Ben Osawe Nigeria, 1931-2007

Benson G. Osawe (Ben Osawe) was a pioneering sculptor of Nigeria’s post-independence generation whose practice brought the woodcarving traditions of Benin, known for its ancient tradition of artistic production, into dialogue with the formal concerns of European modernism. Moving between figuration and abstraction, Osawe developed a distinctive sculptural language characterised by fluid contours, simplified forms, and an expressive treatment of the human figure. Working with a range of indigenous hardwoods, including ebony, camwood, apa, masonia, and iroko, he explored the natural properties of each material through carving techniques that emphasized its grain, texture, and contours.

Born in 1931 in Agbor, Delta State, Nigeria, Osawe was the son of a traditional carver who worked as a sculptor at the court of Oba Eweka II of Benin. The Kingdom of Benin developed a rich sculptural tradition over several centuries, with hereditary guilds of artists producing works for the royal court. Osawe was introduced to these traditions through his father, from whom he received his earliest training in woodcarving. He recalled modeling figures in mud along the banks of the Niger River as one of his earliest artistic experiences. Early in his career while at school in Benin, he concentrated on wood carving and clay, and he would come to incorporate wood, bronze, stone, and cement in his sculptures. In 1956, at the age of twenty-five, Osawe moved to London, where he studied at the School of Graphic Arts (1956–1959) and Camberwell School of Art (1960–1965), including a year of post-graduate work, specializing in sculpture. During this period, he began exhibiting internationally, with early presentations at the International Association Gallery, London (1962), and the Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh (1963). In 1965, he was selected to represent Nigeria at the Commonwealth Festival in Glasgow. His work was included in Contemporary African Art at the Commonwealth Institute, London (1968). In 1969 edition of African Arts, Juliet Highet wrote that Ben Osawe was "perhaps the most important contemporary artist Nigeria has produced."

Ben Osawe's sculptures were inspired by the social and cultural fabric of life around him. Osawe explained: "All my sculpture is concerned with human problems, people and their reactions. I like to see people in different situations. I go out a lot, particularly to night-clubs, where I study the types of personalities behind facial expressions. Often I wander around the markets, where a small incident will start me off." Osawe was interested in practices of Yoga and total meditation, which influenced the philosophical symbolism in his work. He cast many of his wood figures in bronze, which was historically reserved for the Kingdom of Benin's finest guild artisans.

Following his return to Nigeria in 1966, Osawe briefly taught at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, before the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil War forced him to relocate to Lagos, where he shared a studio with sculptor Felix Idubor. He held his first solo exhibition in Nigeria at the Goethe-Institut, Lagos (1969), and participated in the Second Indian Triennial, New Delhi (1971). In 1976, Osawe settled in Benin City, where he continued his artistic practice and taught at the University of Benin. He participated in the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC ’77), Lagos (1977). Osawe’s work was subsequently featured in The Short Century: Independence and Liberation Movements in Africa, 1945–1994, curated by Okwui Enwezor at P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center, New York (2002), and Nigerian Modernism: Art and Independence at Tate Modern, London (2025). Osawe’s work is represented in several public collections in Nigeria, including the National Gallery of Modern Art, Lagos; Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art, Lagos; Federal Ministry of Information, Cultural Division, Lagos; Yusuf Grillo Museum, Lagos; and University of Lagos Library Museum.