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.

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Credentials

Solo exhibitions

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 coloursGalery SchlassgoartEsch-zur-Alzette, Luxembourg 

2016

Gallery L’Impression, Dinant, Belgium

2010

Gallery Armand,  Gaasch, Luxembourg

Gallery Spiren, Strassen, Luxembourg

Gallery Maggy Stein, Bettembourg, LuxembourgLuxembourg

Group exhibitions

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 KassInsbrück, 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 LarenOpenArtExchange, 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 

Artistic residence

2022

OpenArtExchange, Schiedam, The Netherlands 

2020

Gallery H2ODifferdange, Luxembourg 

2019

OpenArtExchange, Schiedam, The Netherlands 

Gallery H2ODifferdange, Luxembourg 

2018

OpenArtyExchange, Schiedam, Netherlands

Gallery H2O, Differdange, Luxembourg

2017

Gallery H2ODifferdange, Luxembourg

2016

Gallery H2ODifferdange, Luxembourg 

2015 

Gallery H20, Differdange, Luxembourg

Awards

2022

Cercle Artistique de Luxembourg (CAL) nomination ”Prix Pierre Werner ” Best artis(Luxembourg Art Week) 

2019

Cercle Artistique de Luxembourg (CAL) nomination ”Prix Grand-Duc Adolphe ” Best artis(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 

Museum exhibibtions

City museum for modern & contemporary art Schiedam, Schiedam Netherlands

Museum Catharijneconvent, Utrecht, Netherlands

Professional collections

  • 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