(1974 – )

Bob-Nosa Uwagboe
Contemporary
Overview

“My art makes social and political commentary as a form of protest art that speaks for the oppressed, the art that kicks against bad leadership, the art that condemns inhumanity and violence in our society.”

Bob-Nosa Uwagboe was born in 1974 in the ancient city of Benin kingdom, rich in cultural and artistic heritage. Edo state. Nigeria. He received his professional education at the famous colorist school, Auchi Polytechnic Auchi. Edo state where he graduated with a Higher National Diploma (H.N.D) in 2004 and specialized in painting.

Bob-Nosa as he is fondly called, retired immediately to full-time studio practice after his one year mandatory service to the nation as a member of the national youth service corp (NYSC) at Abuja. After a brief stay in Abuja, he relocated to Lagos to set up The Protest Art Studio to explore his creative energy into an experimental path that has resulted into thought provoking themes and often times spark of anger, pain, passion and vision that are not often defined by the subject matters and defy the border usually set by artistic canons. He evokes emotion with his art in which he employs diverse materials seemingly unconnected at first, he often succeed in challenging the audience to deeper engagement with his work from which there are varied interpretation and reflection mostly concerned with issues of falsehood, deception, bad leadership and reaching to the unreached.

The self-described art activist belongs to a protest subculture devoted to using art as a catalyst for change. His paintings, powerful, satirical comments on inhumanity, which run the gamut from abstract to representational, are distinguished by intense primary colours applied in large expressive strokes and frequently include collaged images and found materials. Surfaces are scratched with written texts and aerosol paint is roughly sprayed over and across painted forms. Bob-Nosa’s work has been the subject of solo exhibitions in Spain, Argentina, Poland and Nigeria.

Exhibitions

SOLO SHOW

 2023               
“We Come in Peace”, Graham Contemporary, Johannesburg, South Africa

 2021               
“Police Brutality”, Out of Africa Gallery, Barcelona, Spain

 2019               
“Protest Art”, OOA Gallery, Barcelona, Spain 

2018               
“Obituary”, Signature Beyond Art Gallery, Lagos, Nigeria 

2018               
“Homme Libre”, African Artist Foundation, Lagos, Nigeria    

GROUP SHOW

2023          
“SMALL IS SMART”,  Barcelona Winter Group Show, OOA GALLERY – Barcelona, Spain

2022          
Cape Town Art Fair – Eclectica Contemporary – Cape Town, South Africa

2020          
ART X Lagos – Out of Africa Gallery – Lagos, Nigeria  

2020          
1-54 London 2020, Out of Africa Gallery – London, UK

 2020          
1-54 New York 2020, Out of Africa Gallery – New York, USA

2019          
ART X Lagos 2019, Out of Africa Gallery – Lagos, Nigeria 

 2019          
Beirut Art Fair 2019, Out of Africa Gallery – Beirut , Libanon

2020          
“Winter Group Show” – Out of Africa Gallery – Barcelona, Spain

 2019          
“In the Making” – Retro Africa – New York, USA 

 2018          
“CU–ULTURE and TRADITION, Same experience different local” – London, UK 

2017          
Beirut Art Fair – Beirut, Lebanon

2016          
 That Art Fair – Cape Town, South Africa 

 2016          
 “Breaking News” – Art21 Gallery – Lagos, Nigeria

2016          
“Sogal Art Auction” – Lagos, Nigeria

 2015          
“They have asked us to smile” – Lagos Book & Art Festival – Freedom Park – Lagos, Nigeria

2013          
Arthouse Contemporary Auction – Lagos, Nigeria

2013          
“Building bridges” – Nigerian Independence Day celebrations – Kenya

2013          
World Bank Art Exhibition – Abuja, Nigeria

2012          
Art Basel Miami Art Fair – Miami, USA

2012          
“New works by Ayoola Gbolahan and Bob-Nosa Uwagboe” – Nigeria Now – Abuja, Nigeria 

2012          
“The Children of the World” – German Cultural Centre – Lagos, Nigeria 

2011          
 “Do not resuscitate” – Cora Art Festival – Freedom Park – Lagos, Nigeria 

2011          
“The Last Picture Show” – Le Méridien – Cameroon

2011          
“Generational Statement” – Thought Pyramid Art Gallery – Abuja, Nigeria 

2011          
“The last picture show” – La Galerie Vendôme” – Paris, France 

2009          
“Beyond Figuration”- Omenka Gallery – Lagos, Nigeria .

2009          
Art Exhibition – French Woman Association – African Art Foundation (AAF) – Lagos, Nigeria 

2009          
“Last picture show V.I.” – Maison du parti – Douala, Cameroon

2009          
Collocation 5 Art Exhibition – Though Pyramid Gallery – Abuja, Nigeria 

2002          
Edo State Sports Festival Art Exhibition – Edo State Council for Art and Culture – Oba Ekenzua Cultural Centre – Benin City, Nigeria 

2001          
Art Exhibition for Nigeria Artists – Lagos State Council for Art and Culture – Lagos, Nigeria 

2001          
“Treasure of our time” – Pendulun Art Gallery – Lagos, Nigeria

Featured Artwork