Restocking the Odds: A Conversation with Quadri Morin

Quadri Morin is an artist and designer from Lagos whose work reflects on self-empowerment, emotional identity, and the space between who we are and who we can be. His practice moves fluidly across ideas and forms, exploring how experiences, inherited narratives, and personal choices shape perception and being.

Through bold imagery, abstract textures, and intuitive expression, he creates work that sits with feeling rather than explaining it; allowing space for reflection, choice, and conversation. Whether through visual art, design, or immersive experiences, Quadri’s work exists in the tension between observation and participation, inviting viewers to notice, question, and engage with their own narratives while encountering his.

His first solo exhibition, Restocking the Odds, presents a collection of artworks that explore the themes of focus, courage, and transformation. Each piece reflects how discipline, intentional action, and the drive for change can realign one's life and identity. Through this curated body of work, TWENTY-II invites viewers to reflect on how meaningful change begins from within and unfolds through conscious, personal shifts.

Just to Get Started, can You Introduce Yourself and tell me a Bit about Your Art and how You Started Making Art?

I’m a digital artist, and I’ve been creating drawings since I was a kid. My relationship with art is different from what people usually expect. I don’t paint because I have to, I paint because I need to.

That need isn’t always there, but whenever it shows up, I allow myself to respond to it. Over time, I’ve also been careful about not turning art into something that overwhelms me. I’ve avoided making it a full profession because I wanted to stay in control of my relationship with it and what I choose to put into the world.

You said Art can become Overwhelming when it Turns into Work. Can you Tell me More about that?

Art isn’t just about creating. There’s also the logistics, posting, promotion, administration, expectations. All of that can easily take away from the love you have for it. My art is very personal to me. I don’t have a lot of work that I’ve allowed to be collected or shared publicly. For a long time, if you had asked me whether I had something to tell the world, I would have said no. I was just living my life.

I kept creating, but I didn’t make the effort to put it out there because I hadn’t recognised the message behind it yet.

When did You Realise that Your Work could be Exhibited and Shared?

It happened while I was working on one particular artwork. As I was painting, I found myself thinking deeply about the idea behind it and imagining how the world could be if that idea was shared.

That’s when it dawned on me that I could exhibit the work and pass the message along. I don’t think it’s going to save the world, but I do believe it’s a message worth sharing.

What is the Message behind this Exhibition?

The message is self-empowerment. That’s why the exhibition is titled Restocking the Odds. In Nigeria, it’s very common to hear that the odds are against you. And honestly, that feeling is justified. But I don’t believe that should be the end of anyone’s story.

Growing up, I was constantly surrounded by conversations about how bad things were. At some point, I started asking myself whether Nigeria would ever get better. That question stayed with me, and it made me realise that I couldn’t place my future entirely in the hands of circumstances.

How did those Experiences Shape the Way You think about Your Own Life?

I realised that I had to make my own luck. I didn’t know how at the time, but I knew I couldn’t rely on complaints or narratives of limitation. Reading The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck helped me learn how to block out noise. Everyone has problems, but you get to choose which ones matter. I chose to focus on becoming better.

Before you can help a country, you have to become somebody. Power comes from within.

How many Works are in the Exhibition, and how did they come Together?

There are thirteen artworks. They weren’t created as a series. I’d create one, take a long break, then create another. One of the works was a collaboration with a close friend.

When I started preparing for the exhibition, I noticed similarities across the pieces. I went back to look at them again and realised that the same ideas had been showing up in different ways over time. That’s when I understood that this message had been with me for a long time.

How has this Idea of Self-Empowerment Influenced the way You Work Now?

Doing this exhibition is one of the ways that realisation has shown up in my life. And it’s important to say that self-empowerment isn’t a one-time thing, it happens in phases. This had to be a solo exhibition because nobody would put it out there if I didn’t. It’s not a financial thing or a marketing thing. It’s a self thing. At different points, I have to keep asking myself whether I truly believe in what I’m doing.

What do You Hope People Take Away from this Exhibition?

I want people to realise that they have control. At some point, you start questioning why you do the things you do and whether you actually believe in them. That moment is powerful. Once you understand that you have control, what you do next is up to you.