Biography

Damilare Jamiu Kanyinsola (b. 1994, Lagos Island, Nigeria) is a contemporary Nigerian artist whose practice is rooted in African realism, with a strong emphasis on identity, spirituality, and the lived Black experience. Raised in the culturally rich and bustling heart of Lagos Island, he discovered his passion for art at an early age and apprenticed under Lagos-based artist Muyiwa Williams. Alongside his artistic journey, Jamiu pursued academic studies, earning a degree in Arabic language with a focus on African Cultural Studies from the University of Ilorin, Nigeria, 2021. These early impressions continue to shape how Kanyinsola sees the world and expresses his ideas. His paintings both reflect and respond to the lived experiences of his subjects, situating their individual stories within broader social, political, and global contexts.

Damilare’s works are primarily figurative painting of Black subjects, rendered in oil and acrylic, and often enriched with damask patterns that echo Black heritage and Afrocentric pride. His subjects, frequently accompanied by animal and insect that reflect themes of companionship, ancestral connection, and co-inhabitation. Deeply philosophical, his art engages with socio-political issues, aiming to amplify marginalized voices while offering moments of reflection and spiritual depth. He views art as a sanctuary and a tool for cultural reclamation, social archive, mental awareness, personal resonance, and healing. As he aims to bridge the local and the diaspora, the personal and the collective, to document, question, and to affirm—to create images that embodies beauty, complexity, and the evolving narrative of Black identity, cultural relevance, mental health, and memory.