Look At My Hair, This is Who I Am, 2023

Olaosun Oluwapelumi  

Olaosun Oluwapelumi was born and raised in Osun State, Nigeria, and currently lives in Ibadan. She holds a bachelor's degree in Geography and Planning Sciences from Adekunle Ajasin University. Her passion for art has always been with her, and she continues to refine her practice through each of her creations.

Olaosun draws inspiration from her personal experiences and everything that touches her emotions. She is particularly interested in topics related to mental health, gender inequality, social issues, and African history, among other issues relevant to Black people. Through her art, Olaosun seeks to connect with the viewer, allowing them to feel the intensity of the story she tells.

A passionate artist, she hopes to contribute to positive change in the world through her art. Her preferred mediums are acrylic and oil on canvas. She dedicates several days to each piece so that it fully expresses her emotions and creates a connection with the viewer.

Olaosun's works have been exhibited both locally and internationally, in galleries and art fairs. She continues to create works that evoke emotions and convey a desire for positive change. Her work reflects her commitment to her artistic practice and her desire to make a difference in the world.

Artistic statement

My practice explores the emotional weight of human experience within societally defined expectations, with particular attention to vulnerability, identity, and psychological tensions in African contexts.

I am interested in how emotions are often repressed, particularly within gendered and cultural structures that demand strength while rejecting gentleness. Through figurative painting, I depict bodies that visibly carry this tension, where inner experiences take on an outward form. The figure often becomes a surface of conflict, where silence, pressure, and memory intersect.

At the heart of my work lies a study of emotional visibility. I am interested in what it means to feel deeply in a world that often demands restraint, and in how painting can become a space where these emotions are acknowledged, welcomed, and made visible.