Dennis Osadebe
b. 1991, Nigeria
Dennis Osadebe (b. 1991 in Lagos, Nigeria), lives and works in Lagos. He earned a BSc in Business Management from Queen Mary University, London, and an MSc in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from the University of Warwick, Coventry, originally pursuing a career in business before embarking on his journey as a self-taught artist.
Dennis Osadebe is recognised for his post-pop style, which is centred around the idea of reimagining his heritage through positive, provocative, and progressive imagery and narratives. His practice utilises a personal iconography that explores ancestry, technology, and the possibilities of humanity. Osadebe juxtaposes elements of the past with the present, using his heredity as a starting point to instigate a dialogue between tradition and innovation. Loaded with provocative surrealist-like imagery, meaningful symbolism, and playful humour, Osadebe understands his artistic practice as an ongoing investigation of the perimeters between the traditional and the contemporary, placing his background in conversation with a future full of limitless possibilities.
Recent solo exhibitions have taken place at GR Gallery, New York, USA (2021); Museum of Contemporary African Diaspora Arts (MoCADA), New York, USA (2021); UNTITLED Art, Miami, USA (2020); Christopher Moller Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa (2020); Avenue Des Arts, Los Angeles, USA (2019) and Galerie Liusa Wang, Paris, France (2019). Osadebe is also credited for projects including THE RULES DO NOT APPLY for The National Gallery London, #StandFor in collaboration with Unique Board, and was part of the team awarded Life Enhancer Of The Year at the Wallpaper* Design Awards (2021).