“My work is born out of the desire to stir up conversations on issues around Social values, History, mental Health, and the subconscious interaction between man and his environment.”

Kelechi Charles Nwaneri was born in 1994 in Nigeria and currently lives and works in Lagos, Nigeria.

Inspired by Pencil Artists such as Kelvin Okafor, Arinze Stanley, and Ken Nwadiogbu, he initially focused on Pencil Realism and has evolved introducing other mediums such as acrylic paints, collages, watercolors, and oil paints.

Kelechi’s style stands between Photorealism, Surrealism, and Postmodernism but perfectly fits into what he defines as Contemporary Surrealism. Inspired by events happening in his daily environment, he creates art with surrealistic imagery. A major characteristic of his work is the use of West-African Iconography, mystical, metaphysical, allegorical concepts, and the Black Hybrid Figure, inspired by the idea of scars and African Tribal Marks. 

As he says “A major feature of my work is the “Hybrid (Black) Figure inspired by the idea of scars and tribal marks. These figures are usually embedded with symbols (including mainly Adinkra, Uli, Nsibidi symbols), Automatic Lines, and Adire patterns using primarily Pencils and Charcoal sticks.”

In 2020, he was the resident artist at AKKA Project, Venice, Italy.

Selected solo exhibitions:

2021
Through my eyes, AKKA Project Venice, Venice, Italy

Myths, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, Berlin, Germany

2020
Modern Marks at Ebony Curated, Cape Town, South Africa 

Selected group exhibitions:

2022
Art Dubai, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

2021
Art Dubai, Gate Building, Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Stop, Listen! CFHILL Stockholm, Sweden

2020
Doors, Eyes and Tribal Marks AKKA Project, Dubai

Latitude Art fair online, Ebony Curated, online edition 

1:54 New York, online edition 

All the Days and Nights, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, London, UK

2019
STASIS, SMO Contemporary Art Gallery, Temple Muse, Victoria Island Lagos, Nigeria 

SECRET GARDEN, ODA Gallery, Franschhoek, Western Cape, South Africa 

2018
Ode to mankind, Artyrama Gallery, CFAO building, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria 

Spanish Festivals and traditional celebrations, Thought Pyramids Gallery, Maitama, Abuja, Nigeria 

2016
Exploring the Goldmine Inherent in Nigerian Creative Industries, National Festival for Art and Culture (NAFEST), Ibom Hall, Uyo, Nigeria. 

Public collections:

Africa First Collection, Tel Aviv Israel

Embassy of Spain Abuja, Nigeria 

Beth Rudin DeWoody Collection, USA