Top 5 Female Artists Who Are Changing Art in Nigeria

Nigerian women are leading the way in the world of art, using different methods like painting, quilling, ink, digital arts, and mixed media to express their personal stories, cultural backgrounds, and big ideas about society. 

Their work is changing how we see art and challenges old ideas about how art should look and feel.

1. Oniosun Victoria: Refreshing Old Art Styles 

Oniosun Victoria is changing the old art style called impressionism by mixing old techniques with new ideas. She uses layers of bright colors and a technique called “broken color” to highlight light and texture in her paintings.

She mostly works with acrylics and oils, and her art connects with today’s audience by giving a new twist to traditional impressionist art.

2. Ayobola Kekere-Ekun: Art with Paper 

Ayobola Kekere-Ekun is known for her quilling work, which involves rolling paper to make complex designs. Her art talks about themes like gender roles, ancient myths, and personal memories. 

She studied Visual Arts in Lagos and is working on her PhD in Johannesburg. Her piece “The Conservatory” uses paper, fabric, and paint to show strength and delicacy through layered designs.

3. Tejumola Animashaun: Telling Stories with Ink 

Tejumola Animashaun from Lagos uses both traditional and digital ways to create portraits that show different personal identities. Her work with watercolor and ink brings out the textures that help tell stories about individuality and self-awareness.

 Her digital art piece “Omolere” encourages people to think about their own stories while keeping the art easy to relate to.

4. Joanna Macgregor: Exploring Thoughts with Ink 

Joanna Macgregor, also known as Adevie, uses ink to explore thoughts and emotions. Her work is influenced by dystopian books and philosophical ideas, using bold lines and fluid shapes to show the flow of thoughts. 

She often shares her art on Instagram, where she experiments with different forms and invites viewers to see her unique style.

5. Shaibu-Salami Ashiata: Freedom in Art 

Shaibu-Salami Ashiata from Kogi, who grew up in Ibadan, creates art about freedom and different perspectives. Her diverse background in writing, music, and travel shows in her art, which includes techniques like thick painting, collage, and transfers. 

Her painting “Living Green” uses different textures to talk about how everything is connected and changing, moving beyond traditional painting methods.