Page 95 - UZOMA EKPECHAM Art Collection Vol 1 Updated

Bob Nosa-Uwagboe Dennis Osakue

Bob' Nosa focus on social injustice, exposes problems plaguing the Nigerian society. His Born in 1968 to one of Edo state's most renowned artists, Alfred O. Osakue (also
works has often shocked some viewers. Without shying away from his subject matter, Bob known as The Human Camera), Dennis Osakue has been in love with art since he
dares to include provocative characters in the country's social sphere. Police officers (seen in was an eight-year-old watching his father paint hyper realistic portraits.Dennis
Police Brutality, 2018), government officials, businessmen and criminals, painted in Osakue worked in the advertising industry as an illustrator photographer and a
caricatured forms suggest barbaric behavior which in turn reflects on the inhumanity that video editor after graduating from school.
their actions embody. His Pan African approach forces him to protest outside of his borders. Using the pen and ink technique, Dennis has been drawing landscapes
The 2017 series The Victim of Human Merchandise highlights the inhumane trafficking of of cities and portraits of everyday people since the late 1990s. His work has
Africans in Libya. evolved over the years and right now, he's updated his technique to create
Group exhibitions include Beyond Figuration at Omenka Gallery, Lagos (2001), something a bit more modern, pop art. His large-scale paintings bears a
The Last Picture Show, Muson du Parti in Cameroon (2009) and Breaking News at Art photographic quality that underscores his power of imagination.
Twenty One in Lagos (2016). Bob's works have been featured in a number of Arthouse Pop art is a modern art movement which involves taking imagery from
Contemporary's Affordable and Modern and Contemporary art auctions. Art fairs include popular culture – in the case of Dennis' Pop art paintings he visually removes
Art Basel Miami (2015) and Beiruit Art Fair, Lebanon (2017). popular logos famous characters from its known context and combining it with
Bob showed solo for his Homme Libre exhibition at African Artist's Foundation, unrelated materials.
Lagos (2001) and Recent Works by Boo-Nose Uwagboe at the Pan-African University, Lagos While other pop artists lean a little towards the political and social
(2009). with their works Dennis creates for one simple reason: to spread happiness.
“I know most people create art for political reasons and while that is
important, it's not why I became an artist.
Love is blind I just want people to see my art and feel happy. I want people to see my
art, and regardless of what is going on with them at that moment, be overcome
26 x 29 inches, with joy.” Dennis Osakue
Acrylic on textured canvas,
2017 Hope Awakening

55 x 48
Mixed media,
2017

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