Oluwole Omofemi

Oluwole Omofemi (b. 1988, Ibadan, Nigeria) is a contemporary artist whose practice engages portraiture as a site for psychological inquiry, cultural memory, and the construction of identity. Working primarily in painting, he has developed a distinct visual language defined by flattened pictorial space, saturated color fields, and the recurring use of afro hair rendered in abstracted forms, an approach that has, since 2019, become central to his authorship and contribution to contemporary African portraiture.

Omofemi’s work operates within a continuum between personal narrative and broader art historical discourse. His paintings often reference and recontextualize canonical works, notably drawing from Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss in pieces such as Providence (2022) and more recent works developed for his forthcoming exhibition in Morocco (2026).

These engagements situate his practice within a global lineage while asserting a distinctly African perspective. He first established his presence with the solo exhibition Iriri (Experience) at Alexis Gallery, Lagos, in 2019. Since then, his exhibition history has expanded internationally, reflecting both conceptual continuity and geographic reach.

Notable presentations include Reverence Chapter 1: Jean-Michel Basquiat (London, 2025), a body of work in critical dialogue with Jean-Michel Basquiat; Rebirth I (Spain, 2025); and an upcoming exhibition in Morocco (2026). Across these projects, Omofemi sustains an anchor narrative centered on identity, presence, and cultural affirmation. His growing international recognition was further marked in 2022 when his work Mixed Feelings was featured on the cover of Hunger Magazine’s Freedom Issue, expanding his visibility within global visual culture. In the same year, Omofemi was commissioned by Tatler to produce a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II for her Platinum Jubilee—one of the final portraits created during her lifetime.

The work was subsequently exhibited at Sotheby’s, positioning his practice within a historic lineage of royal portraiture. In 2026, he extended this trajectory with a portrait of Prince William for Tatler’s June issue, reinforcing his engagement with portraiture at the intersection of tradition and contemporaneity. Rooted in Nigeria and increasingly active across international platforms, Omofemi’s work continues to bridge local narratives with global contexts.

His practice reflects a sustained commitment to redefining representation, contributing to the evolving discourse of contemporary African art within institutional and global frameworks.