Kollington Ayinla -The beat Goes On

This composition is dedicated to the renowned Ayinla Kollington, a pioneer in the Fuji genre whose impact has endured through decades.
In my artwork, I use the figure of a Kollington descendant wearing distinctive dreadlocks to explore the continuity of tradition and cultural progress, representing both individualism and collective identity, dressed in beautiful batik material made by me from scratch, with the indigo dye which represents authenticity.
The setting is symbolic, with the guy playing the drums at sunset indicating a point of transition where the past and present intersect.
The drumming, which is an important part of this piece, is more than just a physical action; it is a spiritual gesture that carries the weight of generations. As the hands beat the drums, the rhythm serves as a bridge between the past and the present and is reminiscent of Kollington's Fuji music.

The positioning of Kollington's photographs around the figure serves as a reminder of the Fuji genre's origins, while the modern-day descendant (complete with dreadlocks) indicates the continuation of this cultural legacy. The sunset, a universal symbol of cycles and transitions, sets the tone for this painting, which celebrates continuity. My artwork underlines that, even as our surroundings change, the core of music, identity, and tradition survives. "The Beat Goes On" comments on Kollington's significant impact on Fuji music in Nigeria.