OLUBANKOLE

Born in “Bariga” a town in Lagos, Nigeria in the year 1995, Olabode Bankole grew up with the urge to always create things out of the items he founds around himself. Looking back on how it all started,he vividly remembers how he grab a pen to scribble chicken lines in an attempt to outline the faintly dotted floral patterns he found on each page of his mother’s dairy while she was away and this was when he was just eight years old.

Holding on to his dreams,he studied fine and applied arts at the prestigious Yaba College of Technology in 2012 and graduated in 2015. Bankole strongly believes Art chose him and not the other way round and it’s as a result of the level of assiduity he gave to it and that diligence has transformed into the style he’s now known for.

To him,this style betrays the normalcy in many ways due to its unconventionality in terms of narrative,style and philosophy.Although he’s yet to get a label for his unique sense of style,he’s of the view that the narrative is what people should pay more attention to.

Inspired by the classics of William Higginson,Pawel Kuczysnski,Banksy,Damien Hirst and the conscious music of the legendary Fela Anikulapo Kuti,Brymo,Michael Jackson,just to mention a few. Having participated in a number of exhibitions with his most recent one being “Road Less Traveled” in February 2023, he sees himself making greater impact in the art space and in the lives of others.

Not only does he want his works to draw viewers in,he wants viewers to feel the grievances,struggles and aspirations buried in his narrative,understand them and think of ways to effect positive changes wherever they find themselves.

Bankole is willing to go as far as transforming lives with his works(narrative),reforming ill belief systems and writing a good chapter to go down in history for prosperity’s relevance.

He rigorously seeks to impart and impact with each body of work he creates because to him,art goes beyond its aesthetic functionalities. It reveals knowledge,is therapeutic to the soul and has the ability to transform lives.