Oluwatobi Adewumi

Nigeria

"Each of Oluwatobi Adewumi’s works is a story - a reclamation of voice, memory, and presence. Rooted in his own journey as a Nigerian immigrant, his art becomes a bridge between past and present, confronting the silences and distortions that have shaped Black identity across history.

Influenced by ancestral storytelling and early media experiences, Adewumi creates portraits that speak of resilience, dignity, and belonging. Using charcoal and acrylic, he blurs the lines between realism and abstraction, crafting layered images that carry both pain and hope.

The figures in his work are more than subjects - they are witnesses, survivors, and symbols of strength. Through them, he reimagines history not as fixed, but as something to be rewritten - tenderly, powerfully, and truthfully.
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MEET

Oluwatobi Adewumi

Oluwatobi Adewumi (b. Nigeria) is a contemporary visual artist based in Arkansas, USA, whose evocative portraits explore the emotional terrain of migration, memory, and identity. Through a distinctive blend of charcoal and acrylic, his layered compositions capture the tension between realism and abstraction, allowing personal and collective narratives to coexist.

Raised in Nigeria and now part of the African diaspora, Adewumi’s practice is shaped by the experience of relocation and cultural transformation. His subjects—often solitary and introspective—are rendered with intimate detail and raw texture, symbolizing the resilience and complexity of those who carry their heritage across borders.

His surfaces unfold like memory itself: fragmented, layered, and emotionally charged. Each piece becomes a poetic meditation on belonging, offering a space for reflection on what it means to leave, to arrive, and to remain rooted in one’s cultural identity despite shifting geographies.

Adewumi’s work resonates both as personal testimony and universal inquiry, inviting viewers to connect with the silent yet powerful stories embedded in the faces he paints. With increasing recognition across exhibitions in the U.S. and internationally, he stands at the forefront of a generation using figurative art to navigate displacement, tradition, and transformation.

FROM OUR BLOGUE
“Dear Black People… A Love Letter”: Diasporic Time-travel in Atlanta

Now open at ZuCot Gallery, Dear Black People… A Love Letter is a bold and poetic journey through the Black American experience. With over 95% of works by artists of African descent, the show reframes visual storytelling as time travel — blending memory, identity and joy.
From glowing watermelons to shimmering histories, this exhibition pulses with creativity, community and cultural pride.

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Zara Welcomes Ghanaian Artist Otis Kwame Kye Quaicoe in Stunning Accra‑Inspired Capsule

Zara has announced a groundbreaking capsule collaboration with Ghanaian painter Otis Kwame Kye Quaicoe. Featuring 16 curated looks—from vibrant embroidered trousers to statement T‑shirts and accessories—the collection channels Quaicoe’s signature palette and reflects the energy, history and spirit of Accra. This partnership not only broadens visibility for African artists but underscores the growing influence of contemporary African art in global fashion and culture.

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Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) Poised to Transform Nigeria’s Cultural Landscape

The Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) in Benin City opens in November 2025 as a major cultural hub. The first stage features the new research-focused MOWAA Institute, alongside its inaugural exhibition Nigeria Imaginary: Homecoming. Designed by Adjaye Associates, the campus includes galleries, labs, performance spaces, and houses newly repatriated Benin Bronzes and contemporary artworks by Nigerian creators.

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