Artmiabo International Art Festival
Profile of Artist Olufunke Esekhalu Ojukwu
Profile:
Olufunke Esekhalu Ojukwu is an artist and a 2006 graduate of Yaba college of technology , Lagos, Nigeria. An origin of Uromi, Edo state was born in 1981 and raised in Lagos State, Nigeria.
She discovered her creative talents early in life, as a kid attending Baptist Primary School, Obanikoro, Lagos.
Despite the family discouragements from creating drawings and making art, she kept pushing on till she got the opportunity to be part of an art competition.
Encouraged by the art teacher, she went in for the competition sponsored by the Lions club while in secondary school (Nigerian Navy Secondary School, Ojo) and won the 2nd position, 2000.
Winning the competition created an opportunity to apply into The Yaba Tech Art school in Lagos State, an experience that built and strengthened her creative Skills. She completed her HND with upper credits in Painting.
Olufunke went ahead for her National Youth Service Corp in jalingo, Taraba state and was a teacher at the college of education, Jalingo, Ardo kola local Government. A position that saw her teach Art to grown ups with little or no knowledge of Art and it was indeed a milestone.
This was very endearing for the students and it created a strong bond between Olufunke and the students in the community where she taught and that relationship has endured till this day.
Olufunke is inspired by everyday situations, emotions, sights and scenes, people, colors, shapes and forms of any kind that will give the nudge to create and make tangible and mostly beautiful thought provoking arts.
Over the years, she has been parts of many activities and exhibitions to mention few are;
- National museum Lagos 2006
-Female artists on rampage national art gallery Lagos 2007
-Life in my city, Nike Lake hotel, Enugu 2007
-Don Quixote in Nigeria, a competition sponsored by -Spanish embassy Abuja (3rd position)
-Life in my city, Enugu 2016
-One of the 12 participants in National art competition by Nigerian breweries and African art foundation, Lagos, 2016
-Art through ages, Allianz franchise Ghana, 2016
Convergence, Lagos 2021
-Timeless memories, freedom park, Lagos, 2021....
Aside from art exhibitions, she is one of a 3 female artists group called THE CREATIVES .
They are girl child advocates against the ills that mostly affects female gender through painting at shows and events.
Also a mentor with UR4AFRICA public art organisation for young people and been a part of many GIRL ART CHILD, painting murals to educate and pass crucial messages to the people at large.
We are looking forward to Olufunke's Artist interpretations of recycled objects to Art at the ARTMIABO INTERNATIONAL ART FESTIVAL, LAGOS NIGERIA, 2022
29TH APRIL - 1ST MAY 2022.
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