Twins Seven-Seven was one of the star artists of the Oshogbo School and among the most internationally exhibited Nigerian artists of his generation. His professional name came from being the only survivor of seven sets of twins born to his mother. Before turning to art he worked as an itinerant singer and dancer. In 1964 he joined the Mbari Mbayo workshops in Osogbo run by Ulli and Georgina Beier, where he received basic materials and encouragement rather than formal training. He developed a dense, highly patterned style filled with spirits, ghosts, hybrid creatures and Yoruba deities, often drawn from Yoruba folklore and the novels of Amos Tutuola, whose books he illustrated. His works are typically ink, oil and pen on board, often on cut, layered plywood panels, and later included beadwork and mixed media. He also performed and recorded music, releasing the album 'Slang in Trance' (1986). He taught in the US in the early 1970s, was named a UNESCO Artist for Peace in 2005, and held Ibadan chieftaincy titles. His work appears in many international private and museum collections; in the market it is mid-priced, with strong large boards from the 1960s-70s the most sought after.
School or movement: Oshogbo School (Mbari Mbayo).
Influenced by Yoruba mythology and folklore, Amos Tutuola's novels, Ulli Beier, Georgina Beier.
Influenced later Oshogbo School artists.
