In Residence

Damien Ajavon is a textile artist originally from Paris, now living and working between Noresund and Oslo. As a dedicated artist, their creations are a testament to personal exploration and a passion for sharing stories through the transformative power and mutable qualities of textiles. At the core is a desire to merge cultures to create something new and beautiful. Rooted in their heritage, drawing on African and Western cultures and queer communities, Ajavon's practice with textiles serves as a medium for culturally representative pieces that merge generations of African craftsmanship with diasporic and transoceanic perspectives. Their work explores the tactile manipulation of textile fibers, with a creative process deeply influenced by the interplay of visual and sensory experiences.

With a MA in Textile from the National Academy of the Arts in Oslo, Ajavon's work has in recent years been featured in group and solo exhibitions as well as artist residencies across North America, Europe, and Africa, amongst them Oslo Kunstforening (Oslo), Spriten Kunsthall (Skien), AiR Green (Noresund), Fotogalleriet (Oslo), Future Fair (New York), MK&G messe (Hamburg), Textile Museum (Netherlands), Tensta Kunsthall (Sweden) and Billedkunstnerne i Oslo. In the spring of 2025 they have had solo presentations at Kunsthall Oslo (Oslo), cc-tapis (Milan), and the Hannah Ryggen Triennale (Trondheim). Their work is part of the public collections of the City of Oslo and KpA – Kunst på arbeidsplassen ("Art in the workplace"), and a large-scale art commission for the new government quarter by KORO - Public Art Norway, solidifying their contribution to contemporary textile art in Norway.