Come Dine With Me… Oyinkansola Dada

Are there many things that are better in life than eating a burger in bed? We don’t think so… and neither does Oyinkansola Dada. “I love getting room service - it’s just very convenient and I feel like I’m getting treated,” she tells us. We have lots to catch up on since the Gallerist’s installment in The B Word series earlier this year. So after a busy but exciting time in her career, we invited Oyinkan to enjoy some much-needed downtime in very luxurious surroundings at one of London’s top hotels, The Standard. We find out more about the launch of DADA Magazine, what’s happening at her eponymous gallery and much more…

(P.S. In honour of our love of room service, we’ve launched something very exciting in collaboration with The Standard, London... You can discover more about the new Browns Room Service package below.)

What are you eating/drinking at The Standard?
Today, I’m getting room service at The Standard hotel. I’ve ordered some chicken bites, a cheeseburger and fries, tomato rigatoni, a side of padrón peppers, and a gin and tonic.

Why do you love this spot?
It’s very beautifully curated - it has a very warm and welcoming energy.

Why have you chosen these pieces to wear today? Which are your favourite and why?
I feel they represent my style best. The Chopova Lowena dress is beautifully made and presents some structural complexity. It reminds me of a piece of art.

Let’s talk about the ingredients that make up your career in the art world. What are they?
Open mindedness, taste and relationships.

Oyinkansola wears dress by CHOPOVA LOWENA, shoes by THE ATTICO, earrings by GUCCI

How and why did you get started?
I got started in the art world in Lagos, which is where I was born and raised. I started doing pop-up exhibitions in 2018 because I had a lot of friends who were artists and I really just wanted to support them and the work they were doing. I helped them find collectors and made people more aware of their work. This slowly developed into me opening my own gallery, DADA Gallery, in 2020.

For me, it’s very important to showcase Black artists - artists of African descent both in Africa and in the diaspora as well. I think it’s important for all of us to be connected and for young art enthusiasts to know what’s happening in the art world.

Tell us what’s upcoming on the menu at DADA Gallery?
An exhibition in Lagos featuring Nigerian artist Samson Bakare. As well as a launch party for DADA Magazine in the form of a ballroom style party called Lagos is Burning! I’m super excited to be celebrating the magazine in my city.

What are the essentials that comprise the DADA Gallery DNA?
Careful curation is at the centre of the gallery’s DNA.

As a curator and gallerist - how do you cook up an idea for a vision and bring it to life?
I cook up ideas for exhibitions and shows by pulling from what’s happening around the world. I like to pay attention to social-political issues and notice themes that I think are important to my audience. A lot of my audience are younger creatives, and sexuality, race, identity and gender is important to them. So bringing those ideas to life in a way that’s relevant and visually stunning is key.

Congratulations on your new venture, DADA Magazine - can you tell us more about it?
I think magazines are a great avenue for building community and bringing specific creative sectors into mainstream consciousness, and the hope is to do that with DADA Magazine for art. I started DADA Magazine because I wanted to create an art publication that amplified the voices of Black artists. There is a gap of representation and I wanted to help rectify it.

I also want the magazine to serve as a knowledge base for the next generation of artists and art enthusiasts who need help demystifying the art world; which is known for being traditionally elitist and inaccessible for newer audiences. The magazine has been purposely created to be visually engaging and to feel like art itself, so in a way it can feel like a first step into collecting.

In your opinion, who has excellent taste?
I think Solange has the most impeccable taste in the world!

Now for the fun questions - if you were a dish, what dish would you be?
A nice bowl of pasta because it absorbs anything and I think that is me.

What’s your least favourite thing to eat?
Raisins. I think the texture is so off, it’s just not for me.

What’s one family favourite Nigerian meal from your childhood that you can’t live without?
Fried plantain and red beans is the best meal in the world.

What three people (living or passed) are at your dream dinner table?
Solange, because she’s just so musically amazing. Then Bell Hooks - she has so much intellectual knowledge to pass on. Finally, painter Lynette Yiadom-Boakye. She makes these virtually stunning, very emotive paintings and I would love to ask her about her process.

Introducing… the Browns Room Service package at The Standard, London. Book your stay and our Personal Shopping team will deliver a specially curated edit to your room. On booking this package, you’ll receive £200 towards a spend of £1000 or more. As well as an exclusive welcome gift, instant access to our loyalty programme ‘The Club’ and much more… Visit www.standardhotels.com for more details.

Photography: Jonathan Middleton
Styling: Sally Bottomley
Words: Sophy Davis Russell