Nike Davies-Okundaye: Expressing Nigeria Through Art
By Chidirim Ndeche
12 August 2017 |
7:00 am
Over 186 million people and over 250 ethnic groups, Nigeria is a place filled with diverse people, cultures and traditions. Art is a major medium of expression in this beautiful country, and we find a lot of artists expressing these Nigerian cultures through fascinating art. Art is of historical relevance in this country; Nigerian artists…
Over 186 million people and over 250 ethnic groups, Nigeria is a place filled with diverse people, cultures and traditions. Art is a major medium of expression in this beautiful country, and we find a lot of artists expressing these Nigerian cultures through fascinating art. Art is of historical relevance in this country; Nigerian artists rebelled against British colonisation by incorporating traditional elements into their work, proudly showcasing their culture. New, passionate artists emerge everyday, and their work is spectacular. Their work has created and is increasing cultural awareness in Nigerian art and history.
1 of 10

Nike Davies-Okundaye.

She was brought up in her home town of Ogidi, in Kogi State, in North Central Nigeria, amidst the traditional weaving and dyeing as practised there. After she lost her mother at a tender age, she was introduced to the craft by her great-grandmother; from weaving to embroidery, to Adire, to painting, to patchwork.
PHOTO: Yoruba 'adire eleko' wrapper. Courtesy Powerhouse Museum Collection

She found that traditional methods of weaving and dyeing, which had been her original inspiration in Nigeria, she pioneered a global revival of this aspect of Nigerian culture. She became famous for her modern approach to traditional themes in her colourful batik and paintings. She has been established as a household name in textile design as a result of her unique approach of fusing traditional styles with modern techniques.
PHOTO: Nike Davies Okundaye | Africa on the Floor

She is known for her batik weaving and dyeing workshops. Over the past twenty years she has given workshops on traditional Nigerian textiles to audiences in the United States and Europe. Nike has more than 150 students in Europe and America.
PHOTO: Umbrella of our art. Courtesy Gallery of African Art

She is a philanthropist. She has trained over three thousand young Nigerians for free, offering free courses for young Nigerians to learn traditional arts and crafts, and she continues to help by funding many poor to establish their small businesses and art workshops in different parts of Nigeria.
PHOTO: Nike painting. 2008

She is on a mission to improve lives of disadvantaged women in Nigeria through art. She teaches the unique techniques of indigo cloth-dyeing (Adire) to rural women at her workshop in southwest Nigeria. By doing so, she's hoping to revive not just the centuries-old tradition, but the lives of these women as well. She believes it is critical for the women to the business of art as well as to learn how to manage their resources.
PHOTO: Feminine Power Series

Nike art gallery, the largest in West Africa. Nike Art Gallery has housed over 7000 art pieces. www.nikeartcentres.com.

She was featured on CNN International's "Arican Voices" which highlights Africa's most engaging personalities, exploring their lives and passions.
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/04/12/nigeria.nike.davies.okundaye/index.html

Her works, displayed in major international exhibitions, are colourful creations that share the themes from her Yoruba culture with the rest of the world. They have won several accolades and are sold for thousands of dollars at international art auctions.
PHOTO: A Group of Friends, 2004 | Courtesy of the Gallery of African Art (GAFRA)

Nike's painting was permanently featured at The Smithsonian Museum as of 2012, and her work was also part of the collection of The Gallery of African Art and The British Library, in London.

Her biography is The Woman With The Artistic Brush: A Life History Of Yoruba Batik Artist Nike Davies. Written by Kim Marie Vaz, the book has a 4.4 average rating by Goodreeds and AbeBoks. The book traces her life history and illustrates the strategies developed by women to mitigate male rule.
PHOTO: The Woman With The Artistic Brush: A Life History Of Yoruba Batik Artist Nike Davies (Foremother Legacies) by Kim Marie Vaz

Mama Nike draws her spiritual and artistic inspiration from Nigeria's river goddess Osun who, she says, guides her work through dreams. She is extremely passionate about what she does. She has focused her attention solely on her homeland, even though she is successful internationally, working to bring awareness to her culture, empower women, and improve lives around her.
PHOTO: Fire of The Goddess – Osun River Goddess of Love: Honey in the Heart
In this article
Guardian Life
1 hour ago
Onika Tara Maraj, popularly known as Nicki Minaj, has been giving hits back to back since her breakout song, Ludacris’s “My Chick Bad" where she had a guest verse. She’s known as the Queen of rap, and it appears no one is taking the crown from her anytime soon. Her fan base known as the…
4 hours ago
Three things came to mind the first time I watched the first installment of Samo Agbero’s If An Agbero Had a Diary: deft use of the Yoruba Language and its street slang, the hilarious names given to the people who populate Samo’s fictitious garaji, and the uncanny portrayal of local motor park politics. The person…
8 hours ago
Fireboy DML has dropped the music video for his newly released single "Bandana." "Bandana" featuring Asake is off his recently released third studio album "Playboy." The TG Omori directed single paid homage to the scarf for which the single is named after. Both artistes wear. the scarves, Fireboy DML pairs his with a black leather…
8 hours ago
Academy Award-nominated director Wolfgang Petersen who rose to prominence for his German-language film “Das Boot” has passed away aged 81. Spokesperson for the Petersen family, Michelle Bega, told The Post that Petersen died of pancreatic cancer in the arms of his wife of nearly 50 years, Maria-Antoinette, on Friday at his home in Brentwood, Los Angeles.…
9 hours ago
Drake has broken the 55-year-old Billboard Hot 100 record for most top five hits formerly held by the music band The Beatles. The Canadian rapper achieved this fit with his new single "Staying Alive", featuring Dj Khaled, debuting at No. 5 on this week's Billboard Hot 100. Drake now has 30 top five singles on…
Music
1 day ago
Steve Grimmett, the lead singer of GRIM REAPER, passed away at age 62. Mark Grimmett, Steve's brother, announced his death on social media, writing: "I don't really know where to start so I guess I will just come right out with it. I had to inform you all that he has passed away, as many…
1 day ago
MI Abaga has unveiled the tracklist for his forthcoming album "The Guy." The rapper shared the album's tracklist to his social media on Monday, 15th August 2022. The 12-track album includes features by both international and national artistes including NAS, lamide, Duncan Mighty, Phyno, Cavemen, Wande Coal, BNXN, and Temi Owo, Lord Vino, Ossi Grace, Chillz,…
2 days ago
The most popular new song this week is "Super Freaky Girl," the most recent single from Nicki Minaj. Fans of music chose the Queen of Rap's Rick James-sampling single as their favourite new song release of the previous week in a survey that was published on Billboard. Megan Thee Stallion's "Traumazine," Anitta and Maluma's "El…
2 days ago
The music video for Lizzo's song "2 B Loved (Am I Ready)" is coming out soon and it may continue where her "Truth Hurts" video left off. Lizzo uploaded a teaser short on Sunday (Aug. 14) that starts with the wedding scene from "Truth Hurts" and finishes with the singer speeding off like a runaway…
Film
9 hours ago
Famed actress Viola Davis has joined the "Hunger Games" franchise as a villain in the show's prequel "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes." The film's official Instagram account confirmed Davis' casting. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Hunger Games (@thehungergames) Davis will play head game maker of the 10th…
1 day ago
While Amber Heard gets a pornographic role offer, it has been twenty-five years since Johnny Depp directed a motion picture. For Modigliani, a biographical drama on Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani, the actor will make a comeback behind the camera. The film is being produced by Barry Navidi and Al Pacino. The film has the support…
1 day ago
Even after their high-profile lawsuit ended earlier this summer, Amber Heard and Johnny Depp's names have continued to make headlines all year. Now, it seems like Zen Models is attempting to capitalise on the actress' increased notoriety by offering her a part in a pornographic film. According to the Australian publication Pop Topic, Heard received…
11 Aug
The popular Star Wars and Marvel streaming shows get all the attention, but since its launch, Disney Plus has slowly developed into a service replete with animated shorts like 'I Am Groot'. However, if you look a little closer, you can find some great content, such as some Mickey Mouse shorts in the vintage style,…
4 Aug
Nollywood actors Cynthia Okereke and Clemson Cornel have reportedly been released by their kidnappers. The release of both actors was confirmed by the Actors Guild of Nigeria in a statement on its official Instagram page on Wednesday, August 3, 2022. The statement also noted that both actors were unharmed. The statement read, “This is to…