The preservation of our heritage helps to keep African culture intact, continuing the upkeep of African norms and values. A young Nigerian artist, Adaeze Adinnu whose unique skills and exceptional artistic skills have earned her a place in the world of arts is using her artistic skills to promote and celebrate our heritage. Her paintings combine colourful vibrancy with 3D multimedia textures to create visually aesthetically appealing artworks which represent her heritage.
Adaeze Adinnu graduated with a first-class undergraduate degree in Business Management from the University of Northampton in England, where she currently lives.
With local exhibitions of her artwork at the Northampton Museum and Abington Park Museum, the young and brilliant Nigerian has become a sensation. Her harmonious, aesthetic, and cultured artwork were put on display at the Art Expo in Dallas, United States, last month.
Adaeze’s passion for art started at a very young age. Her grandfather, who was a wonderful and talented sculptor used to always have her by his side when doing his work. “When I was young, my grandad was a huge inspiration to me. Back home in Nigeria, he would sculpt beautiful pottery from clay and sell it at local markets – and I just couldn’t keep away. I always wanted to be involved, get my hands dirty and saw artistic inspiration everywhere I looked. I still do to this day!” she recalled.
However, in most African homes, our parents would rather see us becoming doctors, engineers or bankers than an artist. To them, it’s not a lucrative and respectable profession. For Adaeze, even though her dream was to become an artist, her parent wanted something else – they wanted her to become a doctor. But as the saying goes, “Passion is one great force that unleashes creativity, because if you’re passionate about something, then you’re more willing to take risks.” Adaeze followed her passion.
“Growing up, my parents were always keen for me to become a doctor, however, I just couldn’t stay away from my creative passion. I felt compelled to follow my vision and become the best artist I could be. I see the world through an artistic lens, and I really enjoy using materials around me to expand my horizons – even a cup of coffee has made its way onto one of my canvases,” she said in an interview with the University of Northampton.
Adaeze is proud of her root, and her artworks prove this. Her paintings have been exhibited in her home country of Nigeria where she has collaborated and worked with some high profiles in the field of art.
