Artists
OLORUNYEMI KOLAPO
Kolapo is a graduate of Pure and Applied Physics but he is a full time artist.
Kolapo kingdiah as he is called is a self taught artist from Kogi State, residing in Abuja. Kolapo started professional art in 2005 and since then he has participated in local and international exhibitions across the globe and most recent include the Art Expo New York 2018, Nigeria/Malta Art Exchange Exhibition 2019 in Malta, Last Image International exhibition in Tanzania 2018 among others.
He has sold hundreds of his works across the globe. He was Crowned Artist of the week in AFRO-MEDIA ART (Kenya) on the first week of December 2014.
DOOFAN KWAGHHOOL
Doofan works predominantly in the medium of painting. Her works take a critical view of psychological, social and environmental issues. She uses lines, objects, figures and colours in her paintings to depict her thoughts on several issues. She is an art teacher as a result she extends her interphase with children from the classroom to the canvas.
She is a lover of people and the environment, this quality has made her to also delve into public art. Here she uses her art to reach out to the public on social issues. She is presently working on the second part of a public art titled “Signs and Meanings” on road safety rules and regulations. She also includes videos in her public art.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Art from the famous Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State in Nigeria and the founder Blueflames Art Studios. She has several exhibitions and art workshops to her credit.
ADDIS OKOLI
Addis is a graphic artist, fashion designer, painter and dance instructor. She is a graduate of the University of Nigeria and the University of Southampton where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in graphic design and a Masters degree in fashion design respectively.
She is currently a staff of the Cyprian Ekwensi centre for Arts and Culture where she produces most of her paintings.
Her works vary from the use of colors that are subdued to very brilliant palettes. Being self trained in painting has given her the opportunity to explore without boundaries.
She has participated in several local and international exhibitions. Her inspirations are derived from music, poetry, her surroundings and herself.
ELLA ONYEBE
Ella graduated from University of Maiduguri in 2007, she studied a BA in Creative Arts in a variety of media from painting on canvas, ceramics, mixed media, mural arts, interior and interior design and batik to textile design.
Onyebe has participated in numerous exhibitions, both national and international, in solo and group exhibitions. Her first solo exhibition was in 2006, where she exhibited her paintings. She loves bright and vibrant colours and she is very comfortable using them in her works.
IGBINOVIA OMON SOPHIA
Sophia is a Nigerian artist, based in Lagos, who works with metal foil, watercolour and acrylic on canvas.
Sophia was born in the 80s and holds a Higher Diploma degree in Computer Graphics from the Federal Polytechnic Auchi, Edo State, Nigeria.
She trained under Dr. Bruce Onobrakpeya and her work takes a critical view at how people should stay empowered and be useful to society.
Her work has been featured in newspapers, books and online platforms including African Styles and Culture Magazine.
She has participated in numerous collective exhibitions in Nigeria and internationally and her work can be found in important collections.
KEMI SEWELL
Kemi is an artist living and working in Nigeria. She is known for her photography, printmaking and designs.
Her works are expressions of possible solutions to problems in the society through conceptual and practical ways.
Winner of Spanish Embassy Visual Art Competition 2019, Life in My City Art Festival 2014, Best Photography Award and 2013 Best Photography category. She has attended several master classes on photography facilitated by Nlele Institute as well as artistic exchange programmes at Neue Schule Fur Fotografie in Berlin, Germany 2012.
She has participated in several group exhibitions and her solo exhibition in 2014 toured 3 Nigerian states. Her works have been featured in several publications including Chukwuemeka Ben Bosah’s book The Art of Nigerian Women which chronicles some of the best of Nigerian artists.
A graduate of Industrial Design, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; she also holds diplomas in photography and art, mathematics and statistics from Barking Abbey Sixth Form in the UK.
OMONU SALISU
Omonu is a dynamic and creative artist based in Nigeria. He has typified abstract art with an artistic force that cuts across paintings.
Salisu, being among several artists, has learnt different creative styles and experimented with colours and shapes.
In 2018, he began to embrace the experimental nature of lines, shapes, figures and colours to form abstract/impression paintings.
Salisu uses colours to symbolise cultural emblems representing the African society.
His recent works are based on the origin of human and are translated with symbols
The symbols of West Africa also represent popular proverbs and maxims, record historical events, express particular attitudes or behaviour related to depicted figures, or concepts uniquely related to abstract shapes.
He has participated in several group exhibitions and has organised exhibitions such as the Affordable Art Exhibition, Abuja.
OLUWOLE OLAWUYI
Oluwole also known to most as Wole was born in 1989, he is a Nigerian artist from Kwara State. Wole began his art career at the age of 9, and is well known for primarily using the impasto technique with a painting knife to create most of his pieces.
Wole attended Baptist Primary School, where he was coached by Mr Oladele. In secondary school, he won the NYSC award for best secondary student in sculpture.
He studied Fine and Applied Art at Kwara State College of Education, he has been a full time professional studio artist for the past 8 years and is also a member of Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA), Abuja chapter.
He has participated in a number of art competitions and exhibitions.
ONYEKACHUKWU ILOANYA
Onyeka is a visual Artist. He grew up in Onitsha, the commercial hub of Anambra State, Nigeria. There he scavenged refuse dump sites to recycle scraps into play toys. This act has turned to the artistic prowess of his works that he enjoys today by converting waste to aesthetic wealth.
His humble beginnings easily points and helps his audience identify the message of hope in his works. This becomes obvious in the expression of the subject matters and in the vibrant choice of colours expressed in his paintings. In conveying his message of hope, he equally embellishes his sculptures composed of discarded metal scraps with relishing tones of colours.
In his artistic renditions, this artist often employs indirect method of metal scraps assemblage rather than the conventional direct method common among sculptors. Onyeka believes that achieving healthier environment is the duty of all with the artists playing pivotal roles.
He currently resides and practises his art in Abuja, Nigeria.
AWOSOLA ANGELLO
Angello graduated with Honours and received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science from Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo state.
His initiation in art began in nursery school at the age of 4 drawing images until he got into the high school and emerged the best art student in his school in Lagos state, Nigeria.
He has focused his art around realism and taking images of humans as his comparative advantage, because of the joy he derives from the human form and this has led him into his critical study of the human anatomy, movements and faces because of the interesting features they behold and the emotions they carry each time his subject is either happy or disturbed as the case may be.
He started with charcoal pencils in 2011, then he moved into watercolours and acrylic in 2013 and finally, oil on canvas in late 2013, until now. He is currently working on some series of human figures with the introduction of strong highlighted beam of lights hitting directly on their skins.
He is currently a full-time practising artist with some recently interior decoration experience. He has taught art for years both in private and government citadel of academics and has trainees in Abuja and Ondo state respectively. He has also juried art competitions and featured in local and national exhibitions both physically and online.
ELBOWROOM ART MOVEMENT
ELBOWROOM Art Movement was founded in 2016 by Olorunyemi Kolapo and he was subsequently joined by 7 other artists: Oluwole Olawuyi, Onyekachukwu Iloanyi, Awosola Michael Angello, Silas Onoja, Chinedu Bright Ezeh, Bolaji Onaolapo and Adeshina Adeodu.
The aim of this talented group of artists is freedom of expression without any attachment to a particular style or influence. Anything is accepted with no restrictions. This movement was also formed to support each other in their endeavours.
I have the honour to be curating this travelling exhibition, which starts in Abuja and will continue in Lagos, London and beyond.
OLUCHI ZOM
Oluchi is a visual artist whose works/art seek fundamentally to explore the intricacies and complexities of emotional affinity (the notion of emotional complexity) with the use of stylised figurative expressions.
Her practice is currently involved with exploration of style, substrate and material execution. She holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Multimedia Technology and Design from Brunel University in London, UK.
She has participated in various group exhibitions, and her works are held in several private and corporate collections, including three pieces in the collection of the Embassy of Ireland in Nigeria.