Judith Dyeme Daduut: Bridging Art and Healing
Judith Dyeme Daduut is a contemporary artist, born in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. Holding a Fine Arts degree from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and a Master's degree in Art and Design from Birmingham City University, UK, she has gained recognition for her sculptural work. Notable achievements include winning the Most Outstanding Lady category at the Life in My City Arts Festival (LIMCAF) in 2018 and Best Sculpture/Ceramics/Installation at LIMCAF in 2017. Judith's accolades also extend to winning the Ikon Gallery Art Prize for her Master's Degree in Birmingham, UK, in 2014.
Written by
Published on
Copy link
Halitta Art
1 ene 2025
1/1/25
Her artistic journey has been enriched by the Bakanal De Afrique Fellowship and her participation in the Rele Arts Foundation's Young Contemporaries exhibition in Lagos, Nigeria, in 2020. Recently, she served as a 2024 Goethe-Institut Connecting the Dots Research Fellow at the Slave History Museum in Calabar, integrating art therapy into museum education. She also designed a striking installation featuring a replica of the Slave/Negro Bible on a pulpit with a stained-glass lightbox effect to enhance the museum's narrative. Currently, she is a Guest Lecturer at the University of Fine Arts Hamburg / Hochschule für bildende Künste Hamburg (HFBK) for the winter semester October 2024 - February 2025.
As a versatile photographer, sculptor, and installation artist, Judith explores various media, addressing themes of mental health, identity, and resilience. Her evolving style delves into complexities like depression, suicide, and PTSD, creating powerful, thought-provoking works that ignite meaningful conversations and foster empathy.
Beyond her artistic practice, Judith is dedicated to education as a Sculpture instructor at the University of Jos, Plateau State. She also contributes as a part-time Art tutor at a rehabilitation center, using art as a transformative tool for mental health and recovery.
Judith envisions her work as a bridge between art and societal healing, with plans to continue exploring innovative ways of merging creative expression with therapy, community engagement, and cultural dialogue on a global scale.
"The journey of a thousand conversations begins with a thought.
Art is a powerful and enduring medium through which we express and share our thoughts and ideas. I observe societal relationships and behaviours, translating them into symbolic expressions through my art.
As a photographer, sculptor, and installation artist, I explore diverse media, including metal, clay, body filler, fiberglass, and unconventional materials. My use of mixed media allows me to add, remove, restructure, or rearrange components without distorting the essence of the piece. This adaptability reflects the fluid and evolving nature of my creative process, which often intertwines with themes of mental awareness and social commentary.
My work delves into mental health processes, exploring the realities and challenges of conditions such as depression, suicide, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Through my art, I aim to reflect the complexities of these experiences and draw attention to the societal and individual struggles they represent.
Engaging viewers is a core aspect of my practice. Art, to me, is more than self- expression—it is a catalyst for dialogue. People are drawn to the power of stories, and a single piece of art can ignite profound and lasting conversations.
If my work compels a viewer to pause, reflect, and engage in thought-provoking dialogue, then I consider my purpose as an artist fulfilled. My hope is to inspire contemplation, evoke reactions, and plant seeds of awareness that linger long after the initial encounter with my work."