Diran Aderinto’s Ìrìn Jìnà Opens Conversations on Migration, Identity and the Realities of Distance in Lagos

“Ìrìn Jìnà,” which translates from Yoruba as “a distant journey,” is based on Aderinto’s own moving from Nigeria to the UK. Rather than turning to migrants as spectacle, or as images and narratives that are to be idealised, the exhibition delves into the quieter emotional truths of migration: loneliness, uncertainty, emotional adjustment to a new place, and the slow, gradual process of acclimatising to a new environment without truly feeling at home.

Visually and audibly, part of the exhibition was a projected documentary account of the lives of Nigerians living in Manchester, whose stories of migration, acculturation and identity were intricately woven into the presentation.

Through recorded conversations, stories emerged about emotional isolation, survival, and the often-unspoken internal struggles that accompany the everyday realities of relocation. The gallery was converted into a silent, immersive space, which was enhanced by projected films, layered soundscapes, and fragmented photographic imagery, all shaped by memory, movement, and reflection.

Using documentary photography, ambient sound textures, and installation elements, Aderinto created an environment that encouraged leisurely navigation, prompting visitors to engage with migration not merely as a physical journey but as a profound emotional and mental experience.

"I wanted the work to feel honest," Aderinto remarked during the exhibition opening. "Much of the discourse surrounding relocation focuses on success or escape, yet there is little acknowledgement of the emotional adjustments that follow. I aimed to reflect the quieter internal experiences people face when adapting to entirely different settings."

In partnership with the IKD Youth Initiative, the exhibition also served as part of a broader youth engagement program in Ikorodu. Young creatives, students, and community members were invited to participate in discussions surrounding storytelling, migration, identity, and contemporary visual practices.

Through exhibition visits and in-depth conversations, the project fostered serious discussions about the realities of moving, aspirations, and the complexities of life devoid of 'perfect' depictions of living elsewhere. The audience's encounters with the exhibition remained reflective and conversational. Many visitors found resonance in the personal accounts shared, particularly regarding the emotional honesty surrounding loneliness, adjustment, and the burdens that migration imposes.

Post-exhibition discussions predominantly centred on psychological well-being, identity, and the gap between public perceptions of migration and the lived experiences of individuals. The exhibition became a crucial space for younger audiences to critically reflect on narratives of migration prevalent on social media and to reconsider societal expectations.

Aderinto is film-trained and has since developed into photography, moving-image, and installation-based work characterised by atmosphere, observation, and emotional depth that still constantly challenges him on his path. “Ìrìn Jìnà” is an important step in a growing line of his work that studies memory, Black identity, movement, and emotional geography visually.

After the exhibition, Aderinto stated that he would work to develop projects on migration, urban life, and the contemporary Black experience, through photography, documentary, and installation practices both in Nigeria and the UK.