Printmaking is an art medium that encourages inclusivity and accessibility within the art world. Artists have always experimented with printmaking for the sake of creating fresh and exciting pieces. It is a long-standing practice in the art world as artists collaborate with printing presses to create original works that are frequently on paper and produced in limited quantities.
In the democratization of the art world, the medium remains notable for its ability to level the seemingly impenetrable price points of the contemporary art market. The print market provides a solution as prints are often more affordable than an artist’s original work. This affordability creates an opportunity for more collectors, especially new ones, to not only engage with an artist’s work but to support the artist by purchasing one of their pieces.
Prints have been misnamed replicas. This is not so as prints are distinct works independent from the artist’s other works. Prints are made usually with a plate and then transferred to paper using ink. They can be reproduced as many times as the edition demands.
Inspired by a recently held exhibition of “Young Contemporary Printmakers” with Fresco at 16/16 Lagos, we at Omenai decided to spotlight 5 young Nigerian printmakers.
Introducing the artists, Ima Ekpo, the curator at Fresco says, “Printmaking has a rich history in Nigeria. We have masters like Sir Bruce Onabrakpeya, who continues to inspire and educate the next generation through his work and workshops. We boast of artists like Victor Ehikemeanor, who continue to expand the practice, along with the five artists featured in this exhibit experimenting with many techniques, including linocut, screenprint, drypoint, and additive plastography.”
Wanger Ayu (b. 1986) is a self-taught materials experiment artist & a fashion designer exploring identity and the tensions between past and present. Her artistic mediums of expression combine the exploration of the Tiv a’nger fabric with painting, printmaking, transfer, and collage. Magdalena Abakanowicz, Collin Sekajugo, Abass Kelani, and Billie Zangewa are some of her influences. Wanger currently lives and works in Lagos, Nigeria where she is inspired by the spirit of the city and a deeply curious mind. Her work has been featured in art exhibitions in Lagos, Abidjan, Abuja, and London. Her works are in private collections within Nigeria and internationally.
Courtesy of Fresco.
Yadichinma Ukoha-Kalu (1995) is a Lagos-based experimental multi-media artist and illustrator. Her work examines line, shape, space, and boundaries, which she communicates through a variety of media including painting, drawing, sculpture, video, and technology. Yadichinma often creates multi-dimensional environments that interact with abstract elements, textures, and materials. Her fascination with the creative process allows her to approach life and her surroundings with a childlike sense of wonder and curiosity. Yadichinma’s passion for materials motivates her to learn more about and comprehend the objects around her since she feels that each object has its own world and system.
Courtesy of Fresco.
Nneka Chima (b. 1986) uses linocut printmaking as a visual language and tool for storytelling. Nneka found this medium while attending Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Nigeria, and she has since mastered the intricate technique, as seen in her stylistic consistency and attention to detail. Her paintings combine realism, surrealism, and abstraction to elicit nostalgic longing and recollections, which are frequently depicted through twisted characters, strong patterns, floral landscapes, and vibrant colors.
Courtesy of Fresco.
Nkem Okwechime (b.1996) was born in South London and raised in Scotland. His influence extends beyond his studio, as he imparts knowledge through workshops held at the Dundee Contemporary Arts Gallery and the Glasgow Print Studio. Drawing inspiration from a mix of expressions, from the avant-garde strokes of the DADA Movement to the profound influence of his grandfather and Ibo lineage, Nkem’s “Ikenga” series is a personal story of contrasts. Here, the horned Igbo deity, Ikenga, symbolizing masculinity, accomplishment, and authority, dons a black puffer jacket, an emblem of everyday life in the UK. Okwechime employs a unique screen-printing style, experimenting with surfaces such as ceramics and fabrics.
Courtesy of Fresco.
Tosin Oyeniyi is an archivist and self-taught printmaker from Ogbomoso, Oyo State. He works with a similitude of an even blend of naturalism and post-expressionism as he colorfully and ingeniously shares the rich and vast African beauty, stories, sceneries, and cultures with the rest of the world through his linocut prints.
Courtesy of Fresco.
Iyanuoluwa Adenle is a Nigerian art writer, essayist, and poet based in Lagos. She is currently the head writer at Omenai. Adenle has contributed to a number of art publications, including Tender Photo, Art News Africa, Pavillon 54, and Omenai.
