Move, I Dare You by Taoheed Bayo.
A modern transcontinental tale, of an artist in search of Afro-diasporic communes, whispers, creations, and beings. From the design and layout to the text and visuals, this book conveys a story of a Black muse. A Black muse born from the heart of Lagos, subsequently a migrant in the tussle of America, and now a creative traveling across continents, countries, states, and cities. Running in fields, beaming in studios, dancing in a trance, sharing endless laughter with friends - exploring the phenomena of art as existence itself.
Move, I Dare You is shaped by intimate photo stills and scattered personal texts. Acting as a personal visual diary and inviting the reader into my reflections, musings, and dreams. Acting as a compact visual story, a pictorial and textual stream of consciousness, the book consists of a series of film pictures captured on my Olympus and Miranda camera and musings from my diary and journal entries, all created during my travels in Europe, Asia, and North America over the last few years.
The layout and design tell a story of passage. A distinct and intentional way of inviting the readers into my world, showing them the depths of my travels, the distorted conversations, quiet whispers, moments of euphoria, passion, and inspiration. The readers shall jump and run with me, following an unending stream of thought, notes of a Black boy, and his little visual wonders. These images and texts show my expansive soul, my Black diasporic body, and my love for the earth- the moon, the stars, and the sun.
This book is a gift to myself. A manifestation of gratitude, servitude, stillness, childlike curiosity, and growth.
Taoheed Bayo is a 26-year-old film director, performance artist, and nomad born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria.