Olamilekan Abatan e il Neobarocco Africano

Olamilekan Abatan (Nigeria, 1997) è uno dei più raffinati maestri dell’iperrealismo africano. Le sue opere, realizzate con grafite e matita, uniscono la tradizione europea a motivi e simboli dell’identità africana, in particolare i tessuti wax. Fortemente influenzato dal Barocco e dal chiaroscuro caravaggesco, Abatan rilegge i grandi temi del passato in chiave contemporanea. Il suo stile ibrido riflette la complessità del mondo globalizzato, ponendo al centro il corpo, la memoria e la bellezza. Le sue creazioni raccontano storie che uniscono estetica e critica sociale. Con la sua arte, Abatan costruisce un ponte tra culture, epoche e visioni.

Olamilekan Abatan (Nigeria, 1997) is one of the most refi ned masters of African hyperrealism. His graphite and pencil works merge European artistic tradition with African identity symbols, particularly wax fabrics. Deeply influenced by Baroque art and Caravaggio’s chiaroscuro, Abatan reinterprets classical themes through a contemporary lens. His hybrid style refl ects the complexity of a globalized world, focusing on the body, memory, and beauty. His creations tell stories that blend aesthetics with social critique. Through his art, Abatan builds a bridge between cultures, eras, and perspectives.

Selected Exhibitions | 2024: Strategic Interplay: African Art and Imagery in Black and White, Toledo Museum of Art, USA / Linienspiel und Farbenrausch, Artcurial, Germany / Beyond the Surface, Black Liquid Art Gallery, Italy / From South Africa to South, LA Aaron Payne Fine Art, Santa Fe, USA. | 2023: Mimesis: Nigerian Hyperrealism, Black Liquid Art Gallery, Rome, Italy / L’art en guerre: Exposition Collective, Galerie Christophe Person, Paris, France. | 2022: Patterns, Black Box Gallery (Online Solo Exhibition). | 2021: Patterns, BLAACKBOX, Brussels, Belgium/ Tenacity, Terra Kulture, Lagos, Nigeria. | 2020: Re Mediation, The African Artist Foundation (AAF), Lagos, Nigeria. | 2019: The Making, Retro Africa Gallery, Abuja, Nigeria / RAD X Art Exhibition, Lagos, Nigeria. | 2018: Made in Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria.