Meet the artist and designer using his work to transform lives
Not only is Yinka Ilori ridiculously talented but through the medium of design, he's helping give addicts a second chance.
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Yinka holds a BA (hons) degree in furniture and product design from London Metropolitan University and has since specialised in up-cycling vintage furniture that he grew up with as a child.
Each piece of furniture that he up-cycles tells a meaningful, yet humorous story which can be shared with people throughout the world.
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His design approach starts with the dismantling of the original components, which he then re-assembles into a new piece ready for use again.
Deeply aware and passionately against the unnecessary waste of modern consumer societies in western society. Yinka Ilori also happily accepts unwanted or damaged furniture from private individuals, so that he can save, rehabilitate, and beautify them for future use, giving them a hint of Yinka Ilori’s signature Nigerian parables.
Ilori worked with volunteers from social enterprise Restoration Station to create this collection of brightly coloured chairs, which were showcased during this year's London Design Festival, before being auctioned off for charity.
London-based Ilori spent over a month conducting workshops with people in addiction recovery, to upcycle discarded chairs that had been donated to the organisation.
After the London Design Festival exhibition, all of the chairs were put up for auction. All money made from the furniture sales went straight back into funding the programme, located in London's Shoreditch.
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"The volunteers have all been through different things in life," Ilori told Dezeen. "One thing I was reminded of is that, no matter what you're going through, there's always a way out and there's always help out there."
Yinka Ilori has exhibited in London, New York, Germany, Milan and currently has his own first highly anticipated solo show taking place in Shoreditch East London at the The Old Shoreditch Station titled ‘It Started With A Parable’.
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