5.3 Part 2 Submission
Wikipedia-style entry
Adeolu Osibodu
Adeolu Osibodu (ah-DEH-aw-LOO aw-SEE-BOH-doo; born 29 August 1997) is a Nigerian Photographer/Photo Artist living and working in London.[1] His photography is focused on capturing surrealist, dreamscape environments that place the human at the centre of his oeuvre. Osibodu’s work has seen him collaborate with actor and musician Idris Elba, and he has had exhibitions showcased in France, the UAE, Germany, and New Mexico.[2]
Early Life and Education
Adeolu Osibodu was born in 1997 in Lagos, Nigeria.[3] At age 10, his family moved to Redemption Camp, a Pentecostal Evangelical mega-church in Mowe, Ogun State, Nigeria. Osibodu mentions that the change of environment shaped his imagination and became a source of inspiration for his photography.[4] At the age of 18, Osibodu began experimenting with image-making and visual communication. At this time, he also studied at the University of Lagos, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in construction.[5] During his late teens, Osibodu was involved in a skateboarding accident where he went unconscious and sustained a broken femur. He credits this injury to his redirection in life, and within two months of recovery he bought his first camera.[4]
Life and work
Osibodu’s photography is characterised by surreal landscapes and dreamy cinematic quality.[6] He often uses black and white imagery paired with high contrast lighting to strip scenes of distraction, allowing emotions to be the focus.[4] His themes frequently explore identity and spirituality.[5] Despite moving to London, a lot of his photography still focuses on Lagos, and African identity as a whole. Osibodu also shoots short films which he uploads onto YouTube. They explore similar ideas and themes to his photographic work, combining his style with moving image and sound.[4] Osibodus’s work has seen him land exhibitions worldwide, including France, the UAE, Germany, and New Mexico. He has also shot for actor/musician Idris Elba and landed collaborations with CNN and Adobe.[7]
Recognition and Awards
EyeEm Portraitist Award, 2017 [8]
PhotoVogue Festival Grant, 2022 [9]
Exhibitions
Art Paris. April, 2018. Grand Palais, with the ArtCo Gallery.
Lagos Photo festival. November, 2019 “Saggios” was showcased at the 2019 Lagos Photography Festival themed "PASSPORTS".
Behind the Portrait. Gulf Photo Plus. UAE. November, 2017
Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Exhibition by 500px. Toronto, Canada. “What lies beneath” exhibition hosted by 500PX for the Contact Photography Festival in Toronto, Canada. May, 2019.
IMAGE NATION PARIS. Paris Photo Off, November, 2019. By Image Nation Paris. 8-9, November.
AREZZO Photography Biennial. Tuscany, Italy. 30, November to 16th, December, 2018. alongside 29 other artists from around the globe.
INVESTEC CAPE TOWN ART FAIR. February, 2020. South Africa. With ArtCo Gallery.
FACE TO FACE. ArtCo Gallery. Aachen, Germany. June, 2019.Aachen Germany. By ArCo Gallery.
SUPREMACY PROJECT. St Ann’s Warehouse. Brooklyn, New York. Jan-April, 2022. Street walls of St Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn, New York as part of a series by “Supremacy Project”. A movement aimed at addressing injustice. Curated by Julian Alexander and Khadijat Oseni
FEELS LIKE HOME. Solo Show. ArtCO Gallery. Berlin. Germany. 2022.
National Black Threatre. 55th Season. "A Ritual or Repair". 2023. Harlem, New York
PHOTOVOGUE FESTIVAL. Milan 2022.
BBH LONDON - "UNSIGNED" October 2023. Curated by Micah Waring.
+234 ART. Lagos, Nigeria. March, 2024. By SotoGallery x Ecobank. Photography section curated by Ugochukwu Emebiriodo
"In the time of Spirits" Curated By Bill Shapiro. MOMO Taos x Santa Fe, New Mexico. July 2024. Courtesy: Moriah Stanton
References
1. Clarke, Y. A, 2023. Adeolu Osibodu puts us in a trance with his otherworldly photos inspired by nature. London: It’s Nice That.
2. Ocran, N, 2025. ”I don’t see the pictures as pictures anymore”. London: Psp
3. Osibodu, A, 2025 “About”. London: Adeolu Osibodu
4. Leroy, V, 2022. A skateboarding accident led this photographer to find his passion. New York: Ncpr.
5. Desalegn, A. R, 2022. BLACK FUTURES MONTH: ADEOLU OSIBODU. New York: Musée.
8. EyeEm Portraitist Award, 2017
9. PhotoVogue Festival Grant, 2022
Argument
Born in Lagos, Nigeria. Adeolu Osibodu is a Photographer/Photo Artist exploring themes of spirituality, identity and existence. His work is exhibited worldwide, showcasing surrealist, dreamscape imagery. He has a large following on Instagram and YouTube, where he posts a lot of his work and collaborations.
Osibodu’s photography challenges the stereotypes of African culture and Art, rather than focusing on what is typically portrayed in the media. His work focuses on encapsulating the emotions and meaning behind African communities instead of just presenting them. He shows that African Artists aren’t limited to exploring social issues or documentary-style photography, instead giving a rawer look into their culture, community and ideologies. - “It is seeing which establishes our place in the surrounding world; we explain that world with words, but words can never undo the fact that we are surrounded by it. The relation between what we see and what we know is never settled.”[1] Osibodus work is a part of a bigger collective which is correcting the misleading, narrow framing of Africa, that outsiders can often portray.
Black Artists have historically been marginalised, not getting recognition like others, and often being dismissed. The Black Fantastic argues that black artists have been made “inconspicuous” because they “lacked institutional support and media attention”.[2] This has been contested in more recent years with the emergence of contemporary black artists and things like the Afrofuturism movement. Osibodu inserts himself into a space that has historically excluded voices like his and in doing so has enabled the voices of his community through his lens.
Osibodu is also a self-taught photographer; this speaks to the alternative paths into the arts and challenges the boundaries of the industry, which can often privilege those with credentials and backgrounds. Before buying his first camera at 18, he shot photography on his phone. - “I didn't have a lot of money then, so I couldn't buy too many expensive things; I had to work with the things around me.”[3] Cameras and equipment are expensive, and using a phone can often be looked down on by photography elitists. Nigeria is also a developing country which makes it harder to create and fund art, despite its vibrant creative scene. This is a systematic issue which prevents artists from having the luxuries and resources that others are so used to. Osibodu shows that art isn’t exclusive and can be made by anyone from any background.
Adeolu Osibodu is a presence in the art world that I believe to be significantly underrepresented. His work goes beyond style and aesthetics; it actively challenges notions of African Identity and culture. He comes from a background that has historically been marginalised, not getting the recognition that is deserved. On top of this, he is self-taught, growing up without access to resources and education in the arts. Despite having multiple exhibitions worldwide, collaborations with big companies and stars, and 120,000+ people who follow his art on social media, Osibodu still doesn’t have a Wikipedia page. His work represents his emotions, his culture, and his community. Something a lot more artists could take note from. It isn’t self-centred or driven by profit. It is just Osibodu’s way of showing the world through his lens. For these reasons, I believe Adeolu Osibodu holds a lot of significance within the theme of underrepresentation.
References
1. Berger, J, 1972. Ways of Seeing. UK: Penguin Books
2. Eshun, E, 2025. The Black Fantastic. New York: Library of America
3. Leroy, V, 2022. A skateboarding accident led this photographer to find his passion. New York: Ncpr.
Bibliography
Books
Berger, J, 1972. Ways of Seeing. UK: Penguin Books
Eshun, E, 2025. The Black Fantastic. New York: Library of America
Articles
Clarke, Y. A, 2023. Adeolu Osibodu puts us in a trance with his otherworldly photos inspired by nature. London: It’s Nice That.
Desalegn, A. R, 2022. BLACK FUTURES MONTH: ADEOLU OSIBODU. New York: Musée.
Leroy, V, 2022. A skateboarding accident led this photographer to find his passion. New York: Ncpr.
Ocran, N, 2025. ”I don’t see the pictures as pictures anymore”. London: Psp.
Orton, T, 2022. Photographer Adeolu Osibodu documents the beauty of hands. Amsterdam: PLAIN magazine.
Owoh, U. O, 2022. An invented escape: Adeolu Osibodu’s surrealist photography. London: British Journal of Photography.
Websites
EyeEm Portraitist Award, 2017
Osibodu, A, 2025. “About”. London: Adeolu Osibodu
PhotoVogue Festival Grant, 2022