Agbomma and Nwanyi-Sunday— Osinachi

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MakersPlace

3 min readAug 13, 2020

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Osinachi

Prince Jacon, better known as Osinachi, is a self-taught Nigerian digital painter and prominent leader in the African crypto art movement. He was born and brought up in Aba, a city in South-Eastern Nigeria referred to as the “Japan of Africa” for its industry and enterprise.

Osinachi has been a force to be reckoned with since the inception of the crypto-art movement and has successfully spearheaded the movement within the continent of Africa. In 2018, he became the first-ever Nigerian artist to showcase artworks at the Ethereal Summit, a conference in New York centered on bridging the gap between technology and art through blockchain. Since then, his work has gained the attention of art enthusiasts, institutions, and publications worldwide, including being named as a Bridgeman Studio Award 2019 shortlistee.

I am interested in depicting and reimagining how individuals and collectives engage in advocacy for freedom of identity by thwarting societal expectations. This could be through the things they wear, the paraphernalia they adorn themselves with, or simply by being and existing in a form (albeit harmless) that the society frowns upon.
— Osinachi

Osinachi’s artwork is personal in both its subject matter and delivery. Osinachi spent his childhood days selling wares with his mother across his city, exposing him to both the beauty and the brutality of what his city had to offer. He also spent his childhood experimenting with various mediums of art, eventually discovering a passion for visual arts in the digital form.

Today he is known across the world for his figurative portraits, which are often a reflection of his experiences as an Igbo person, his culture, and himself. His artwork is full of social, cultural, and political commentary, which is emphatically delivered in a package of vivid colors, bold expressionism, and intricate textures and patterns.

He produces his artworks using Microsoft Word, in which a seemingly basic and limited design palette is used to his advantage. An intentional simplicity expressed through distinct color blocking and strong shapes allows for the emotion and message of the artwork to act as an undeniable focal point.

Hair And Adornment in Igboland

My work has often revolved around personal experiences. I have often approached these from the lenses of sexual identity, gender identity, and their social and environmental impact. This new drop still follows the narrative of identity, but it does so by exploring hair as a tool.
— Osinachi

Osinachi’s latest artworks are a celebration of his Igbo roots. A culture that fully embraces self-adornment and beautification, the Igbo people are known for going over-the-top (in the best way possible) in terms of physical self-expression. This ambitious spirit plays out when Igbo women are making their hair.

Agbomma pays homage to the ancestral tradition of hair-making in Igboland, while at the same time acknowledging the complex impact of colonialism and modern society on this tradition. While Agbomma highlights the intimate process of hair making, Nwanyi Sunday reveals the finished product and shows an Igbo elder sporting her new hairstyle while decked out in her Sunday best.

Agbomma

A celebration of the art and cultural significance of the beautification and adornment of hair within the Igbo cultural tradition. The piece lets viewers experience the tender ritual of this tradition, highlighted by delicate movement and intricate textural details.