Osaru Obaseki

Osaru Obaseki, born in 1993 in Edo State, Nigeria, stands as a burgeoning force in the realm of multidisciplinary visual art. Residing within the heart of the African Continent, Osaru has intricately woven herself into the contemporary art tapestry, embarking on her professional journey in 2017. She currently shuffles working between Benin City and Lagos.

Her artistic endeavors delve into the realms of materiality, history, cultural identity, societal dynamics, as well as the intricacies of colonial and post-colonial narratives. With a distinctive approach, Osaru melds sand and acrylics, fusing together two distinct epochs - the ancient and the modern. Notably, her artistic repertoire extends to the domain of bronze casting, where she masterfully channels the storied heritage of this ancient technique, to bring innovative contemporary forms to life.

A distinguished alumna of the ITP-International Training Programme in collaboration with the British Museum, Osaru Obaseki is also an esteemed member of the British Art Network. Her creative footprint has graced the galleries of renowned institutions such as Rele Gallery, Saboart Advisory, Amar Singh Gallery, and Eclectica Gallery, among others. Noteworthy among her achievements, the year 2019 witnessed her active participation in the Re-entanglement exhibition, a collaborative effort with the University of Cambridge Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, London, UK, alongside Nosona Studios, Benin City, Nigeria.

Her passion extends to nurturing the artistic community; Osaru was an integral part of the Back to Base workshop, a collaborative initiative between the Goethe Institute and Rele Arts Foundation, situated in Lagos, Nigeria. Her indelible mark on the art world has garnered attention from prestigious media outlets and documentaries, including but not limited to the New York Times, BBC, Document Women, DW Documentary, and French/German TV ARTE.

Most recently, she is an active part of the Youth heritage Africa programme being hosted by ICCROM- International Centre for the study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property, this led to her participation in the ICCROM General Assembly 2023. In 2024, she has been a resident artist with AKKA Project Venice (Italy), in collaboration with Berengo Studio in Murano - a renowned glass furnace and exhibition space.