Artist bio

Joseph Obanubi (b 1994)  is a visual artist born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria and resides in Illinois, USA. His multifaceted practice encompasses a vast array of disciplines, including graphic and visual design, art direction, and art education. Obanubi's practice is characterized by an interplay between digital and tactile experimentation, as he continually seeks to harmonize visual and spatial design.Obanubi’s practice has been recognized through grants and prizes from the British council, Mellon Foundation, CAP Prize, amongst others. He has a Bachelor and Master’s  of Art in Graphic design and Master’s  of Fine Art in New media from the University of Lagos, Nigeria  and University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign respectively.



Personal Statement

Obanubi’s practice is constructed out of three main ideologies: survival, interest, and exploration. My work explores the relationship between identity, fantasy, play, technologies, and globalization. He describes his  art making practice as a visual bricolage — a (re)construct of fragments found in everyday experiences taken from their original context into a new one. His creative ideology stems from concepts of delusion, black speculative art, african Futurism, and experimentation, as I am attracted to in-between states as opposed to directness. Research methods include physical and digital image making techniques, photographing, drawing, collaging, reading, traveling, observation, interview, experiments, documentary, and movies. 

Some primary texts he reviews are music (Afro Beat, Soul, Funk, Blues, Jazz, Funk, Experimental, Hip-Hop, Classical) live musical performance, film, social media, African oratory/storytelling, and Fictions.  Obanubi’s ongoing Research questions and statements revolve around strategies of constructing alternative ways of seeing and blurring the divide between what is present and what is absent.  He is concerned with materiality and what it communicates in his practice. He is constantly exploring and navigating  the roles of time and ephemeralness as it concerns (new) technologies in his work




Press / Publications / Features

https://loeildelaphotographie.com/en/cap-prize-contemporary-african-photography-dv/

https://www.artshelp.com/joseph-obanubis-futuristic-photographs/

https://www.capprize.com/landing/winners2021

https://loeildelaphotographie.com/en/joseph-obanubi-at-akaa-2020-dv/

https://www.see-zeen.com/joseph-obanubi

https://contemporaryand.com/exhibition/hilary-balu-and-joseph-obanubi/

https://www.lookingglasscollective.com/josephobanubi

https://reallifemag.com/speech-bubbles/

https://contemporaryand.com/magazines/joseph-obanubi-stephen-tayo-and-edozie-anedu-investigate-their-hometown-lagos/

https://www.1854.photography/2020/07/wateraid-10-years-of-clean-water/

https://hri.illinois.edu/news/second-cohort-interseminars-graduate-fellows-announced

https://www.happening.media/category/magazine/en/news/5de106101fd8990403888c50/in-marrakech-1-54-gets-a-makeover

https://www.museorigins.org/discover/techno-heads-by-joseph-obanubi

https://www.atelierboba.com/quelques-projets/joseph-obanubi

https://www.artandaboutafrica.com/artiststudio/nigeria/joseph-obanubi/

https://uaac-aauc.com/2020/b7.html

https://www.smilepolitely.com/splog/humanities-research-institute-announced-the-next-cohort-of-interseminars-fellows/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDMK-EoJsPG/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

https://www.instagram.com/p/CO-ncibC5Zq/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

https://universes.art/en/art-destinations/sharjah/art-events/vantage-point-sharjah-8/joseph-obanubi

http://sharjahart.org/sharjah-art-foundation/exhibitions/vantage-point-sharjah-8

https://www.1-54.com/marrakech/artists/obanubi-joseph/

http://www.magnin-a.com/cspdocs/exhibition/files/press_release_joseph_obanubi_hilary_balu.pdf

https://ko-artspace.com/artists/33-joseph-obanubi/

https://www.capprize.com/landing/shortlist2021

https://www.collectorseries.tv/collectorseries/1/18

https://photovoguefestival.vogue.it/visions-from-the-world/project/lagosphoto-festival?refresh_ce=

https://uaac-aauc.com/2020/b7.html

https://www.wateraid.org/ng/stories/tenxten

https://www.wateraid.org/ng/media/photographers-explore-10-years-of-the-human-right-to-water-and-sanitation

https://www.arthousefoundation-ng.com/artists

https://dtdf.de/portfolio/joseph-obanubi-2020/

https://diemotive.de/joseph-obanubi-nominated-for-merck-prize-2020/

https://www.montaguecontemporary.com/exhibitions/25-lagos-photo-21-osborne-macharia/overview/

https://www.unidivers.fr/event/exposition-joseph-obanubi-du-mardi-3-au-samedi-28-novembre-2020-espace-jeunes-anne-frank-2020-11-03/

https://www.capprize.com/landing/2019/5/15/cap-prize-2019-winners-announcement

https://thesoleadventurer.com/joseph-olabode-obanubi-emerges-winner-british-council-nigeria-big-pitch-competition/

https://www.diptykmag.com/3-jeunes-artistes-africains-a-suivre-absolument/

https://www.capprize.com/landing/shortlist2019

https://arthouse-ng.com/artists/obanubi-joseph

https://potd.pdnonline.com/2019/11/04/57589/

https://thenativemag.com/deeply-african-appeal-polartics/

https://www.omenkaonline.com/joseph-obanubi-on-afro-surrealism-and-metaphysics/

https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/art-design/2020/07/pictures-water-human-right

https://www.anousparis.fr/a-voir/akaa-la-foire-dart-contemporain-africain-a-paris-monte-en-puissance/

https://thesoleadventurer.com/andrew-esiebo-jodi-bieber-joseph-obanubi-and-22-others-shortlisted-for-2019-cap-prize/

https://www.montaguecontemporary.com/exhibitions/25-lagos-photo-21-osborne-macharia/overview/

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8qeskweb33AMk9wckZjVjF6R2oybWJjdTRCYllfSmowSXRJ/view

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8qeskweb33AMk9wckZjVjF6R2oybWJjdTRCYllfSmowSXRJ/view

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8qeskweb33AbEVtR0Nrak55cXlJZ0F0Y3lCemdDZnZ6cERV/view

https://akaafair.com/artistes?id=6519

https://akaafair.com/artistes?id=6519

https://www.blind-magazine.com/news/ten-great-reasons-to-attend-art-paris/

https://arthouse-ng.com/artists/obanubi-joseph/

https://www.1-54.com/london/artists/obanubi-joseph/

https://www.1-54.com/marrakech/artists/obanubi-joseph/

https://www.artnewspaper.fr/2020/12/07/joseph-obanubi-water-aid-iv-serie-techno-heads

https://www.onart.media/en/portraits/afro-futurism-joseph-obanubi-exhibits-in-issy-les-moulineaux-from-november-3rd-to-28th/

https://www.lofficielmaroc.ma/art/1-54-contemporary-african-art-fair-le-rendez-vous-artistique-a-ne-pas-manquer-a-marrakech

https://www.arthousefoundation-ng.com/artists

https://www.africanewsagency.fr/culture-african-contemporary-art-makes-its-breakthrough-into-international-market/?lang=en

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/11/lagosphoto21-a-kaleidoscope-of-memories/

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/aug/04/water-is-sacred-10-visual-artists-reflect-on-the-human-right-to-water

http://www.artcapitalghana.com/joseph-obanubi-another-afro-futurist/

https://www.1854.photography/2020/07/wateraid-10-years-of-clean-water/

https://www.pouvoirsafrique.com/2021/01/13/hilary-balu-et-joseph-obanubi-presentent-leurs-oeuvres-a-paris/

https://artxlagos.com/Joseph-Obanubi-Dusk-2018-arch-d

https://www.africandigitalart.com/nigerian-graphic-artist-joseph-obanubi-motion-experiments-with-hair/

https://twitter.com/artxlagos/status/1462402270713241603

https://www.theearthissue.com/news/2020/7/30/wateraid-commission-photographers-from-global-south-to-explore-10-years-of-the-right-to-clean-water

https://openagenda.com/espacejeunes-annefrank/events/exposition-joseph-obanubi-d-u-mardi-3-au-samedi-28-novembre-2020

https://lfi-online.de/ceemes/en/news/cap-2021_22-1007409.html

https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2021/11/14/engaging-offering-so-sizzling-in-their-freshness/

https://www.voice.com/josephobanubi

https://opensea.io/accounts/Josephobanubi

http://obatala.co.uk/blog/art/akaa-contemporary-african-art-and-design-fair-hits-its-stride-on-the-4th-attempt/

https://ynaija.com/ynaijanewestablishment-anne-adams-joseph-obanubi-adeoluwa-enioluwa-meet-the-2021-class-of-the-new-school/5/

https://www.zammagazine.com/arts/1382-shortlist-2021-contemporary-african-photography-prize-announced

Using Format