Olamide Ogunade is an arresting contemporary portrait artist whose unique mixed-media works combine hyper-detailed pen and pencil drawing with bold acrylics and deep charcoal tones. His portraits are instantly recognisable—meticulously rendered, richly expressive, and emotionally charged. With a growing international following across Europe, the UAE, and the United States, Ogunade is widely considered one of the most exciting Nigerian artists of his generation.

A fine arts graduate and a self-confessed perfectionist, Ogunade has spent years mastering his craft. His works invite close inspection: beneath the surface of each layered canvas lies a harmony of realism and abstraction, African vibrancy and Western portraiture, tradition and modernity. His paintings do more than represent; they provoke reflection on identity, impermanence, and the human experience.

A signature motif in Ogunade’s work is the bubble—a recurring symbol of purity, fleeting joy, and the transience of time. Inspired by his childhood memories of blowing soap bubbles that would shimmer momentarily before vanishing, they serve as a visual metaphor for the impermanence of the present moment and the elusive nature of mindfulness.

Ogunade’s attention to detail—particularly in rendering skin tones with delicate precision—is both technical and philosophical. His subjects appear adorned in high-fashion details, often juxtaposed with comic-style elements or surreal embellishments that inject irony, wonder, and depth into his work.

Through his practice, Ogunade explores the tensions and triumphs of African identity, offering a visual dialogue on personal and societal transformation. His work is a celebration of resilience, complexity, and the ongoing human pursuit of meaning.