Details of Akhile Ehiforia (Nigerian, born 1975)

Akhile Ehiforia is among the new generation of Nigerian artist whose works have continued to divert attention away from mainstream themes of artistic representation. They tend an increasing focus on a minimal pictorial imagery associated with rural life. Mostly with dense arrangement of trees as they spread upon breathe-taking landscapes. Retaining a constant nostalgic image that unites the artist to its root. Born in 1975 in the ancient city of Benin, Ehiforia’s native environment is reputed for its natural ambiance. Especially for the woods and groves scattered around its towns. 

When he painted A Road Not Taken in 2011 – a piece with an encrusted surface, simulating a tree bark while it depicts almost in earthly and partly in yellow hue, a landscape covered with trees. As soft sunlight pours from within the branches as though a weak smog gutters – left viewers concluding that the work was inspired by a poem under the same title by the American poet Robert Frost (1874-1963). 

Even though Ehiforia’s roofscape series of painting reveals a personal fascination about the curious architecture in rural Lagos, where he now lives and works; they also reference the architectural background of his native town, where not only mound houses sit onto of each other but also, rusty zincs layered as would a sheet of flat light metal, to give the entire scenery the effect of a growing mass of beautiful ruins. 

Ehiforia studied painting in Auchi polytechnic in Edo State from 2002-2005. Where he graduated with both Ordinary National Diploma (OND) and Higher National Diploma (HND). That had most likely had afforded him the leisure to observe, with serious attention, the geographical lay-out and nature of his environment.