Communal spirit has always been a powerful aspect of African identity. For an African in diaspora, this becomes more vivid than ever as one navigates a new cultural landscape. Omotoyosi Olanrewaju Ogunlende relives the African connectivity experience through string, capturing a collective journey through social consciousness.
By combining elements of sculpture and painting, this string method makes him a triple threat: adept at material experimentation, portraiture, and creating socially engaged art. He studied Fine Art and Sculpture at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, and has since created over 50 pieces including detailed portraits of iconic figures like Bob Marley, Fela Kuti, and Bolanle Austen-Peters — most of it under his studio practice, theKraftzone.
Beyond string art, he is versatile with metal sculpture, acrylic painting, murals, installations, and live art performances. A notable project is the metal drum installation commissioned for the 2022 opening of the JK Randle Centre in Onikan, by the then President of Nigeria. As a Global Arts in Medicine Fellow, his practice bridges art and wellness through hospital mural projects and community health initiatives.