Samuel Olayombo [b. 1991] is a Nigerian artist who studied fine and applied arts at the University of Benin. A lover of texture, Olayombo works with oils, acrylics, charcoal and pastels to create vibrant, dramatic, large scale canvases of predominantly male, non gender-normative portraits. Using a palette knife to convey intricate, 3-dimensional skin textures, Olayombo pays homage to classic artists such as Vincent Van Gough and Arja Valimaki in his work. His fascination with ‘scarring’ prevalent in certain Yoruba cultures as well as toxic masculinity, macho male culture and constructs of sexuality, gender roles and gender equality are the key narratives Olayombo explores within his compositions.
Growing up with five sisters in a patriarchal society has influenced his work in his choice of colour tones preferring traditionally “female” colours, like rose and pastel pinks, to depict his seemingly “brute” masculine subjects like his Cowboy series: “I saw a lot of unfairness. For me, regardless of the gender, we are all equal and this is the major reason why I employ the colour pink into my paintings. I want to correct that notion that pink is feminine.” Samuel will be a Visiting Fellow for the 2022 year!