Anthony Azekwoh is a digital artist and author who lives and works in Lagos, Nigeria. A native of the bustling city, his paintings possess a stunning depth in their appearance, inviting viewers to unravel their stories. Anthony first took an interest in writing at 13, and art at 16, initially drawing with ink pens on paper before moving to Adobe Photoshop. Entirely self-taught, what his work lacks in technical skill, it certainly supplements with heart. His distinctive art style creates captivating mystical worlds where his characters are brought to life.
For the whole month of April, Anthony Azekwoh is showing his latest collection of paintings, titled “Becoming” at The Art Tech District in Abuja. He says this about the exhibition:
“The past year or so has been crazy for me and I had to make very difficult decisions, the hardest of all-facing up to my actual worth. I think it's very scary sometimes, the prospect of what we could achieve, of who we could become, if we actually did that strange wonderful thing, and believed. Now more than ever, I have found myself in a position where all my safety nets are gone, and I have no other option but to believe in myself, to believe that I can actually do the things I envision. If I don't, who will?
Becoming is all about the pressure that falls on your head when the chips are down and the only move you have is yours. It's about the tension in your muscles when you're pushing past boundaries you didn't even know were there. Becoming is the journey of the caterpillar to the butterfly, the child to the adult. It's the story of change and all it brings. It is the story of us all.”
Anthony’s artwork has been seen by millions around the world; his writing, by thousands. He was the recipient of the Awele Trust Prize in 2017 and the Loose Convo $1000 grant in 2018.
He has written five books, the third released through a publishing deal with an American publisher, Inkwell Publishing. He has also published a series with Nigerian literary magazine Brittle Paper.
He has worked with Show Dem Camp, Masego, Adekunle Gold, Blaqbonez and many more international clients. His artwork has been shown at exhibitions around Lagos and will be shown at more in the coming months. He has also been covered in publications like Yahoo Finance, Culture Custodian, Techpoint Africa, and Olongo Africa, etc. With 100% sold-out NFT collections, he has set up The Rosemary Fund, a grant that has supported over 10 Nigerian artists so far.