Ken Nwadiogbu

Ken Nwadiogbu (b. 1994, Lagos, Nigeria) is a multidisciplinary artist. A trained civil engineer, he soon pivoted to fine art, first embracing hyperrealism and charcoal drawing before expanding his creative horizon to more conceptual works and a wider array of techniques.

On Nwadiogbu’s large canvases, stories superimpose themselves in multiple layers. Mixing together hyperrealism with contemporary elements, he explores grave matters in his colorful conceptual work, inviting us to address altogether black representation and identity, displacement, and socio-political control. Defending an art that can be at once smart and fun, he creates ingenious, politically charged visual illusions that deploy a singular outlook, daring the audience to question their own, for “value lies in the perspective”.

Nwadiogbu is credited for introducing the “Contemporealism” movement. He was awarded the prestigious The Future Awards Africa in recognition of his contributions to the Nigerian arts community. His works have been exhibited in a number of galleries including Thinkspace (‘Ubuntu’, LA, 2021), Bomb Factory Art Foundation (‘Journey Mercies’, London, 2021), Retro Africa (‘A Different Perspective’, Abuja, 2022), and Bricklane Gallery (‘Contemporealism’, London, 2019). They have also been showcased at Scope Miami, 1-54 London, Prizm Art Fair, and ART X Lagos on several occasions. He has collaborated with many esteemed brands including Macmillan Publishers, Martell, and OPPO. A core focus for him is to inspire and encourage young creatives. He does this through public speaking and mentorship, as well as through his creative collaborations.

Nwadiogbu is currently pursuing his Masters in Painting at the Royal College of Art, London, where he was awarded the Logitech Scholarship Award. He enjoys expanding his perspective -and ours, rarely ever leaving anything to chance, but rather proceeding from a place of joy, and intentional care.

My work is grounded in a view and expression of self. This principle has been critical to my passion for drawing, which signaled the start of my journey as an artist. In the beginning, I found myself motivated by the ease at which I could ‘unload’ pressing ideas by simply wielding a pen, pencil, or charcoal to just about any surface. This ‘ease’ directed me to the field of civil engineering which honed my drawing style and perhaps, made me adept in the art of precise re-imagining - a prerequisite for hyperrealism which is the landing style for my artistry.

Through my work, I reflect upon personal experiences as well as enact what appears as a social commentary on the experience of others.

Beyond the themes these experiences provide is their influence on my mediums. These influences primarily cater to my curious nature and initially began with photography and videography. The picture serves as the mold out of which my drawing is established; my knowledge of this drove me to get involved in the process of capturing what would eventually become the subjects of my work.

While hyperrealism is my entry point, it serves only as a framework for the depth and immediacy of the vision that my process ultimately reveals. I aim to forge a meaningful dialogue with my audiences, drawing upon both personal experiences and an acute social consciousness to give voice to themes of identity, representation, migration and displacement, and socio-political crises. I deploy a stream-of-consciousness narrative style such that, amidst the broader image of the work I create, there is always a substantive portion that relays the true visage of the subject to the viewer. Their interaction with these works often edges them into their stream of consciousness, leading to the realization of an idea outside the precepts of my work but one that is familiar to the viewer.

My endless fascination with the human psyche and how we can interpret our varied experiences are at the core of my work as an artist. They are critical to what I consider to be the progression of my ideas and the methods I undertake to realize them.