Today we’d like to introduce you to Papadu Papadu
Hi PAPADU, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
After Highschool, I graduated from Yale University with a degree in Architecture and spent the next decade working in finance, marketing, and software development. However, none of these fields truly fulfilled me.
During this time, I pursued photography in my spare moments, experimenting with various editing techniques. In 2019, I ventured into animation and began a full-time business with my brother. A year later, we launched REAL INTELLIGENCE | HUMAN LEARNING (RIHL), a creative endeavor aimed at using technology to enhance human creativity.
In 2022, my work was featured in Patoranking’s performance at the FIFA World Cup Fan Festival in Doha, Qatar. The following year, I collaborated with the Nigerian fashion house Nextberries at London Fashion Week. My work was also included in an immersive installation in Lagos titled “Nothing is Unreal” (NiU).
This year has been a mix of highs and lows. In February, I lost my father after a long battle with cancer, which has been incredibly difficult. However, I’m grateful for the love and support of my family and friends. Despite these challenges, our company, RIHL, has continued to grow, producing weekly animated mixes. Just this week, I released my first fine art print series, “A surRIHL Vision,” under RIHL WORKS.
I work with both still and animated media, using a variety of techniques to bring my dreams to life. My inspirations include West African art and sculpture, music from various genres, animals—especially elephants, dolphins, and whales—and the human form. I love what I do and eagerly look forward to what the future holds.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has not always been easy, especially over the last two years, dealing with my father’s illness and passing. However, I have always had the love and support of my family and network, as well as the belief that I will succeed.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I create still media using various digital techniques, including photography, photomanipulation, collage, and digital painting. Additionally, I use a technique my brother and I developed called “de-animation.” This process involves animating a sequence and then compositing multiple frames, collapsing them into a single moment. I then apply the previously mentioned techniques to create the final image. My first fine art print series, “A surRIHL VISION,” features two sets of works that come together to form a vivid poem, showcasing surreal and vibrant imagery inspired by nature, the human form, and West African art.
I also create animations in various styles, employing a wide range of techniques in my process. I am constantly experimenting and pushing the boundaries of what is possible with the tools I have. My work has been displayed at the 2022 FIFA World Cup Fan Festival and during the 2023 London Fashion Week.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I don’t believe in luck.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.papadupapadu.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/papadupapadu/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rIHLStudio/ https://youtube.com/@papadupapadu
- Other: https://rihl.works/
