Nengi Omuku
Nengi Omuku is a painter based in Lagos, Nigeria, and attended the Slade School of Art receiving both her BA (2010) and MA (2012) there. Her work oscillates between figuration and abstraction, where she paints the body with a distinct lack of physical features and an emphasis on mark making as part of a deep investigation into interiority and psychological space. Omuku only paints those she is closest to, however her featureless figures resist singularity to reflect the collective experience of contemporary political and social events. For instance, much of her figurative work produced during 2020-2022 was part of dealing with the personal and collective trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria and sparked Omuku’s inquiry into the urgent need for rest and respite. Omuku is also a trained horticulturist and landscape serves an important role in her work that allows for the positioning of individuals within tranquil and harmonious environments. At the same time, Omuku finds the act of painting flowers and plants therapeutic.
