Catching up with Clinton

March 10, 2024

We hadn’t seen each other in a while and on this day we got to catch up on life and the challenges of that time. In the last few years, I had known Clinton to be creative with design and his music. However, one interesting thing that I learnt that day was the depth to his character especially considering the things he was dealing with alongside the unspoken/contained pressure he was under.

I noticed he does this thing where he challenges himself daily to expand his vocabulary, and in addition to that, collects a library of quotes or writings to stay motivated and positive. I remember being impressed by his consistency when he added then scrolled through notes on his phone.

Like many people or others we see, there is always more to them than is presented or perceived. As complicated as you are, so is the next person in their own way, with different thoughts, preferences, experiences and challenges. I find it intriguing, whenever I think of the multiple factors that make up one’s life. Something as simple as the connection between music and a memory of the past or a feeling that could be unique to one or a group of people.

Anyway, I took these portraits to remember that day and the general feel of the emotions expressed. If you look through the images you may see how Clinton wears those emotions.

“Focus on where you are going, not what you are going through”

— A quote that has gotten him through difficult times.

Pictures taken Aug 19, 2023. Winnipeg, MB.

Check him out on IG/TikTok (@lavvive)

Into the Wild

May 13, 2023

A few days ago, I was on a video call with my friend Jarmahn where we spoke about the nuances of life, present challenges, and hope for the future. At the tail end of our conversation, we talked about movies we found interesting, I recommended 3 Idiots, a story about two friends searching for their long-lost companion and Jarmahn recommended Into the Wild, a fascinating true-life story about Christoper McCandless, a graduate who gives away all his possessions and sets out to live alone in the Alaskan wilderness.

Into the Wild made me reflect on a suppressed longing for an isolated escape but less extreme of course. Before moving to Canada from Nigeria, I wanted to live in New Zealand for the beautiful scenery and to be far away from the familiar and anyone connected to it. To discover myself outside of their gaze and expectations, to see who I was unattached, without a mask.

This movie reminded me of these dormant feelings. A desire to disappear, to be unreachable, to be in my bubble. On the flip side, it told a precautionary tale of the result of such isolation. While I may start happy, loneliness will surely set in eventually. What happens when I go too far? When there is no way back to reconnect to the communities or people that care about me?

“Happiness is only real when shared”

— Christopher McCandless, Into the Wild

Light in the Dark

May 11, 2023

I recently travelled to spend a week with my favourite person. It was a welcomed escape, a space that allowed vulnerability, accompanied by love, joy and peace. On the morning of my trip, I was excited to surprise her, but that excitement was cut short by news of my Grandma's passing. I remember calling my father and crying the moment I heard the pain in his voice. On the way to the airport, there was a dark cloud over me, I thought about the finality of death, childhood memories, my relationship with my parents, and life in this present moment.

On the plane, I listened to ‘100 Miles an Hour’ and ‘Covering’ by Labrinth while reflecting. In my melancholy, I wrote a poem about how I felt at that moment and fell asleep for the rest of the journey. I arrived in good time for the surprise and loved the expression on her face when she saw me, I was happy but I could barely speak. Later, I would tell her why I seemed down, she would hold my hand and console me. The remaining days went by slowly, filled with simple moments, introspection, and calls from home.

Erupting at the seams
Off the tower, plummeting
Muted screams with violet hues
A thousand memories disintegrate
Numb, light, and free?

The Serendipity of Spring

April 12, 2023

It was warm today by Winnipeg standards at 12°C, enough for a photo walk around the neighbourhood without a jacket. Thanks to the weather, I took my time to observe and photograph things that caught my eye; a random artificial grass mat on the street, an abandoned piece of clothing, strangers walking past each other, a tree, buildings, traffic and puddle reflections. The warmer weather is a welcomed change from the discomfort of winter chills. I look forward to more days in the sun and vibrant colours.