I’m carrying on an African tradition through my art – Kip Omolade

How did you find art or how did art find you? Children’s books were my first introduction to art. At a young age, it occurred to me that actual people drew and wrote stories that created worlds full of life and drama. I would hold those books and run around with them perhaps in an […]

How did you find art or how did art find you?

Children’s books were my first introduction to art. At a young age, it occurred to me that actual people drew and wrote stories that created worlds full of life and drama. I would hold those books and run around with them perhaps in an attempt to absorb their creativity.

As a young artist you had the chance to intern at Marvel Comics. How did that influence your career trajectory as an artist and how did it influence your work?

When I interned at Marvel Comics, I was pursuing a career as a comic book artist. While the experience was exhilarating, it actually pushed me toward a path in fine arts. At Marvel, deadlines, editors, story continuity, etc restrained artists, but I wanted more freedom with creating art. I didn’t mind restraints but I wanted to create my own.

The experience at Marvel Comics, however, still influences my work. Diovadiova Chrome connects to Marvel characters like The Silver Surfer whose entire face and body had a reflective metallic surface.

And what comic books did you have the opportunity of working on while at Marvel?

My internship included a lot of grunt work: Xeroxing, filing, sorting mail, drawing and inking backgrounds, erasing pencil marks for the main artists but I don’t remember any specific comic books.

Before you went into creating the Chrome masks, you were a graffiti artist. How did you make the jump from graffiti to masks? What inspired this change?

The “jump from graffiti art to masks” is actually a journey of many smaller steps. It included comic book art, illustration, painting from life, fantasy art and a lot of experimentation. I never felt like I belonged to any defined genre, but the Diovadiova Chrome masks became a way to incorporate different areas of my experience as an artist.

Your famous chrome masks are inspired or influenced by the Benin and Ife Bronze masks. Can you explain the connection and the relationship?

There is a stylistic and historical link between Diovadiova Chrome and ancient Benin ivory masks and Ife bronze heads. Similar to those early artists, my work also uses a casting method to produce realistic shiny sculptures to express notions of humanity and immortality. We also use African features to embody and celebrate a universal higher power.

And instead of just creating hyper- realistic masks, you go ahead to create oil paintings from them. Why did you decide to go further?

The paintings always came first. The chrome masks were always meant to serve as models for the paintings. One day, I may exhibit the masks on their own as works of art.

That would be interesting to see. What is the idea and philosophy behind the  Diovadiova Chrome series? What do you intend to achieve with it?

Diovadiova is a word I constructed from the words “dio” which is the Italian word for god and “diva” which means goddess in the historic sense. Originally, I explored the relationship between deities and celebrities but now the project has expanded to express the sacred divinity that lies within everyone.

I understand you use models in creating these masks. What is the process of creating these art works?

I make a mold and cast of each model’s face. I rework the cast plaster sculpture, produce a version in resin and add a chrome layer. When I work on portraits of women I add artificial eyelashes to give an exaggerated sense of personality and beauty. Photographs of the sculpted model in various lighting and settings served as references for oil painting.

Having been born and lived all your life in the U.S, how important is it for you to establish this connection with Nigeria through art?

Almost every African American feels a connection to Africa. For me, I wanted to communicate with those Nigerian artists from the past who used a realistic representational style. Although realistic oil painting is usually linked to Europe, I actually feel like I’m carrying on an African tradition.

Are you thinking of showcasing your works in Nigeria? Will there be an exhibition of your work in Nigeria?

I would love to exhibit my work in Nigeria! Hopefully, the right people who see this article will make that happen. 

After this series, what else are you thinking of doing? Do you foresee your work taking a different trajectory from here?

I have dozens of plans, which will continue to expand on Diovadiova Chrome. I see Diovadiova like the children’s books and comic books from my youth, it’s my way of creating my own world.

You also do some work for powerhouses Nike and Sony. What kind of works have you done for them?

For Nike I worked on conceptual work for a mural project. I collaborated with Sony Music to produce Fantasia’s album cover.

When Kip Omolade is not being Kip Omolade the artist, what do you do?

When I’m not being Kip Omolade the artist, I spend time with family and friends, watch TV and go to the movies.