PORTFOLIO

OBINNA MAKATA

BIOGRAPHY

Makata Obinna is a graduate of the Department of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Nigeria Nsukka with a specialty in sculpture. Despite majoring in sculpture, he is  versed in different genres of art production, traversing the creative fields of drawing, sculpture, and painting. His conceptual framing revolves around the debate on Africa’s disjointed cultural and historical narratives and how that have negatively fueled Africa’s dependence on foreign products and its economic and social effects in Africa.He employs different techniques  that follow the routine processes  of cutting, slicing, shredding, tying and painting on clothes and other materials.

Makata’s creative trajectories  date back to his postprimary school days where he won numerous art awards. He once served as a studio assistant to a local carver where he was thought how to carve  different African forms for masks and masquerade regalia. This influenced and informed why figures in his work are usually abstracted and follow the African pattern of stylized human representation. He uses Ankara fabric to arrange different forms that are masked with different linear structures.

Coming from the Nsukka Art School where experimental art research practice is key, Makata Obinna’s creative innovations has surged and continued to spread beyond fabrics and linear expressions. His practice has now metamorphosed into an interesting pile of eloquent visual forms to include, not just works made from Ankara, but also explorations with paper and bones of animals. His  emblematic exploration of these materials has vaulted him into  the global art space. He has exhibited and featured prominently in art shows, fairs,  biennale within and outside Nigeria.

Art exhibitions, fairs and residencies played key roles in shaping the growth of Makata’s career. His practice rely upon constant exhibitions and fairs as a way of interacting and engaging with his audience critically. He has exhibited in Nigeria and outside the shores of Nigeria, and also attended workshops and residencies outside Nigeria. Makata see these practices more than an academic exercise, they are to him, curated opportunities that allow him express his creative voice more audibly and visibly too. Some key exhibitions he participated in include, Nigeria Now, New Emerging Trend of Contemporary art in Nigeria, Miami, Florida (2012). Joburg Art Fair, South Africa ( 2013). Art X Art Fair Lagos, Nigeria (2018)New York Art Expo, New York, USA. Dakar Biennale , Dakar Senegal. (2022). Thread of Life in Fragment of Time, Afrikin Art  Gallery , Art Basel FairMiami, Florida, USA. These are with joint exhibitions in Gallery 23, Amsterdam , and solo exhibitions at African Artist Foundation,Lagos and Soto Gallery, Lagos in 2012 and 2025 respectively.

EXIBITIONS

Obinna Makata has built a significant exhibition history that reflects his growing presence within contemporary African art. Since 2012, he has participated in more than forty-five group exhibitions across Nigeria and internationally, presenting his work to audiences in Europe, America, and the Middle East.

His exhibitions are recognized for their powerful engagement with themes of identity, race, history, consumer culture, and the social realities of contemporary urban Africa. Through sculptural installations and assemblages created from found and discarded materials, Makata transforms exhibition spaces into reflective environments where viewers encounter both beauty and critique.

Beyond gallery presentations, Makata has also participated in international residencies, workshops, seminars, and art talks, further extending the reach of his practice and positioning his exhibitions within broader global conversations on sustainability and contemporary culture. His growing visibility has attracted attention from notable art journals and publications, culminating in a feature on CNN’s African Voices in 2018, which highlighted his artistic journey and expanding exhibition profile. Today, Makata’s exhibitions continue to affirm his place among important voices shaping the narrative of contemporary Nigeria art.

WORKSHOP

Obinna Makata has actively engaged in workshops that have strengthened both his artistic practice and his contribution to contemporary art discourse. Over the years, he has participated in professional workshops within Nigeria and internationally, including programs across Europe, America, and the Middle East. These experiences have provided spaces for experimentation, exchange, and critical dialogue with artists, curators, and cultural practitioners from diverse backgrounds.

His workshops often align with the central concerns of his practice material transformation, environmental awareness, identity, and the realities of urban life. Working extensively with found and discarded objects, Makata brings a distinctive perspective to conversations on sustainability and the creative possibilities of reclaimed materials. Through these settings, he demonstrates how everyday waste can be reimagined as powerful artistic media.

Beyond personal development, Makata’s involvement in workshops reflects a commitment to mentorship and shared learning. Such platforms have enabled him to exchange ideas, refine techniques, and contribute to emerging conversations around contemporary African art and global artistic practice.

PRESENTATION/INTERVIEWS

Obinna Makata has been the subject of notable interviews that have brought wider attention to his artistic vision, process, and growing influence within contemporary African art. Through conversations with journalists, curators, and cultural platforms, he has shared insights into the ideas that shape his practice and the social realities that inform his work.

His interviews frequently explore themes central to his oeuvre, including identity, race, history, urban transformation, and the effects of consumer culture in modern African cities. Speaking on his use of found and discarded materials, Makata has explained how waste objects can be transformed into meaningful sculptural forms that challenge habits of excess while preserving traces of everyday life. These discussions reveal an artist deeply concerned with both material memory and social change. Among his most recognized media features was his appearance on CNN’s African Voices in 2018, where his practice was introduced to an international audience through a forty-minute documentary profile. The feature highlighted his creative journey, studio process, and the significance of his work within the wider landscape of African contemporary art.