“The canvas does not ask where you are from. It only asks what you have to say” – Olu Ajayi
Remembered as a painter, cartoonist, scholar, and art activist, Olu Ajayi built a reputation for using colour and visual storytelling to explore social realities, human emotion, and cultural consciousness. His works consistently reflected the anxieties, beauty, contradictions, and resilience of African society, making him one of the distinctive voices within Nigeria’s creative landscape.
PAINTER, art and culture advocate Olu Ajayi returns home for celebration through a 2-week memorial exhibition titled “Colour as Resistance: The Art and Advocacy of Olu Ajayi,” being staged May 23-June 2 at the JRandle Centre for Culture & History, Onikan Lagos.
Organised by his friends associates with support of his family, the exhibition is conceived not just another show but a moment to pay tribute to the soul of the venerated idealistic artist whose work is steeped in deep philosophical musings and and scholarly approach to art creating. In essence, the exhibition is to also evaluate and appreciate the contribution of Olu, also a former chairman of he Society of Nigerian Artists, SNA to the contemporary art discourse in Nigeria.
The memorial programme will begin with a symposium from 3PM to 5PM, where artists, scholars, and fellow activists will reflect on his life, work, and artistic philosophy. This will be followed by the official exhibition opening at 5:30PM, with the exhibition remaining on view until June 6, 2026. A reception featuring refreshments and live music by Abbey Afowoslide & The Abinibi Band will conclude the evening.
Remembered as a painter, cartoonist, scholar, and art activist, Olu Ajayi built a reputation for using colour and visual storytelling to explore social realities, human emotion, and cultural consciousness. His works consistently reflected the anxieties, beauty, contradictions, and resilience of African society, making him one of the distinctive voices within Nigeria’s creative landscape.
More than a tribute, the exhibition represents a continuation of the conversations Olu Ajayi championed throughout his life conversations about identity, advocacy, artistic responsibility, and the power of visual expression within African society.
Fittingly, one of the artist’s memorable reflections appears at the heart of the memorial:
“The canvas does not ask where you are from. It only asks what you have to say.”
Even in remembrance, Olu Ajayi’s voice continues to speak through colour.
