Dennis Osadebe
The future of Nigeria reimagined
“Radical innovation stems from building from the past and not clinging on to it.”
One question is at the heart of Dennis Osadebe’s art – “what will Nigeria’s future look like?” His graphic and colourful portraits show masked figures going about their daily tasks. The settings are familiar, but things are quietly odd. One person rides a broken motorbike in their living room. Another stands with a horse in a library, totally nonchalant. The masks themselves are inspired by the expressive features of traditional Nigerian designs. To create his scenes, Osadebe sketches his designs directly onto the computer, partly inspired by cartoons he loved as a kid. Next, he prints the ima...
One question is at the heart of Dennis Osadebe’s art – “what will Nigeria’s future look like?” His graphic and colourful portraits show masked figures going about their daily tasks. The settings are familiar, but things are quietly odd. One person rides a broken motorbike in their living room. Another stands with a horse in a library, totally nonchalant. The masks themselves are inspired by the expressive features of traditional Nigerian designs. To create his scenes, Osadebe sketches his designs directly onto the computer, partly inspired by cartoons he loved as a kid. Next, he prints the images onto paper and adds acrylic paint over the top. The artist mixes digital and analogue techniques on purpose – as a symbol of our times.
Osadebe melds the past and future into the present day. His masks are a perfect example of this. Traditional Nigerian masks have been used for centuries to enter new spiritual realms. They symbolise Osadebe’s West African heritage, but he also sees them as VR headsets – a symbol of technology which has brought 'sci-fi futures' rapidly into the present. As Osadebe points out: “is it not fair to say that the future has always been here, in West Africa?”
Dennis Osadebe (he/him) was born in Lagos, Nigeria in 1991, where he continues to live and work.
Dennis Osadebe didn’t go to art school. While studying for an undergrad in Business Management, he got his first MacBook Pro, introducing him to digital art and design techniques that he still uses today.
Nigeria’s Anambra State, where Osadebe originates from, is known for its festivals and masquerades. The costumes, masks and dancing involved in the celebrations have intrigued him since childhood.
