The Blackout Collection references the hyper-anesthetized deviance that reinforces criminal behavior, transforming these transgressions into a badge of honor, or the latest fashion craze. The works speak to the incongruities embedded in notions of masculinity, and questions how we adorn our constraints.

So often in Occidental culture, to commemorate is to iconize a figure and thus obscure his or her nuance and humanity. The rough edges are polished down, misstep and doubt are washed away, and we are then left with a perfect picture of inevitable greatness. In “Hide and Seek,” Olujimi wanted to address this distortion that so often accompanies commemoration. The piece explores the limitations inherent in the creation and celebration of an icon and the challenge of memorializing without obscuring.