This work is part of the Tagged series that Modupeola Fadugba created between 2015-2017 exploring her own relationship with the art world.

"An artist's creation is an extension of themselves, thus their artworks mirror their inner workings, desires and fears. In this series, I explore the idea of visibility, exclusivity, ownership and selling artwork as competing interests. The decision to use the pool, as the context for play is very deliberate, as feelings about it differ vastly. The pendulum swings from feelings of calm, luxury, and ease to fatigue, risk, and death. Large bodies of water, like art, represent our internal capacity to be deeply moved by something. When someone commits money to buy art, it is an indication, that they were moved by an aspect of the work."

Tagged is also a deeply personal reflection of Fadugba's own journey to becoming an artist. Fadugba in fact holds a Bachelor's in Chemical Engineering and a Maters in Economics from the University of Delaware and a Masters in Education from Harvard University. Her work is constantly engaged with notions of identity and culture within Nigeria and in a global context. Fadugba has also made waves with her career in the US with her exhibition Dream from the Deep End, exploring America's racialized swimming history. The film documenting this series was screened at the Brooklyn Museum in New York, 2019 and at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, New York in September 2019.Fadugba lives and works in Abuja, Nigeria and is currently in Washington DC as a Smithsonian Artist Research Fellow.

Extract from Bonhams NY Sep 2, 2020 African Contemporary Auction Catalogue