Israel Padonu

Israel Padonu is a Nigerian artist born in 1987 in Badagry, Lagos State. His journey as an artist began at a young age when he was introduced to color by his father, who was a traditional signwriter. He self-taught himself the art of drawing and painting by copying images from local church magazines, a habit that would later become instrumental in his choice of career path.

Israel studied Creative Arts, with a Painting major, at a university of education in Nigeria and graduated with a B.A (Ed.) honors in 2017. After a brief stint teaching Fine Art in 2018, he later adopted a full-time studio art practice in early 2020.

During the early stages of his full-time studio practice, Israel experimented with unconventional media and incorporated them into his art. Although he had a formal education, he is essentially a self-taught artist like many other contemporary artists.

Israel's current and ongoing body of works is influenced by the need to merge his creative exploration with contemporary needs that ultimately contribute to the social and mental well-being of his audience and humanity at large, creating art that serves a higher purpose. Through his art, he seeks to address societal issues, promote unity, and inspire positive change.