Wednesday, 29 January 2025

Thought Pyramid announces 20 finalists for 'Next of Kin', lists 6 criteria

Àbárá Mèjí (oil and acrylic on canvas, 30 x 40 inches, dated 2024) by Zainab Ajala Oluwadamilola. PIC: c/o Thought Pyramid Art Centre.

THE 20 finalists of Next of Kin (NOK) S7 art competition must get the attention of the jury, in quite a number of criteria to win. While announcing the 20 finalists, the organisers of NOK S7, Thought Pyramid Art Centre, Lagos, listed six criteria, accompanied with scores.

 In its seventh edition themed Who Will Give Us A Masterpiece?, NOK 2025, which holds the grand finale on Sunday March 30, 2025, at Thought Pyramid Art Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos has Subject Matter and Content among the criteria. The first criteria on the list of six comes with 2 marks, as it looks at how the artwork communicates the theme or message. 

Other criteria include 5 marks for Creativity and originality in the uniqueness and inventiveness of the work: 2 marks for Composition and Presentation, in the arrangement and overall presentation of the piece; 4 marks for Use of Material Mastery, with Skillful handling and expertise in the chosen medium; 4 marks for Aesthetics Perception, in the overall visual appeal and the ability to evoke emotions or responses in the viewer; and 3 marks for Professionalism and Preparedness, in artist's demonstration of professionalism by adhering to the application guidelines and deadlines of the event.

List of the 20 finalists in no particular order:

1. Abi Aba Linus (b.1997 Benue) is an artist and art explorer, he obtained a bachelor's degree in fine art from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, and a certificate of competence in painting and decoration from Federal Technical College Otukpo, Benue state. 

2. Abiodun, Emmanuel Olaniyi is a textile artist and researcher with a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Fine Arts in Textile from Obafemi Awolowo University. A member of the Textile Researchers Association of Nigeria (TRAN), he has won prestigious awards, including Best Textile and Fashion at the 2022 Life in My City Arts Festival.

3. Adetokun Opeyemi Johnson is a Lagos-based expressionist painter born on March 23, 2000, in Eruwa town, Oyo State. Opeyemi's artistic journey began in secondary school, leading him to pursue formal training at Ipara Polytechnic, Eruwa, where he earned an OND, and later at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, where he obtained an HND in Painting. 

4. Ajala Zainab Oluwadamilola is a talented artist from Lagos State, Nigeria, but based in Minna, Niger State. Her journey in the world of art began at an early age, nurtured by her late father, who recognized her drawing abilities. Her artistic style is a unique fusion of abstraction and realism, capturing both the real and unreal aspects of daily human activities.

5. Anyaneto Chinenye Linda is based in Lagos, Nigeria, born on July 19, 1997, in Obosi, Anambra State. She holds a National Diploma in Fine and Applied Art, specializing in painting, from the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu. Chinenye's artwork captures the essence of African beauty, focusing on intricate hairstyles and vibrant cultural expressions.

6. Chinedu Christopher, born on 25th November 1996 in Nsukka, Enugu state, but grew up in Lagos where he lives and practices. He studied art at Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ebonyi state, majoring in sculpture and earning his Bachelor's Degree in 2023. Chinedu is a mixed-media artist and sculptor. His works are characterized by human and flower composition. 

7. Cletus Oche, born in Abuja, is a multidisciplinary artist whose journey in art has been one filled with experimentation, doubts and learning. Even with having a formal educational background in science, the practice of art is deeply rooted in Cletus Oche's life and its principles are intricately intertwined in his practice.

8. David Obebiate Azibodi (b.1996) is a Nigerian visual artist with sole focus to portray her view point of life and nature through emotion and colour. Her medium of choice is oil but she also explores acrylic paint, pastels and other mixed media. She is a graduate of painting from the University of portharcourt.

9. Ibrahim Falilat is a young Nigerian female sculptor, born and based in Lagos. She has a B. A in Visual Arts (in view) from the University of Lagos.

Falilat’s practice is heavily influenced by her Father who makes exquisite Furniture. She has experimented and mastered a wide range of materials which include fiberglass, metals, clay, fabric, and concrete. 

10. Macaulay Barnabas Osagie is a captivating Nigerian artist who dances between the meticulous lines of realism and the boundless realm of surrealism. Armed with acrylics and a bold mix of media, Macaulay Barnabas conjures visions that reflect the very essence of human experience, drawing deep inspiration from the rich tapestry of African history and tradition.

11. Mitchelle James, also known as MitchyJ, stands as a testament to the transformative power of art and the resilience of individual passion in the face of challenges. Mitchelle emerged as a Visual Artist and a thinker with a distinct voice, driven by a deep commitment to fostering positive change in his community and beyond.

12. Nothando Chiwanga was born in Harare, Zimbabwe in 1997, and lives and works in Harare , Zimbabwe . She studied at the National Gallery School of Visual Arts and Design and is currently an artist in residence at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe .She has participated in various workshops like Realism by John Kotze, Art ethics by Julius Mushambadope and Performance Art by Sithembile Msezane.

13. Ogunleke Festus Abiodun is a visionary painter driven by an insatiable fascination with the complexities of human experience. Through vibrant, emotive brushstrokes and intricate details, I capture the essence of humanity, revealing the depths of emotion, thought, and connection that defines us.

14. Oguvre Solomon Ogheneothuke, born in 1994, is a passionate artist whose journey began with an early fascination for art during his formative years. Inspired by his primary school classmates' comic drawings, he initially explored his artistic inclinations by emulating their work. Recognizing his talent, his mother encouraged him by enrolling him as an apprentice in a local art studio after his first school leaving certificate in 2006. 

15. Okeke Maduabuchi Precious, born in Benin City, Edo State, belongs to the Igbo tribe and originates from Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Trained formally in the art of painting at Auchi Polytechnic in 2018, he is not only a freelance model but also a dedicated conceptual minimalist.


16. Okeuhie Solomon Chukwuemeka, (b. 1996) in Lagos, Nigeria, he is a graduate with a degree in Polymer & Textile Engineering. Entirely self-taught artist, his career started after embracing art at quite a tender age. Living and working in Nigeria, Solomon realized his intense passion for hyperrealism in 2014 but decided to be unorthodox with his works. His approach to portraiture uses a high contrast, the vibrant colour palette that accentuates the subjects, transforming them into ethereal figures. 


17. Olasunkanmi Oyelusi uses varying degrees of figuration in his work to explore the potential of painterly abstraction and how this abstraction can deepenand extend his narrative. He conveys his messages using words and markings that are uniquely his own.

18. Olatunde Emmanuel is a native of Oyo State, Nigeria. He currently lives in Lagos as a full-time artist, although he had his primary and secondary education in Ibadan before moving further to study painting as a major in Yaba College of Technology, where he graduated with distinction in 2024. He is a multidisciplinary artist who has mastered the use of oil paint, acrylic and charcoal pencil. In this light, he now uses oxidized clay as his major medium of painting, Olatunde Emmanuel uses clay to create realistic human figures on canvas.

19. Uhule Nguemo Martha hails from Benue State, and attended both Primary and Secondary School in Makurdi Benue State.

She got admitted into the Federal University of Lafia Nasarawa State in B. A Visual and Creative Arts. She had her Six Months of Industrial Training ( I T ) under the supervision of a famous studio-based artist Akinola Ebenezer Samuel in Ibadan Oyo State. She returned to the Federal University of Lafia where she rounded up her Studies.

20. Yakubu Oluwaseun Kareem, born in 1996, hails from Edo state, grew up in lagos Nigeria where he had his primary and secondary school education. later went to Auchi Polytechnic ,Auchi Edo state where I had my National Diploma in General Arts. Yakubu Kareem's works revolve around using materialism in an expressionistic manner creating something abstract. 

No comments:

Post a Comment