Acclaimed Nigerian artist, Oluwole Omofemi is determined to change the art world through PieceUnique, an art agency with a vision to help African artists thrive.
Celebrated for his culturally rich and visually striking artwork, Oluwole Omofemi is also recognised as the last artist commissioned to paint Queen Elizabeth II, before her death in 2022. Beyond the accolades, Omofemi is now on a mission to reposition African artists on the international art scene through PieceUnique, a pioneering art agency he co-founded with Bayo Akande.
Omofemi and Akande have an ambitious dream; disrupt the traditional gallery model, transform the art marketplace, spotlight and support African artists. PieceUnique will provide comprehensive artist management and consultancy services that empowers artists to launch and build successful careers while preserving their artistic integrity. They are committed to offering them opportunities through tailored mentorship, curated exhibitions, and robust branding support for their artistry. This includes partnerships, merchandising, and a strong digital presence. PieceUnique’s vision is to reshape how African artists are presented and represented on the contemporary art scene. Omofemi talks to Pin Africa about his innovative approach to empowering artists, fostering global connections and amplifying African voices in the art world.
Pin Africa: Why PieceUnique, and in what ways do you want to serve the artists you work with? What is the goal you and your founding partner want to achieve?
Oluwole Omofemi: Bayo Akande and I have known each other for over two years, after he bought one of my artworks, and we became friends. We also talk about art a lot. I shared some of the work I was doing with Nigerian artists because some would come to me for mentorship. They also wanted to gain a better understanding about how the art world operates. The interest was based on what they had seen me achieve in my career. I was the last official artist chosen to paint a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. This holds significance for me, my work and with other artists who also want to do well in their careers.
Some of my art pieces have also done very well at auctions in the past few years. Consequently, people wanted to know what I was doing differently that they were not, seeing it had enabled my success. I’ve always been the type of person who uses my experiences to teach other people how to achieve the same thing. They wanted to know how to get their work into the right hands and spaces, and how to control their careers as an artist. I also noticed more young and emerging artists came to my studio, wanting to know how to position themselves for success. I shared my personal journey without demanding any form of payment.
Interestingly, during one of our conversations about art, I mentioned the development work I was doing with artists. Bayo thought it was a brilliant idea and suggested we create a structured way of doing things. He believed we could make this work by doing things the right way. He also saw us creating a platform that would elevate African and Nigerian artists, so their work can flourish. My interest was piqued, and it motivated us to create PieceUnique, which will enable us serve and support other artists.
What are some of the frustrations you experienced within the art ecosystem, both on the continent and in the diaspora, which made creating PieceUnique the right next step for you as an artist? What are you hoping to challenge and change?
There has always been an old narrative about your value and worth as an artist, which dictated what you are allowed or permitted to do. I remember a few years ago during one of my exhibitions, where I set a particular price on one of my paintings. An older, well-known artist came along, and I remember he questioned why I was charging so much money for my painting. He asked, ‘Who knows you? Which art school did you go to? How many exhibitions have you done?’ It was unpleasant and I felt bad about the experience. The narrative is that you must be a dead artist before your work can gain value and you are paid what you are worth. A lot of people also believe you must be a certain age as an artist before you can command a particular amount of money, or you must go to Harvard before people can access or relate to your work. Hence, when I came on the scene, I was keen to challenge and change certain things about the business of art.
There have been times when older artists also asked me about the secret of my success? They want to know why the approach I have adopted works for me? I share some of my experiences and lessons along the way. One of which is that when you are creating art, you must understand people are not just buying it because it looks beautiful. They are buying into your life and identity, which is very important. Sometimes, the norm is for an artist to paint a figure today, tomorrow, he paints something different. I’m not against this. However, as artists, I think it’s important for people to be able to connect with your work even if your signature isn’t visible.
“We want to create a platform where artists can control their progress, success, and wealth.”
We have seen art platforms focused on contemporary art from the continent and its diaspora come and go. What will PeaceUnique do differently to support emerging artists, and what specific plans and actions will you implement?
One of our core goals is to support and empower African artists. We aim to disrupt the traditional gallery model by operating as a consultancy platform that serves the artists. We’ll provide the artists with the tools they need to achieve their full potential while preserving their artistic integrity. We want to bridge the gap between African artists and collectors worldwide, and we want to foster cultural connection and exchange within Africa’s rich and vibrant community as well as globally.
As PieceUnique, we plan to develop a mentorship training programme and curate exhibitions both locally and internationally. We want to create a platform where artists can control their progress, success, and wealth. We’ll also collaborate with fashion brands and international agencies, so we can serve the artists we work with effectively and help them maximise the creative opportunities art offers.
If your goal is to disrupt the traditional gallery model by enabling artists to take advantage of a wide range of opportunities, build a strong brand with artistic collaborations across art, fashion, and lifestyle; how do you intend to achieve this and ensure it benefits the artists?
When Bayo and I started this, one of the things I wanted to ensure we do while representing the artist was to be a voice for them. At this stage of my career, I believe this is the right time for me to give back to the society and the community I belong to.
If you look at some of the modern galleries, what they do is give the artists 50 percent of the sales that they make. One of the things I suggested we implement is to give the artists more because we believe that the artists deserve more. We’ll also be providing artists with mentorship which has not necessarily been available to them. What artists are known for is that they create the work. However, we want to educate them about the business of art, so they can manage and tailor their path in a way that enables them to do better with their career. These are some of the goals we have set for ourselves as an agency.
One of your objectives is to empower the artists and amplify their work. Can you be specific about some of the ways the agency will achieve this?
One of the first actions we are taking is to start an arts residency, which is a good avenue for discovering new and existing talents. It’ll also help forge a relationship that can lead to managing them. We already have an artist that’s coming from Cameroon to Nigeria to be part of the first artist residency. We’ll also be providing support to artists to help get them on the right path. We have plans to hold seminars to facilitate a collaboration with professionals in the art space and for other successful artists to come and share their stories and experiences about their artistic journey and career.
What’s the impact you hope this new agency will have, especially for the emerging artists you’re working with and how will this benefit them in the long-term?
The impact is gradually unfolding because when news about the agency was released to the public, I had artists, young, old and emerging all reaching out to say this is brilliant. They see this as their own and are happy about its possibilities and being a part of this journey we are embarking on. Personally, I believe it’s going to help the artists build trust and facilitate working with brands, collaborating with fashion designers to get their artwork to be used for clothing among other things.
PieceUnique will present Contact Zone II, at 1-54 Contemporary Art in October at Somerset House, London. It features artworks that explore cultural intersections and identities. The exhibition is a culmination of an art residency in Nigeria, where artists immersed themselves in local cultural and spiritual contexts. Oluwole Omofemi, Elfreda Fakoya, Blebo, and ANJEL (Boris Anje)—all part of PieceUnique’s collective—will showcase works that bridge the material and spiritual realms, reflecting their experiences and insights from the residency.
