Soultanna Lagos at Behiece Gallery: I am Warrior II Exhibition

To find out more about the Behiece showrooms, visit their website

To see Soultanna Lagos’ work, visit her website

“I have always been more of a modernist, but my knowledge peaks at literature and then is, admittedly, limited. But as I headed to London, the last of the day’s light slipping away on a chilly Thursday evening in late September, I was excited. I was about to be introduced to an exhibition that would make me do what all good art does: think.  

The exhibition was to be hosted in the Behiece showrooms, situated in Barbican, London. Framed by two scarlet doors, a large window allows a first glimpse at the decadent chandeliers and large feature walls inside. This gallery was the perfect location for the wonderful Soultanna Lagos’ innovative takes on the western population’s experience with cosmetics. This exhibition takes creative exploration one step further, marrying the expected and unexpected into a ‘visual diary of Soultanna Lagos’ life experience’.

Although the pandemic meant Soultanna could not be there in person, that did not stop her being in attendance as she sat on the other side of a webcam, on the other side of the world (Australia), for the whole evening. Hats off to her, as the event began at 3am and remained in full swing for up to five hours. She was insistent she would not miss it for the world though, which seems to me a testament to her dedication, not only to her art but to those she works with too. After wandering the exhibition, spread throughout the labyrinth of Behiece’s maximalist-style rooms, I knew I wanted to find out more.

I was lucky enough to get to chat to Soultanna about her work and, being an avid feminist myself, found that I could identify with the messages prevalent in her work. When asked about the distinction between empowerment and expectations for not just women, but all genders, it seemed that Lagos takes a very positive approach to the use of make-up. She views our desire to transform as a gift to us all, which I found to be a very endearing message. While it is important to acknowledge the roots of these practices, I was reminded that we do not always need to view them as a dangerous result of the society we find ourselves in today. Soultanna reclaims this practice for herself, taking empowerment to the next level.

I was also curious about her stance on environmentalism, her canvases typically wet wipes, and her mediums make-up, mirrors, hair foils and the like. This fascinates me, as our society is image-obsessed (hence her mirror pieces), as well as disposable, convenience leading to a single-use, throw-away culture. Lagos’ art demonstrates how everyday objects do not need to be single-use or single-purpose. She discussed how aware she became, when removing her make-up, of the way we discard things without a second thought. There is a definite touch of irony which adds an extra layer to this multi-faceted artwork, as she uses the medium of make-up on the very tool we use to remove it. This interrupts the cycle of apply and remove, pausing us in time to consider not only how we use cosmetics in society but also the impact that follows.

That seems to be the goal of Soultanna Lagos’ I am Warrior II as whole. As I wandered the beautiful Behiece rooms, looking at the many wet wipes hung on the walls in their colourful glory, I became aware of my own relationship with make-up. I considered the red lipstick I was wearing, the eye liner, and how powerful these things make me feel. I remembered the countless make-up remover wipes I had binned before I became aware of reusable alternatives. And all of these things made me appreciate the exhibition even more. It had made me think, as all good art does.”

Written by Caitlin Kelly