KINGSLEY OGWARA
Painter and sculptor | Nigeria / Luxembourg
Ogwara is a master orchestrator of colours and forms, who intuitively expresses the common denominating feeling that is shared, the harmony that can be found and connects us all. His layered, rich textures give away the sculptor within him, adding distinct 3-D effect to his canvasses.
My mostly abstract sculptures and paintings are about human transformation and connection, about the freedom and harmony to be found in the masses."
PORTRAIT
Kingsley Ogwara (1975) studied his bachelors in Fine and Applied Arts at Delta State University in Abrake, Nigeria and resides and works from Luxembourg, where he is a well recognised painter and sculptor. His paintings and sculptures in clay, stone, wood or metal consist of organic concave and convex forms, mostly (semi-)abstract and are inspired by African or European images and symbols.They center about human transformation and connection, about the freedom and harmony that can be found in the masses. As such they rather express a state of mind than an extensive narrative.
Ogwara: “In our globalized world with its many issues, we each struggle individually to live our lives in a meaningful way. When we grow up, we build up our defenses, often based on fear and distrust, resulting from the inevitable hardships that life brings sometimes. However, life also brings unexpected compassion and new windows, and each hardship brings new insights, makes us reflect and grow. We all need to mature, overcome fear and distrust and open up our defenses to connect to each other, dare to be vulnerable to give and receive love. My works are about this transformation and interconnectedness”
His paintwork with knives in oil and acrylic on canvas are characterized by pointilistic abstract orchestrations of colors and rich textures, which seem to take on the form of masses of people. Ogwara typically hides his initial images behind these thick pointilistic pastiche layers, which creates a lot of depth and suggestion. In his latest Icon-series, he experiments with adding some figurative element by allowing the initial portraits to shine through.
Ogwara has participated in many group- and solo exhibitions, amongst others in Luxemburg, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany and Austria. He was awarded amongst others the prestigious bi-annual Prix Pierre Werner for his paintings as best artist in Luxembourg in 2016. At the Luxembourg Art Week 2019, he was nominated again with his sculptures for the Grand-Duc Adolphe award and in 2022 again for the Prix Pierre Werner, which granted him the titular membership of CAL as the first African member in its history. Most recently, he showed for 6 months at the blockbuster exhibition “Gospel” at the historical Catharijne Convent museum in Utrecht (Netherlands). His paintings are included in collections all over the world.
Kingsley Ogwara (1975) studied his bachelors in Fine and Applied Arts at Delta State University in Abrake, Nigeria and resides and works from Luxembourg, where he is a well recognised painter and sculptor. His paintings as well as his sculptures in clay, stone, wood or metal consist of organic concave and convex forms, mostly (semi-)abstract and are inspired by African or European images and symbols.They center about human transformation and connection, about the freedom and harmony that can be found in the masses. As such they rather express a state of mind than an extensive narrative.
Harmonious masses are a repeating theme in Ogwara's paintings, born from his struggle for many years to find acceptance as an immigrant and black artist in a fairly closed white Western society. A search for a new belonging that was never fully satisfied, being caught between two quite different cultural identities. Unlike many, for Ogwara, masses of people are not a threat to the individual, but rather a warm blanket of belonging, of communal celebration, of individual freedom to be connected and accepted as you are.
Ogwara: “In our globalized world with its many issues, we each struggle individually to live our lives in a meaningful way. When we grow up, we build up our defenses, often based on fear and distrust, resulting from the inevitable hardships that life brings sometimes. However, life also brings unexpected compassion and new windows, and each hardship brings new insights, makes us reflect and grow. We all need to mature, overcome fear and distrust and open up our defenses to connect to each other, dare to be vulnerable to give and receive love. My works are about this transformation and interconnectedness”
Ogwara's paintwork with knives in oil and acrylic on canvas are characterized by pointilistic abstract orchestrations of colors and rich textures, which seem to take on the form of masses of people. Ogwara typically hides his initial images behind these thick pointilistic pastiche layers, which creates a lot of depth and suggestion. In his latest Icon-series, he experiments with adding some figurative element by allowing the initial portraits to shine through.
Ogwara has participated in many group- and solo exhibitions, amongst others in Luxemburg, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany and Austria. He was awarded amongst others the prestigious bi-annual Prix Pierre Werner for his paintings as best artist in Luxembourg in 2016. At the Luxembourg Art Week 2019, he was nominated again with his sculptures for the Grand-Duc Adolphe award and in 2022 again for the Prix Pierre Werner, which granted him the titular membership of CAL as the first African member in its history. Last year, he showed for 6 months at the blockbuster exhibition “Gospel” at the historical CatharijneConvent museum in Utrecht (Netherlands). His paintings are included in collections all over the world.
WORKS
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CREDENTIALS
2023
- Healing, Hôpitaux Robert Schuman, Luxembourg
2021
- Coming Out, OpenArtExchange, Schiedam, Netherlands
2020
- Inside, OpenArtExchange, Schiedam, Netherlands
2019
- Quantum strokes, Gallery Denzelt, Echternach/Luxembourg
2018
- Inner wisdom, Sofitel Europe, Kirchberg, Luxembourg
- Color and Forms, Galery Netzwerk, Trier, Germany
2017
- Investigation of colours, Galery Schlassgoart, Esch-zur-Alzette, Luxembourg
2016
- Gallery L’Impression, Dinant, Belgium
2010
- Gallery Armand, Gaasch, Luxembourg
- Gallery Spiren, Strassen, Luxembourg
- Gallery Maggy Stein, Bettembourg, LuxembourgLuxembourg
2023
- DAF Cologne, international art fair via OpenArtExchange, Cologne, Germany
- Farben diebe, Valentiny Foundation, Remerschen, Luxembourg
2022
- Salon de CAL 2022, Luxembourg Art Week, Luxembourg
- DAF Frankfurt, international art fair via OpenArtExchange, Frankfurt, Germany
- Art The Hague via OpenArtExchange, The Hague, Netherlands
- Gospel, Museum Catharijneconvent, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Africa Now II, OpenArtExchange, Schiedam, Netherlands
- DAF Cologne, international art fair via OpenArtExchange, Cologne, Germany
- Lux-Auction/MSF, Luxembourg
- First Art Fair, via OpenArtExchange, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Lille Art Up!, international art fair via OpenArtExchange, Lille, France
2021
- ST’ART Strasbourg via OpenArtExchange, France
- Art The Hague via OpenArtExchange, The Hague, Netherlands
- H2O, Differdange, Luxembourg
- Lille Art Up!, international art fair via OpenArtExchange, Lille, France
- Art Drive-in Nachtbroetchen, Airport Cologne, Germany
2020
- Discovery Art Fair Frankurt via OpenArtExchange, Germany
- Africa Now, OpenArtExchange, Schiedam, Netherlands
- H2O, Differdange, Luxembourg
- Hello 2020!, OpenArtExchange, Schiedam, Netherlands
- International Art Fair Insbrück, Gallerie Bertrand Kass, Insbrück, Austria
2019
- Luxembourg Art Fair, international art fair via OpenArtExchange, LuxExpo The Box, Luxembourg
- ST-ART Strasbourg, international art fair via OpenArtExchange, Strasbourg, France
- Mulhouse Art Fair, international art fair via OpenArtExchange, Mulhouse, France
- Salon de CAL, Luxembourg ART Week 2019, Luxembourg
- New World, OpenArtExhcange, Schiedam, Netherlands
- Ghent Art Fair, international art fair via OpenArtExchange, Ghent, Belgium
- Gallery H20, Differdange, Luxembourg
- ART Laren, OpenArtExchange, Netherlands
- Contemporary Art Fair Paris, international art fair via OpenArtExchange, Paris, France
- ArtUp! Lille international art fair via OpenArtExhange, Lille, France
- Hello 2019!, Art Rotterdam Week, OpenArtExchange, Schiedam (Rotterdam-region), Netherlands
2018
- Luxembourg Art Fair via OpenArtExchange, Luxembourg
- Antwerp Art Fair, Belgium
- Gallery H2O, Differdange, Luxembourg
- #InnerCities, OpenArtExchange, Schiedam, The Netherlands
- OpenExpo, City museum for Modern and Contemporary Art, Schiedam, Netherlands
2017
- Exposition à la Médiathèque, Mazières-Lès-Metz, France
- Afrique, L’Espace Saint-Mengold, Huy, France
- Gallery H20, Differdange, Luxembourg
2016
- Salon de CAL, Luxembourg Art Week, Luxembourg
- Gallery H20, Differdange, Luxembourg
2015
- Gallery Hennen, Mettlach, Germany
- Gallery H20, Differdange, Luxembourg
2014
- Gallery H2O, Differdange, Luxembourg
2013
- 7th Biennale Contemporary Art, Strassen, Luxembourg
2012
- Festival Montmartre, Dinant, Belgium
2011
- Open Art Festival, Lellegen, Luxembourg
- 2nd edition Art Contemporain Esch-sur-Alzette, LuxembourgGallery
2022
- OpenArtExchange, Schiedam, The Netherlands
2020
- Gallery H2O, Differdange, Luxembourg
2019
- OpenArtExchange, Schiedam, The Netherlands
- Gallery H2O, Differdange, Luxembourg
2018
- OpenArtyExchange, Schiedam, Netherlands
- Gallery H2O, Differdange, Luxembourg
2017
- Gallery H2O, Differdange, Luxembourg
2016
- Gallery H2O, Differdange, Luxembourg
2015
Gallery H20, Differdange, Luxembourg
2022
- Cercle Artistique de Luxembourg (CAL) nomination ”Prix Pierre Werner ” Best artist (Luxembourg Art Week)
2019
- Cercle Artistique de Luxembourg (CAL) nomination ”Prix Grand-Duc Adolphe ” Best artist (Luxembourg Art Week)
2016
- Award best artist Luxembourg Art Week – Prix Pierre Werner, Cercle Artistique de Luxembourg, Luxembourg
2012
- Award best artist, Festival Montmartre, Dinant, Belgium
2011
- Award best artist, Open Art Festival, Lellegen, Luxembourg
- Award 3rd best artist, 2nd edition Art Contemporain Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
2023
- City museum for modern & contemporary art Schiedam, Schiedam Netherlands
- Museum Catharijneconvent, Utrecht, Netherlands
Bachelors in Fine and Applied Arts at Delta State University in Abrake, Nigeri
- SAR Grand Duke of Luxembourg
- Ministery of Arts & Culture Luxembourg
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs Luxembourg
- Communal Administration of Differdange, Luxembourg
- Communal Administration of Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
- Communal Administration of Bettembourg, Luxembourg