Odutola is among Forbes’ best young artists of 2012

Forbes’ 30 under 30, a list of selected creative young people around the world for 2012, which was released this week has included Nigerian-born portraitist Toyin Odutola, 27.

Odutola creates portraits using marker and ballpoint pen, and rendering mostly silhouette forms, giving her work a unique identity.

One of Toyin Odutola's works

Odutola grew up in Alabama, U.S. where she got her BA from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Recently finished her MFA in painting and drawing at the California College of the Arts, San Francisco, Odutola’s solo exhibitions include Toyin Odutola: (MAPS), Jack Shainman Gallery, New York (2011); Toyin Odutola: A Colonized Mind, University Center Gallery, University of Alabama in Huntsville (2008).  

Toyin Odutola

She had also featured in group exhibitions such as Geoffrey Chadsey, Toyin Odutola and the Artifacts from Nagaland, Jack Shainman Gallery, New York (2011) Frontrunners: The San Francisco Foundation 2011 Murphy & Cadogan Fellowship Awards Exhibition, SOMArts Cultural Center, San Francisco; The Black Portrait, Rush Arts Gallery, New York (2011); Common Ground, Artlab33 Art Space, Miami (2010).

  Her work is currently featuring in The Progress of Love, a three venues collaborative project between the Menil Collection, Houston, U.S. Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos, Nigeria and the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts, St. Louis, U.S.