Tejumola Butler Adenuga
Tejumola Butler Adenuga is a Nigerian-born, London-based multidisciplinary artist and designer whose practice merges visual minimalism with cultural reclamation. Through the careful deconstruction of found imagery and the crafting of bespoke objects and spaces, Tejumola’s work speaks volumes through restraint, inviting viewers to reflect on what is seen, what is absent, and what has been historically erased.
At the heart of his visual art practice is a quiet rebellion: the intentional removal of informational excess. By stripping back layers from found photography, Tejumola isolates form, silhouette, and gesture, placing focus on Black presence in a way that is both tender and radical. His work honours the beauty and dignity of Black faces and bodies while simultaneously calling attention to their systematic erasure in Western art history and archives. What emerges is a body of work that is poetic in its silence and powerful in its clarity.
Tejumola’s recent pieces are a celebration of representation, not as tokenism, but as deep narrative repair. Through subtle visual language and compositional balance, he reclaims images and repositions Black identity in the cultural frame. The result is a deeply intentional, minimalistic aesthetic that invites stillness and contemplation. Every mark, every absence, is deliberate.
Beyond his fine art, Tejumola is a designer driven by people, materiality, and meaning. His practice extends into object and spatial design where the goal is not just beauty, but usability. Whether he’s designing a product, directing a set, or fabricating bespoke pieces, he brings a hands-on, collaborative approach that considers both artistic identity and end-user experience. His design language reflects the same principles as his art: clarity, precision, and cultural presence.
A graduate of Ravensbourne University London with a degree in Design, Tejumola has honed his skills across multiple disciplines. His work spans art direction, fabrication, installation, and product design often flowing between the worlds of commercial collaboration and personal expression. His four-year tenure as art director for Tinie Tempah speaks to his ability to shape bold visual identities while managing large-scale, fast-paced creative production.
Tejumola’s talent has been recognised by some of the most respected names in contemporary culture. His commissions include projects for global giants such as Adidas, Uber, Dr. Martens, Soho House, LAMY, and The New Yorker, as well as celebrated editorial platforms like The Atlantic, Wired Magazine, Pentagram, and The New York Times. He has also contributed to international cultural events such as the MTV Video Music Awards, bringing conceptual integrity to global audiences.
Currently living and working in London, Tejumola continues to push the boundaries between image, object, and identity. Whether working on personal projects or high-profile commissions, his practice is grounded in intentionality, storytelling, and craft. Through quiet subtraction and powerful form, Tejumola Butler Adenuga is helping to redefine what contemporary Black representation looks and feels like.
Creative Debuts commissioned Tejumola for a project with Birkenstock
