Sly Megida is a Nigerian visionary artist pushing boundaries with his art, especially across the entertainment scene.
Based in Lagos, the young visual artist and designer gained significant momentum after his recent collaboration with King Perry where he designed the cover art for the “Niggas From The South” album as well as a painting collection inspired by the record. The cover art, which was also created as a mixed media art and sold as an NFT, showcased Megida’s penchant for leveraging modern technology in his art.
As the convener of the Afro-pop art movement, Sly Megida channels his creativity into spreading knowledge and fostering community among other talented creative individuals in his immediate community. His recently-held ‘Orange Community’ exhibition is already helping to accelerate those goals, as Megida’s instincts continue to tilt towards impact-building.
Catching up with Guardian Arts, the skilled visual artist shares his story behind his come-up journey, from discovering his passions in visual arts to collaborating with celebrity musicians; his other mix of creative influences and projects, as well as his plans to keep widening the space in the room for every creative artist to shine.
Tell us about your background in the world of arts. How did you get started on your journey?
So yeah, I grew up in Ojo, Lagos, and I had my secondary education at the Nigerian Navy Secondary School in Abeokuta. Then I moved to Ghana for my university education at Wisconsin International University in Accra, Ghana. Coming back, I saw I had this talent for art. I’ve been doing art since primary and secondary school. But I also spotted an opportunity in the art space, seeing it as an untapped industry. I realised we have so many untold stories as Africans, and I saw I could use my art skills to change my world. And that’s what I’ve been going for as an artist.
How would you describe your artistic style?
My style is a fusion of hyperrealism and abstract because I believe in the power of figures being so relatable. I believe in the power of figures because, as humans, we connect with them a lot. So when I want to tell my story or create an image, I like to use hyperrealism, but with a fusion of abstract. Abstract allows me to express myself deeply through colours and say things that become a discovery for people over time—how they keep seeing the art differently as the years go by. So, I’d call my style a fusion of hyperrealism and abstract to tell my stories. I also have a style I call Art Repo. That’s how I put it. It’s my way of merging hyperrealism and abstractness. So yeah, that’s my style.
You are otherwise known for the Afro Pop Art Movement—what was the goal for that campaign?
The Afro Pop Art Movement is a journey for us, telling untold African stories and changing the narratives about us as a people, as Africans. It’s a movement, a force in the art space, pushing for Africans to be more aware of who they are. We’re advocating for Pan-Africanism, and it’s a continuous movement. As I tell my story, the movement keeps growing because there are other artists who are also part of it.
How was the experience like working with King Perry?
Yeah, for the experience, it was a great experience because, for a long time, I’ve been so inspired by music as an artist. While painting, you want to connect to something deep so you can tap into your inner self and paint for long hours. Music is that thing that keeps you going. I’ve always had that connection with music and art, and music has always been a big part of my process. So with King Perry, we decided to be very intentional and loud about bringing art and music together. We created paintings because King Perry also paints alongside making music. We decided to do a live experience where people could watch us create art. He had this music project, Niggas from the South, and we decided to translate that into paintings. We created about five or six paintings inspired by the project, which we also called The Collection of the Arts Leaders from the South as an NFT. It was a great experience, and I learned a lot. We were able to fuse music and art in a meaningful way, and we’re planning to do even more things going forward with art and music being intentional.
What’s your creative process like?
So my creative process is like this: I want something to inspire me. I want to learn something new every day. So I’m either checking my books, looking for stories, or observing what’s happening around me. Even with the smallest things happening to people around me, I feel like there’s always a story there that needs to be told. People are connected in ways we sometimes don’t realise. If you can understand the next person, you can help another. That’s something that inspires me, and I want to reflect it in my art so that people can experience a positive shift, even globally, in how they relate to others from different regions. So once something inspires me, if it’s relatable, if it’s a story that deserves to be told properly and will stand the test of time, I want to be involved. That could mean sketching something on my sketchpad, using AI technology to create something, or even exploring augmented reality to bring it to life. It’s about playing around with ideas until, boom, you have a story, and you can see it reflected in the lives of others. That’s when I know I need to tell my perspective strongly.
Tell us more about your experiences using modern technology like AI and AR to create art.
Yeah, so there was a time when NFTs were booming, and we started turning our art into digital assets. It became a global movement, and I got involved. I created a collection called King of Boys and was able to sell the pieces. Through this, I connected with artists from different parts of the world—from Asia to America and across various continents. I shared my story, and people resonated with it. Different collectors bought into the vision, and it was an eye-opening experience for me. What I realised was that technology is here to enhance what we do, to push art forward, and I wanted to take full advantage of that. That was my experience with NFTs. I didn’t just stop at selling digital collections; I also transformed my physical paintings into digital assets, ensuring they were backed by tangible works. Beyond that, I explored augmented reality, working on creating a virtual gallery space where people could view my art online. We even hosted an exhibition using AR tools, allowing people to experience the art in a more immersive way. Augmented reality remains a key part of how I advance my storytelling, creating movements within the art space after completing my paintings. These digital tools have been incredibly valuable, and I’m still learning and evolving within the Web3 space. We’re constantly exploring new ways to use technology to improve and expand what I do.
Okay, can you name a few projects you have used augmented reality to create for people?
For the NFT collaboration I did with King Perry, there was some debate because it involved painting NFTs. It was both a collection and a specific painting NFT that served as the album cover for his music project Niggas from the South. In addition to that, we created an augmented reality version of the art piece to enhance the experience. Beyond that, we also incorporated augmented reality into my Hustle Collection, which was my first body of work. These projects allowed us to merge art, music, and technology in a way that brought the pieces to life, creating a more immersive experience for collectors and audiences.
Your Orange Community. Tell us about it.
Orange is a force. It’s a movement that showcases the Afro Pop art energy, bringing together different artists to express their creativity. More than just a platform for artists, Orange is a space that provides opportunities for emerging talents to showcase their work. From paintings to digital art, sculptures, and all forms of artistic expression, the Orange exhibition creates an avenue for diverse artistic voices to be seen and heard. We had our first Lagos Experience in February 2022, a two-day event in Lekki that was nothing short of amazing. Over 600 people attended across both days, immersing themselves in a dynamic showcase of NFTs, digital art on screens, sculpture exhibitions, and live performance art. We also incorporated poetry, fashion, and music, blending different artistic disciplines to create a high-energy experience. Following the success of Lagos, we took Orange to Abuja, where we hosted a three-day exhibition, further expanding the movement. Orange is an annual experience, a space where creatives from different fields come together to celebrate art in all its forms, pushing boundaries and redefining artistic expression.
So, finally, what is the vision for Sly in the long run?
For Sly, my goal is to keep building on what I’ve started, strengthening the foundation, improving, and expanding the reach of my work. The art industry needs more hands, more structure, and more recognition because it’s a billion-dollar industry with immense potential. The question is, what are we doing globally as an art industry? Art is not just creativity; it’s a force that can shape society, drive conversations, and create lasting impact. In 2025, we’re taking things even further, expanding our reach, putting in more energy, and telling our stories in an even more authentic and powerful way. The journey continues, and we’re just getting started.
