National gallery of art mourns Abraham Uyovbisere

The Nigerian visual arts community has been thrown into deep mourning following the death of Abraham Uyovbisere, one of the nation’s most celebrated painters. Uyovbisere passed on Thursday, January 16, 2025, in Lagos.

In a statement issued by the Director General of the National Gallery of Art, Ahmed Bashir Sodangi, Uyovbisere was hailed as a towering figure in Nigerian art whose works left an indelible imprint on the country’s cultural landscape. Sodangi said, “Abraham Uyovbisere was an artist of epic proportions, capturing feminine elegance, romance, and cultural essence through his works.

“His contributions to Nigerian art were monumental, and his passing has created a huge vacuum in the visual art sub-sector.” A fellow of the Society of Nigerian Artist (SNA) and former President of the Guild Professional Fine Artists of Nigeria (GFA), Abraham died Thursday, January 16, 2025.

Born July 18, 1963, in Burutu Delta State, he attended the famous ABU Zaria, where he obtained a diploma in Fine Arts in 1984 and a Bachelor of Arts Degree (First Class Honours) in 1987.

Abraham proceeded to the University of Benin, where he obtained a Master’s in Fine Arts (MFA) degree in Painting. He was an accomplished artist and won several awards including the Yusuf Grillo Award in Life Drawing and T.A Fasuyi Award for Painting in 1987 all at the ABU, Zaria.

In 2006, the Delta State government honored him with a Distinguished Artists Award. He also received the Most Dedicated Programme Director Award from the Ovie Brume Foundation in 2008.

An artist of epic proportion, Abraham hosted several solo exhibitions and participated in many group exhibitions both locally and internationally. He was a phenomenal artist who captured the different vignettes of feminine elegance, romance, cultural and physiological optics- in the areas of natural life, natural movement, natural curves, natural touch, all culminating into a natural miracle in painting.

His works are in the collections of prestigious institutions and homes in Nigeria, Europe and America. His works are also in the Nigeria National collection and the Presidency. His passing has created a huge vacuum in the visual art sub-sector.