Orioye Bukola – Nigerian Visual Artist | Afrikanizm – Page 2

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"I see painting as a bridge - between times, between selves, between the seen and the felt. My work draws on relics of the past to question the present and imagine new futures. Through layers of texture, metaphor, and memory, I explore how African identity, spirituality, and feminine presence continue to shape the collective psyche.

I’m particularly drawn to the figure of the woman as both symbol and soul, carrying beauty, resilience, and the spiritual thread of cultural continuity. My hope is that each piece invites quiet reflection, and offers a kind of healing through simplicity, honesty, and care.

My practice is rooted in curiosity. It is an ongoing conversation with history, with spirit, and with those who dare to look beyond the surface."

MEET

Bukola Samuel

Orioye Bukola (b. 1993, Osogbo, Nigeria) is a self-taught contemporary Nigerian artist whose work explores the intimate intersections of memory, identity, and cultural heritage. Born in a city renowned for its spiritual and artistic legacy, Orioye channels this environment into a visual practice that is both intuitive and intellectually driven.

After completing a degree in Chemistry at the University of Ilorin in 2015, he redirected his path toward the visual arts, refining his skills through mentorship under Tope Fatumbi at Topfat Art Gallery in Ibadan (2019). Despite his non-traditional academic background, Orioye has developed a distinctive painterly language that draws from personal experience, Yoruba symbolism, and ancestral echoes.

His expressive canvases are driven by curiosity and guided by the belief that painting can unearth invisible links between self and society. With a style that shifts between abstraction and figuration, Orioye’s work resonates as a form of visual archaeology — uncovering layered histories and reframing collective memory through colour, texture, and form.

Orioye’s work has been exhibited widely in Nigeria, Europe, and North America, with notable group shows including:

Art Shopping Expo, Carrousel du Louvre, Paris

L.A. Art Show, Los Angeles

From Africa to Detroit, Norwest Gallery, USA

Black History Month, Gato Gordo Gallery, Miami

The Reveal, Akwaaba Gallery, New Jersey

Fluorescence, Mitochondria Gallery, Houston

His paintings have also featured in charity auctions on Artsy, supporting global social causes through contemporary African art.

In 2024, Orioye was awarded the Voice of Regeneration Prize by Unearthodox, affirming his status as a powerful emerging voice in global contemporary art.

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