Hopeful Heart Drawing

Agbaka Oryiman is a multidisciplinary visual artist based in Nigeria, working primarily with ballpoint pen, pastel, and acrylic. Their practice weaves together precision and spontaneity, creating layered, emotionally resonant works that explore themes of racial identity, social justice, and the complexities of human emotion. Through a unique fusion of detailed mark-making and expressive color, Agbaka constructs visual narratives that examine both personal and collective experience. Each piece becomes a meditation on identity and memory—revealing internal landscapes shaped by lived history and present realities. Their work has been exhibited both locally and internationally, including group and solo exhibitions in Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Constantly evolving, Agbaka’s practice uses accessible materials in innovative ways to challenge perception, provoke dialogue, and reflect on what it means to be human in a complex world.