Okunade Olamilekan is a Nigerian painter born in Lagos in 1988 and now based in Oyo State. He paints mainly in acrylic using a distinctive 'pixel' technique: figures and faces are broken into small blocks and grids of bold colour, so the work sits between abstraction and realism. His subjects are mostly Black women, presented with dignity, strength and grace. Many titles are in Yoruba, such as Abiyamo, Ero Oja and Aaro La Wa, and refer to motherhood, marriage, the market and everyday life. His debut solo exhibition, 'Bloom & Essence', curated by Paul Ayihawu, was held at the British Council in Lagos under its Creative Showcase Programme. It included a two-part work, 'The One Who Paints Her Future', that uses mirrors. He has also shown with Orb Art Gallery and Collectibles (2025) and Constance and Sons (2026), and sells through international platforms including Artsper, Saatchi Art, Artmajeur and TurningArt. He mentors young artists at a residential atelier and is an active member of Global Arts in Medicine.
School or movement: Contemporary Nigerian figurative painting.
Influenced by Yoruba culture and language.
Influenced emerging artists he mentors at a residential atelier.
