NIGERIA: Nigerian architect turned balloon sculptor tells how he swapped bricks and cement for party decorations to realise his grand designs

Record ID: 235284

  • Title: NIGERIA: Nigerian architect turned balloon sculptor tells how he swapped bricks and cement for party decorations to realise his grand designs
  • Date: 2nd May 2011
  • Summary: LAGOS, NIGERIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF BALLOON ARTIST, TOPE ABULUDE WORKING ON A BALLOON SCULPTURE PACKETS OF BALLOONS ON HIS WORKSHOP FLOOR (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOPE ABULUDE, BALLOON ARTIST SAYING: "While I sort of started it out as a hobby on weekends, it sort of grew from there. I proceeded to some competitions and then I suppose that built my confidence. It got better and better and sort of bigger." VARIOUS OF BALLOON SCULPTURES AT CONFERENCE TABLES (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOPE ABULUDE, BALLOON ARTIST SAYING: "You will actually find people who are extremely talented but cannot turn what they do into business." VARIOUS OF ABULUDE BUILDING A SCULPTURE WITH BALLOONS VARIOUS OF CLIENT LOOKING AT ABULUDE'S WORK ON HIS WEBSITE / ABULUDE'S CASTLE OF BALLOONS ON COMPUTER SCREEN (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOPE ABULUDE, BALLOON ARTIST SAYING: "It was a massive project which took ten months to design and come to completion, it took four days of working and tens of thousands of balloons to actually complete." MORE OF ABULUDE BUILDING A SCULPTURE UNUSED BALLOONS ON A SIDE TABLE THE FINISHED SCULPTURE
  • Embargoed: 17th May 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Nigeria, Nigeria
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz
  • Reuters ID: LVAB7RAOLEMEO1FZVK62Z9GW9V5H
  • Story Text: British born Nigerian Tope Abulude started out as a promising architect.
    A decade after graduating he still works on designs of dramatic castles and grand houses. Only these days they're built from balloons rather than bricks and cement.
    He fell into the decoration profession by accident after offering to help out a friend and discovering he had a talent for working with balloons.
    Now, he's seen as one of the leading party decorators in Nigeria.
    "While I sort of started it out as a hobby on weekends, it sort of grew from there. I proceeded to some competitions and then I suppose that that built my confidence. It got better and better and sort of bigger," he said.
    More traditionally associated with children's parties, Abulude has taken his balloon sculpting to more sophisticated levels, creating pieces for weddings and state banquets. Often his table pieces are hung with crystals and other gems. In some cases they are rigged up to dramatic light displays.
    Although he didn't plan to turn balloon modeling into a profession Abulude says he's happy that he's able to make money out of something he loves.
    "You will actually find people who are extremely talented but cannot turn what they do into business," he said.
    His website displays some of his past achievements, several of which have won him awards, including his biggest piece to date - a castle made entirely from balloons.
    "It was a massive project which took ten months to design and come to completion, it took four days of working and tens of thousands of balloons to actually complete," said Abulude.
    When he's not dreaming up ever more elaborate decorations, Abulude runs workshops for children and young adults in Lagos. The aim, he explains, is not just to pass on his balloon modelling skills, its also to train people to help him even further stretch the limits of balloon design.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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