Okunade Olamilekan (b. 1988) is a contemporary Nigerian artist who specializes in painting. He is
a full-time practicing studio artist residing in Oyo state Nigeria. He was born in Lagos State
Nigeria.

He graduated in 2017 with a Btech (Hon. Fine and Applied Arts) from Ladoke Akintola
University, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria. His works are strongly influenced by and reflect the
cultural happenings and situations that affect the black community, laying more emphasis on
women and their places in society with the medium choice of acrylic paint on canvas.

He has his core source of inspiration from his immediate environment, gender physiognomy, and the ups and
downs of the struggle of society.
With numerous successful joint exhibitions and competitions under his belt, he emerged among the top 100 finalists for Life in My City (Limcaf) in 2019, he won 2nd runner-up at the Jesudahunsi art
competition, 2008, The Bells at Ota. In 2015, he won the award of the most creative student in
LAUTECH.

He exhibited at the international art fair Suzhou Expo in China, 2021, MoDhafest Art
in Healing Exhibition, USA, 2022, Yoruba ni mi Gallery, UK, 2022 and the art fair of Eco Bank in
conjunction with Soto Art Gallery 2024, Lagos.
Okunade Olamilekan is a seasoned professional artist whose works are extensively collected both
home and abroad.He has a residential atelier where he works and also trains young emerging artists
for internship. He is a member of Global Arts in Medicine and also a co-founder of Sip and Paint
Your Mental Health.

Artist Statement

The ideas, issues, and events arising from man’s quest to contain and contend with these forces form the subject of my paintings. Given this background, my paintings are subtle but much defined
with interlocking and wedges of color combined like a mosaic to produce a solid, architectural
structure, enhanced by the textured surface of the paint with women accorded with prominent
attention, focus, and more emphasis in my composition.