Nigerian artist Collins Obijiaku mixes charcoal with oil paint to create evocative, psychologically compelling portraits. His subjects gaze out at the viewer, creating a direct connection between observer and observed. In many of his works, topographical lines cover the skin of his figures, suggesting a deep focus on understating the individual nature of his chosen subjects. Flat passages of color or pattern often surround these areas of carefully modeled skin, further highlighting the personality of the sitter, seen here in Saidu. Obijiaku has exhibited internationally, including New York, London, Lagos, and Accra. He was an artist-in-residence at Black Rock Senegal, a multidisciplinary residency program founded in 2019 by Kehinde Wiley in Dakar, Senegal.
