Artists

Kelechi Nwaneri is a self-taught mixed-media artist. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Extension from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 2015. He has participated in numerous group exhibitions in Nigeria and won the 2018 Spanish Embassy annual Visual Art Competition in Abuja.
Nwaneri started pursuing drawing during his third year in university. He was inspired by artists such as Kelvin Okafor, Arinze Stanley, and Ken Nwadiogbu and initially focused on pencil realism, which he later combined with acrylic and oil paints, watercolour, and collage. Nwaneri’s work focuses on issues around mental health, psychology, and social values. He uses his art to advocate for mental health awareness and applies uli, nsibidi, and adinkra iconography to create surrealistic landscapes that explore metaphysical and allegoric imagery and concepts. He explains that his work is born out of the desire to represent the quiet interaction between our conscious and subconscious state of mind in relation to our environment. Nwaneri believes that everything in our lives dances to the vibrations of the subconscious.

A major feature of his pencil and charcoal series is the ‘Black Figure’, which is usually clad with symbols and motifs. These figures are inspired by the idea of scars and tribal marks which represent our subconscious state. Nwaneri uses primarily West African iconography, mainly Adinkra, Uli, and Nsibidi symbols, as well as the lines and patterns found in Adire fabric, to create forms and figures that he draws alongside realistic subjects and serene settings, creating a surreal landscape. He creates allegorical scenes that touch on mental health and social values, telling stories borne out of true experiences. His paintings explore vivid scenes from his imagination.
Biography courtesy of Africa First.