Kolade Oshinowo Nigeria, b. 1948
Kolade Adekunle Oshinowo is a renowned artist recognized for his expressive and emotive paintings, often centered around the landscape and the human form.
Rooted in a naturalistic style, his artwork examines the connection between individuals and their surroundings, whether in rural or congested urban spaces. Oshinowo also creates intimate portraits that capture the dignity and emotional complexity of his subjects. Oshinowo reflects on themes of uncertainty and transcendence, examining how humans spiritually connect amidst the awe of nature and their roles within the social fabric and collective existence of society.
Born in Ibadan, Nigeria in 1948, Kolade Oshinowo graduated from Ahmadu Bello University, Zara in 1972 with a specialisation in painting. His university years were shaped by the Nigerian Civil War and the influence of the Zaria Art Society, which had challenged the Western-centric approach to art education a decade earlier. Following his inaugural solo exhibition in 1973 at the Goethe Institute in Lagos, Oshinowo went on to host six solo exhibitions by the end of the 1970s and showcased his work internationally in USSR, Cuba, Romania, and India. In 1977, he exhibited at the Nigerian Exhibition of FESTAC 77. By 1984, Oshinowo was the subject of a traveling solo exhibition organised by the National Museum, which toured cities including Lagos, Benin, and Jos. To date, Oshinowo has held over twenty-five solo exhibitions. Oshinowo is the recipient of many awards, including the National Productivity Order of Merit Award of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Oshinowo dedicated his professional life to teaching, serving as a professor of art at Yaba College of Technology and later becoming the Head of the Department. Throughout his distinguished career, Oshinowo has been an academic and a mentor, playing a significant role in shaping the modern and contemporary Nigerian art scene for more than five decades.
Oshinowo has held over twenty-five solo exhibitions throughout his prolific career and has participated in numerous international exhibitions. His solo exhibition, My People, was held at the National Museums in Lagos, Benin and Jos in 1984-85. In 1990, the National Museum Lagos presented another solo exhibition, Cultural Treasures. In 2002, his solo exhibition, I Have a Dream, was held at Palazzo Comunale, in Cremona, Italy. His most recent solo exhibition was held at Mydrim Gallery, Lagos, in 2018. He has exhibited his work internationally in UK, United States, France, Italy, USSR, Cuba, Romania, and India.
Oshinowo has served as a member of several professional organizations and boards. He was a member of the Visual Arts Subcommittee of the Nigerian participation at FESTAC 77, and he was involved in mounting the inaugural exhibition of the national Arts Theatre, Lagos in 1977. He is a past president of the Society of Nigerian Artists, and he has served on the boards of the Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture, Yaba College of Technology Governing Council, Pendulum Centre for Culture and Community Economic Development and Visual Art Society of Nigeria (VASON). He also served as a consultant to National Gallery Art (NGA). Oshinowo is the recipient of many awards, including the National Productivity Order of Merit Award of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.