Born on the 6th of June, 1984, and raised in Benin City, Stephen Osuchukwu is an artist with a passion for painting, sculpture, and comedy. Stephen Osuchukwu attended Idaeken primary school Benin City from 1987 to 1992 and Holy Trinity grammar school, Sabongida Ora, Edo state in 1999. He obtained an Ordinary National Diploma in Painting and General Arts in 2005, and a Higher National Diploma in Sculpture in 2009 from Auchi Polytechnic where he was awarded the Rectors award as the best graduating student in Sculpture.
Stephen started drawing as a child but did not begin exploring the commercial side of art until he started he started making portraits for money between the ages of 11 and 18 years, his success with the portraits made him consider going into art professionally. During his time at Auchi Polytechnic, he made some money from making portraits and handmade cards. Stephen’s decision to delve into sculpture was influenced by one of his lecturers at Auchi Polytechnic, Mr Paul Ehizele, who mentored him and advised him to take on sculpture as a challenge for his HND programme, he saw it as drawing with clay and metal. He considers Mr Paul Ehizele the greatest influence on his art.
Osuchukwu’s drawings are inspired by nature, his environment and state of mind. He is well known for exploring various materials over the years of practice, however, his primary choice is charcoal. He began painting with poster colours before moving on to oil and acrylic. His sketches and portraits were initially done with pencil but he decided to begin experimenting with charcoal when a piece he did with charcoal when he could not get access to a pencil, got positive feedback. He uses residual charcoal from the firewood used by local Akara (beans cake) sellers, creating value with waste in an environmentally conscious way.
Stephen is currently a full time studio artist with his studio located in Lagos State in Nigeria.
Exhibitions and Awards
Segun Stephen Osuchukwu has participated in various exhibitions and won numerous awards in and outside Nigeria. Some of them are:
1. Oreze VII, a group exhibition, 2019.
2. The Provenance, Thought Pyramid Art Centre, Lagos, 2017.
3. ARCO Art Expo, Madrid, Spain, 2016.
4. Award for the overall winner Spanish Embassy Art competition, Abuja, Nigeria, 2015.
5. The Platform Launch by Ugo Ikpeazu, Abuja, 2015.
6. Award for the best entry, South-South, Nigeria at LIMCAF, 2014.
7. Portrait painting of Sarkin Mubi, Adamawa State, 2010.
8. Eclecticism exhibition by Femi Williams and friends, 2010.
9. A conversation: Direct Cement Modeling, Auchi, Edo State, 2007.
