Biography

Babajide Olatunji was born in 1989 in Okitipupa, Nigeria, and currently works as an artist in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Originally trained as a botanist, he his a self-taught artist who spent considerable personal time researching art historical movements and modes of production. Recent projects draw from extensive research into age-old cultural practices of his indigenous Yoruba culture resulting in the critically well received series of drawings and paintings - Tribal Marks Series I, II and III. Newer projects have included the monumental paintings of "The History of the Yorubas" and intimate drawings of cryptic Yoruba messages called "Aroko". With numerous exhibitions in Lagos and London, and art fair participation in a number of cities globally (New York, Basel and Cape Town included), his paintings have been acquired by several private collections in Switzerland, US, UK, Nigeria and Turkey, and the Mott-Warsh Collection in Flint, Michigan. In 2017, Olatunji was selected for inclusion in the curated element of the Royal AcademySummer Show in London, UK.