Robert Oniha, born on the 9th of July 1999, is an upcoming Nigerian artist who specialises in surreal and contemporary portraits, and figures done in charcoal and fabrics.After his secondary school education, he took a gap year to intern with...
Read MoreRobert Oniha, born on the 9th of July 1999, is an upcoming Nigerian artist who specialises in surreal and contemporary portraits, and figures done in charcoal and fabrics.
After his secondary school education, he took a gap year to intern with "Tender Arts ng", a charity art foundation, where he polished his art skills. During this time, he tutored younger children and took part in various charity projects affiliated with Tender Arts ng, and had his works exhibited at the2017 “Arts for Sustainable Development Goals” exhibition in the United Nations Information Centre, Lagos, Nigeria.
He uses charcoal, paint, pastel and various fabrics to create artworks that force the viewers to remember the beauty, significance, and complexities of Nigerian history and cultures like; hairstyles, dressing, art, etc. that seem to be dying out as a result of colonial influences. The after effects of these influences have made the average Nigerian blur the line between cultural imperialism and development. This causes Nigerians to think that certain aspects of our culture are primitive and inferior.
The message behind his works isn’t to induce hate for western cultures; since they do have their benefits, but to explore the possibility of both cultures peacefully existing side by side.
