INTRODUCTION

Ese Johnson is a Nigerian national living in Scotland, he grew up in Lagos, where he mainly lived till he moved to Glasgow in 2020. Ese initially trained in public health and has built a career in the public health and charity sectors but has recently begun forging a new path in interior design and pottery making. His new found passions stem from a desire to live life from a place of authenticity, leaning into parts of himself that have long remained dormant due to environmental and societal constrictions prevalent in his past. As a refugee living in Scotland, Ese has spent the last few years building his understanding of how people and cultures merge and what comes forth from a successful integration of different identities, cultures and beliefs. Ese enjoys immersing himself in arts and culture, travel, nature and forging relationships. Alongside working in public health, he is studying a Bachelor of Arts in interior design, was featured as 1 of 10 contestants on BBC's Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr in 2025, and is self-training in ceramics making.

INTERVIEW

How did you get into your creative practice? What initially inspired you?

I stumbled into my creative practices, having had no previous academic or structured training in the arts; there was no profound reasoning behind the decisions to pursue interior design and ceramics apart from being as true to myself as I can be. I simply desired to understand who I really am and to live from that authenticity of self; my draw to art and design came from that self-exploratory journey. 

Interior design for me is about creating a sense of home, a sense of belonging and security, and to reflect individual identity and desires in the built spaces we inhabit. This creative avenue stems from my appreciation of architecture, a desire to create a sense of heritage-filled comfort and an understanding of how spaces make people feel.

My story in ceramics began simply as a way to use my leisure time more constructively, doing things that filled me with joy. I have always admired ceramics, especially Asian and Italian ceramicware, but my personal language in pottery making stems from in-depth research into the history and practice of pottery in Nigeria;  a history that was interrupted by colonial invasion, and a craft practice that has since then suffered invisibility and stunted generational development. I hand build sculptural objects that showcase African- & Black- inspired craft as artistic expressions worthy of recognition in contemporary design and spaces. My desire is for people to appreciate art inspired by these heritages on the same level as those from other regions of the world and to experience these heritages in a different way- through the beauty that comes from African and Black cultures globally.

What themes do you tend to interrogate in your creative practices?

I interrogate themes of identity and culture in my practices. My understanding of who I am as a gay Black man was fundamentally distorted growing up, due to the legal and societal disapproval of Queer identities in Nigeria. Having had a difficult, and oftentimes painful relationship with my cultural background, I decided to distance myself as much as I could to avoid the upsetting outcomes of this fractured relationship. Design and crafting has given me a part of my culture and heritage I can relate to, I can understand and feel a sense of wonder and appreciation for. Through understanding and creating art that stems from my culture, and other Black & African cultures, I am healing my relationship with my heritage and forming a new identity that is rooted in the best parts of where I come from.

On a global level, Black and African cultures are often only seen and experienced through the fractured and distorted lenses of colonial legacy culture and through polarised media interpretations of these cultures they don't understand. The outcomes of this are a lack of appreciation of the beauty that emerges from these parts of the world, erasure of cultures & histories from these communities and a resistance to the integration and wholesome amalgamation of other cultures with African ones. Through my craft and the power of art, I present the identities and practices, stories and histories and power of Black and African cultures in ways that showcase the beauty inherent in our cultures, enabling our voices to be heard and our cultures to be seen- successfully appreciated and integrated into contemporary lives, spaces and futures. 

What is your favourite project you’ve ever worked on and why?

My favourite project in interior design is a home I designed for a friend. This was my first large scale, paid project and it offered me the opportunity to blend stunning architectural details with beautiful patterns and prints that I had been looking to incorporate in a real life project for a long time. On this project, I also expanded myself as a designer, using colors and furniture styles I would never have imagined myself working with, the outcome was something that was wholly the clients and a representation of the amazing talent I bring to design.

In ceramics, my favourite project was a series of sculptural vessels I created that showcase the best parts of my culture, I titled them the PRIDE series. These objects embody the spirits of dance, of music and fashion that make Nigerian culture, and people, what it really is. Nigeria can sometimes be seen as a difficult country to live in, with economic and political instability, oppressive laws against some strata of society etc. But deep down, who we really are can be seen in the clothes we adorn ourselves with, the festivals we celebrate together, the foods we nurture ourselves with and the beauty we radiate in spite of difficulties. I created these vessels to embody these virtues, the very best parts of us, and of myself!

What advice would you have for creatives of colour looking to get into your creative practices?

The advice I give myself all the time, especially now, is to follow my heart and truly understand who I am in my creative practices, and to stand by that! Creativity may not pay off in financial terms, or as a career path, but it nourishes the soul and gives you sometime to live by and live up to. Follow your dream!

What are you currently working on?

I, and two other Black artists, are working on an Exhibition in October 2026. We are doing this to showcase the beauty of Black history, Black art and the talent that is present in Black communities in Scotland. This exhibition will be a way for us to continue dialogues, and begin new ones, on what it means to be Black and how Black identities are, and will always be part of Scotland's story and history.

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