Oliver Okolo

Oliver Okolo is a Nigerian artist who was born in 1992 in Suleja and now lives and works in Abuja; He has emerged as one of the most exciting artists working out of Ni- geria today and is a central figure in a new vanguard whose portrayal of Black people in confident and assertive gaze, challen- ges and dismantles negative racial con- structs and knowledge systems. He gra- duates at Caritas University Enugu, where he studied human resource management; His search for a more creative atmosphere that would satisfy his artistic desires and growth is ever driven by his passion for art. Intrigued by the mysteries of the human figure as a unique work of nature, he uses it to create works that speak to subjects he feels are neglected or not spoken about in Nigeria.

He uses oil paint and charcoal and em- ploys techniques of collage in his portraits. He uses charcoal and paint to capture the subjects of his striking portraits. In 2016, he studied under and worked in the studio of artist Clement Nwafor, using the oppor- tunity to hone his craft. Okolo’s paintings and drawings often start from Western art-historical reference points, recasting works from Vermeer and Michelangelo wi- th Black subjects. He refers to his practice as “classical contemporealism,” a term meant to reflect his blending of classical and contemporary styles.

He took part in both solo exhibitions and groups exhibitions such as “Oliver Okolo – I forgot to tell you, now listen”, in Accra in 2021, “Stop, listen.” in Sweden in 2021 and “Shades, exhibition of drawings” in 2018.