Nomads

Kolade Adekunle Oshinowo is a well-respected contemporary Nigerian painter and teacher born in Ibadan in 1948. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1972, majoring in painting. He was a teacher at King’s College, Lagos (1972-74). In 1973, he started lecturing part-time at the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Lagos, at the persuasion of Yusuf Grillo who assigned him to take a weekly class on pictorial composition. Eventually he joined the institution full time in 1974 and would spend the next 35 years there in service, teaching and inspiring generations of talent to become great artists. From 1990, he was the chief lecturer and director, School of Art, Design & Printing, YABATECH. Oshinowo is very passionate about his profession as an artist and believes in the unique role of art for a better society. He would instill these ideals and values upon his students making them see their profession beyond illustrations, drawing, painting and sculpting. As a prolific painter he loves exploring themes on urban life, events/activities in his surroundings and everyday life in the larger society. He also seeks to address different social and political issues in the society in his works. In 2018, Oshinowo was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) for immense contribution to the practice and teaching of visual art in Nigeria and his service to the nation.

Nomads portrays a herd of men and women walking through what looks like a desert with a few surrounding trees. They can be noticed carrying their luggage on their heads as they all head east on the painting. Oshinowo is probably trying to express the nomadic lifestyle common among the Fulanis of northern Nigeria who are known for their constant migration and nomadic nature in general. The choice of colours is dull, yet warm while texture feels rough with gentle brush strokes. Migration is the central theme expressed in the painting.