntary displacement in search of better opportunities and the betterment of self and family have shaped my journey to the United States.
As an immigrant, the importance of bringing our culture to the forefront is not lost on me. I inherited a sense of endowed responsibility of preserving narratives around indigeneity that tell our stories and reflect our lived experiences. As an Afro-diasporic American, I am an amalgamation of many cultures, my Yoruba background, and my assimilation of American culture over the last ten years.
My art expresses my servitude to the world, as I love lending myself to new thoughts and ideas. Further, dance is my third language, only behind my native tongue of Yoruba and the English language. Dance, for me, knows no barriers or judgments; “It is my avenue of freedom. An identity is born in dance, an embodiment that only happens when I move.” The movement that transpires when I dance represents my life journey - the many years of adaptation, assimilation, and the pursuit of happiness and greener pastures.
My life and artistic journey today lies here: I’ve longed to understand the urge for movement that exists within me. I think it’s me coming to terms with the fact that the derivative of a constant is 0. I am learning to familiarize myself with the discomfort of leaving my comfort zones to plant more seeds around the world, graze new horizons, understand different nuances, taste new foods and immerse myself in new cultures.
