Free but hungry 3 Print

Damola Ayegbayo is an acclaimed visual artist, celebrated for his mastery in paintings and drawings that deeply reflect his personal heritage and cultural narratives. Born in 1988 in Ejigbo, Osun State, Nigeria, Damola pursued his passion for art at Obafemi Awolowo University, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Fine and Applied Arts. Damola’s art has gained international attention and acclaim. Notably, his work was commissioned for the 2023 film adaptation of “The Color Purple.” He also gained recognition in the world of digital art, being the only African artist featured in the World of Women NFT projects, collaborating with prominent platforms such as OpenSea and Saatchi Art. Damola has exhibited his work globally, including in Nigeria, the US, the UK, Canada, and Europe. His paintings have been auctioned by renowned houses like Jasper52, LiveAuctioneers, and Bidhaus, and have found homes with private collectors such as Marcus Gardley, Jimmy Akingbola, and Lisane Basquiat. In 2022, his piece “Unconditional Love 2” was featured on the cover of HarperCollins Publishers’ “Relations: An Anthology of African and Diaspora Voices.” His work “Purpose of Existence” was used in a campaign by Cambridge University Press to promote black women’s mental health. In 2023, his artwork “Vision of Hope” was highlighted in Jimmy Akingbola’s documentary “HANDLE WITH CARE.” The name of my painting style is called ÀBÈFÉ meaning ( pleaded to be loved) which is my native name. my craft is an expressionism style of art, I use portraits of beautiful black women to speak to society about morals, good behavior, love, and unity. an image of a black beautiful woman always reminds me of how my strong mother trained and brought me up with love and good morals helping me to discover my real self, the concept of using a black woman is a great reference to my loving mother and the role Other women had played in my life, their importance and existence in the world can not be underestimated. He is inspired by his late grandfather that was a painter, sculptor, and ceramist from a tender age, as his love to practice art increased in the university by meeting with greater like minds in the department and visits many art galleries and art departments in other universities, also traveled to historic ancient cities and art workshop etc..