Drawing on cultural, personal, political and art historical references, Ikeorah Chisom Chi-FADA (b. 2000, Lagos, Nigeria) creates enthralling realistically layered figurative narrative compositions that emerges from his history as a young Nigerian and his personal story that tells of a relentless pursuit of ambitions despite the odds. Ikeorah explores what he describes as “visual poetry” in telling stories on canvas. The narrative of this visual poetry would compose layers of the plot, character(s), figures of speech, symbolism and allegory as he also employs a play of lighting and colours in building the composition of his works.

Unfettered by this intentionality behind his work, there are pieces of puzzles open to the viewer for personal reflection and interpretation. Talking about his work, Ikeorah Chisom Chi-FADA notes, “There’s drama happening in the painting that I want you to witness and be a part of. I believe a successful story is one that engages you and tricks you to believe something deeply and leaves you hanging with questions leading to more questions. I don’t have all the answers, as the storyteller, I suffer the same fate as you, the listener”

Ikeorah Chisom Chi-FADA currently lives and works in Lagos, Nigeria. His journey as an artist began in his early childhood, as he grew up among creative peers – street boys who would draw and sell superhero comics for stipends which would be saved to buy art supplies. However, due to pressures from his parents and teachers, he gave up drawing and it wasn't until a traumatic event in which he nearly lost his sister to a fire that he found himself secretly drawing again “as a means of expressing his trauma and finding relief” as he would then, draw his sister as a superhero character with flames. Ikeorah describes his artistic practice as an ‘evolving story’ that still holds pieces from his childhood as the symbolism of flames representing a deification of his subjects and their stories, is still present in his practice.

His works have been exhibited internationally in group presentations in New York, Stockholm, Ontario, Johannesburg, Urusha, Abidjan and Lagos amongst others. He has been featured in publications and was also featured in Snoop Dog’s ‘Invest in Black Artists’ campaign in November last year. His work has been acquired for collections such the Dean Collection, the Ditau Collection, the Harpers Museum and other private collections.