Mural captures flavors of new Joliet West African restaurant

A large mural is taking shape on the side of a future restaurant in Joliet featuring West African cuisine.

The restaurant, O’Larry Asun Spot, is located at 3109 Theodore St. in Joliet.

The artist is Uprizn Ikpemi, 40, of South Holland, a Nigerian-born American visual artist, muralist and art teacher.

Ikpemi said the mural symbolizes Nigerian cultural heritage and traditional beliefs: the Eyo masquerade – one of the oldest masquerades in Nigerian culture – and the Ojude Oba festival, an ancient, spiritual festival in Nigeria with a “rich cultural heritage through music, dance and traditional attire,” he said.

“The lady in the middle is cooking a traditional Nigerian dish,” Ikpemi said. “And the owner of the restaurant is holding the goat.”

“My murals celebrate heritage, promote social change, and [are] a tool for unity and empowerment.”

—  Uprizn Ikpemi of South Holland, a Nigerian-born American visual artist

O’Larry Asun Spot will be a halal restaurant that plans to cater to “diverse dietary needs while offering a journey to the heart of West Africa with our culinary delights,” according to the restaurant’s website.

“Everything will be fresh and authentic,” said Jelili “Larry” Olaniyan, the restaurant’s owner. “But no pork.”

Olaniyan said he tested his restaurant concept through a food truck that he operated in Chicago starting in 2014.

He met Ikpemi in Chicago four years ago and hired him to paint the mural and some “colorful” interior art, too, Olaniyan said.

“I know people like pictures,” Olaniyan said. “I wanted to bring something nice to Joliet.”

Olaniyan said he plans to open O’Larry Asun Spot in early August. Ikpemi said plans for the mural were “in the works” for three years.

“He wanted a mural to foster dialogue and awareness of West African dishes,” Ikpemi said.

Ikpemi said that after he designed the mural, he submitted mockups for approval. To create the actual mural, Ikpemi created a mockup on his iPad, projected it on the wall, and then added colors in layers, using acrylic paint and aerosol spray paint.

He started the mural June 17 and said he hoped to complete it by late June.

Ikpemi has painted murals in underpasses and on walls and public buildings in Chicago in what he calls “open-air galleries” so all can enjoy them, he said.

His central themes are unity, diversity and transcending cultural backgrounds. He said he has painted almost 400 murals across the U.S.

“My murals celebrate heritage, promote social change, and [are] a tool for unity and empowerment,” Ikpemi said.

Ikpemi said he became involved with the subculture of street art while growing up in Edo and Lagos. He used the internet to learn about art and worked as a professional artist in Nigeria.

“I relocated to the USA because my dad, a U.S. citizen, wanted his family under one roof,” Ikpemi said.

Ikpemi said he’s studied at the Illinois Institute of Art and Columbia College Chicago, where he’s majoring in interactive art and animation.

In 2019, he joined R.K. Design, a graphic arts and mural collective in Chicago, where he became an apprentice to Rahmann Statik, Ikpemi said.

Ikpemi said he’s also part of the Englewood Art Collective’s extended family.

He runs a custom clothing line, where he designs accessories with an airbrush, and he teaches art for paint parties and events.

“I have plans to open free art schools to empower and mentor upcoming artists,” Ikpemi said.

O’Larry Asun Spot is at 3109 Theodore St. in Joliet.

For information, call 630-677-0051 or visit olarryasun.com.