From Garment to Gaze:
A Collaboration in Stillness and Form
By Gloria Adegboye
In an iconic space where luxury meets art, from the 24th of May to the 2nd of June, 2025, Temple Muse, Lagos hosts Carried by Love, Guided by Dreams, a groundbreaking collaborative exhibition which explores the quiet power of presence through varied mediums and collaborative intention. Curated by Seju Alero Mike of OSENGWA, the show brings together the distinct yet deeply resonant practices of Ruby Okoro, Samuel Asaju — Saj (David Blackmoore), Rad Marshall (Gbemiga Shodunke), and Tope Alawi. Through photography, sculpture, fashion, and painting, the exhibition unfolds like a conversation—one in which garments are not merely worn, but remembered; images not just taken, but held; and sculpture not only seen, but felt in form and stillness.
Each piece—whether a sculpted bag made from David Blackmoore’s clothes and cast in denim-reinforced fibre resin; a red figure sculpture cast in acrylic resin and portrayed carrying one of his bags; or a print photograph featuring characters adorned in his designs—acts as both offering and inquiry, inviting viewers into the space between what is seen and what is felt.
At the heart of the show is collaboration—not as a concept, but as a lived process.
We interviewed the three artists to explore how their practices informed one another and what it meant to work across form and discipline. The result: a thoughtful, unfiltered look into the making of presence.
Photography Series - Ruby Okoro
Question 1: Each of your mediums—photography, sculpture, and fashion—communicates differently. How did you find a shared language in the process of collaborating on this exhibition?
Ruby Okoro:
A shared language was love. We were all heading to the same destination by different paths and could only assist one another. We all believe in togetherness, so this led the narrative. Passion refined the work afterwards, but love came first.
It wasn’t about one medium dominating the others; it was about how each illuminated aspects of the rest, creating a dialogue. Fashion gave my sculptures a context rooted in the human experience; photography offered both fashion and sculpture a timeless, distilled perspective; and my sculptures grounded the ephemeral nature of fashion and photography in raw, tangible form. It was truly a polyphonic conversation, and I loved every minute of learning.
Rad Marshall:
Stars align when you’re not looking. Ruby’s vision actually found the blend. After enjoying the working aura that exists between us—as well as past work with Sunflower Department (Niyi Okeowo)—David Blackmoore, as a brand, provided the perfect platform for us to be vulnerable, and this is how Sammy has carried the brand throughout.
I believe the shared language between us was vulnerability. A comfortable environment for us to be vulnerable, irrespective of the differences in our mediums existed. There’s a story in each piece that directly explains how the three of us carried ourselves through to the promised land that was Temple Muse in this case.
Saj:
During this collaboration, the shared language stemmed from a love of craft. Yes, we all do different things, but we found that togetherness brings more out of the vision than going solo. The final results were mind-blowing: from the images to the sculpture, I never would have executed any of it without working alongside these geniuses.
The love and attention to our individual crafts fueled the collaboration, and our shared vision helped bring it to life and take it further.
The Figure - Rad Marshall
Question 2. What did you discover about your own practice by stepping into conversation with two other disciplines?
Ruby Okoro:
Stepping out of my usual flat-canvas world and into this has taught me that it’s key to let the process lead the way. Everyone has a major role to play, each as important as the next.
Honestly, I feel like my artistic vocabulary has just quadrupled. I’ve always thought about composition in terms of what’s on the canvas, but now it’s also about how form interacts with its environment—how a viewer might walk around it, how shifting perspectives reveal new facets. This whole experience has shown me that even my expression has an implied third dimension, a sense of depth I can now consciously enhance by considering how a body moves through the scene I’ve created.
It’s been a humbling journey; I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface of what’s possible.
Rad Marshall:
“The art is in the story.” This is a borrowed sentence from a friend who’s also an artist. Here, she was referring to the value of capturing the moment, the vulnerabilities that can’t be hidden, and the power of more hands—because a problem shared is halfway solved.
Saj:
During this process, I discovered that there are still many layers I have yet to tap into and explore with my brand. This collaboration really opened a door to endless possibilities in how fashion is interpreted by the designer and digested by the consumer, giving them an experience they won’t forget and, hopefully, inspiring the next generation of creatives to come.
The Bag - Ruby Okoro
Question 3. This exhibition blurs the lines between wearable design, static form, and captured moments. What do you hope viewers take away about the power of collaboration across mediums?
Ruby Okoro:
It’s all connected: every action sparks a compelling emotion—from the making of the clothes, to the choice to photograph them, to the impulse to bring static form to life. I want viewers to see that collaboration isn’t about compromise, but about exponential growth. Each of us, drawing from our distinct practices, contributed a unique lens.
The work that emerged isn’t merely a collection of individual pieces; it’s a wholly new entity, richer and more complex than any one of us could have created alone. It’s a testament to the idea that when disciplines truly listen to each other, they don’t just add up—they multiply.
Rad Marshall:
I hope it’s clear how unique an art experience can be when more than one medium is involved in its execution.
Saj:
Earlier, someone asked what I wanted from this collaboration and exhibition. I answered, “The need to FEEL.” I wanted everyone who came to the exhibition—or saw it—to feel something: a strong emotion that blends awe with deeper reasoning or excitement. What I want viewers to take away from the power of this collaboration is the strength of togetherness, as it was only possible because of the coming together of three powerhouses.
Carried by Love, Guided by Dreams is less about showcasing individual brilliance and more about what happens when creative practices intertwine. The result? A visual language built on presence—felt, shared, and shaped by love, vulnerability, and trust. As this show reveals, when fashion becomes form, and form captures feeling, art moves beyond medium. It becomes a memory.