MEET
Azeez Afeez
Azeez Afeez (b. early 1990s, Lagos, Nigeria) is a contemporary Nigerian artist celebrated for his expressive, figurative paintings that merge texture, symbolism, and social commentary. His signature style features human figures built from fragmented, interwoven lines, layered over richly textured backgrounds that evoke crumbling urban walls and the rhythms of city life.
Raised in the vibrant city of Lagos, Afeez draws inspiration from its multicultural energy and the nuances of everyday human interaction. His paintings explore themes of coexistence, identity, and resilience, using dynamic surfaces and visual fragmentation to mirror the complexity of urban living.
Afeez works primarily with acrylic, oil, gesso, and resist techniques, building tactile surfaces that give his portraits emotional weight and sculptural depth. His use of skin patterns, broken lines, and visual layering not only defines individuality but also encodes cultural memory into the canvas.
He studied Painting Technology at the Polytechnic of Ibadan, where he began developing the distinctive techniques that now define his practice. Since then, Afeez has exhibited in both Nigeria and the United States, gaining recognition for his innovative visual language and technical mastery.
Today, Azeez Afeez is regarded as one of the rising figures in African contemporary art, with his works housed in private collections globally. Through a blend of abstraction and figuration, he continues to craft stories that reflect the energy, beauty, and complexity of African urban experience.
