My name is Oluwafemi Omoboriowo, I reflect a contemporary exploration of human realities through my art, which blends originality with hyper-realism. My work is mostly focused on portraiture, which allows me to capture each subject’s individuality, emotions, and resemblance, allowing me to explore and describe the human condition. Drawing portraits will enable me to explore and depict a range of emotions, as faces are a rich source of emotional expression. On a shared and intimate level, this investigation involves the audience, the topic, and myself.
I’m a mixed media artist but my preferred medium is Charcoal and Graphite pencils. Graphite and charcoal have a certain immediacy and versatility that really speak to my artistic perspective. I can explore the intricacies of the human experience through the rich, velvety blacks of charcoal and the gentle gradients of graphite; every stroke turns into a meditation on identity, emotion, and the unspoken stories that are hidden in every wrinkle and skin contour.
My hyper-realistic technique aims to capture the spirit of my subjects—their problems, strengths, and stories—rather than merely reproducing reality. By revealing the inner lives of the people I represent, even in the smallest aspects, I hope to reach beyond the surface. Each line and shadow is a conscious decision, a conversation between the subject and me, and eventually between the viewer and the artwork.
Through my art, I hope to offer a space for reflection and connection. Each portrait invites us to pause and reflect on the nuances of human expression, to discover empathy and understanding in our common complexity of existence.
Teesside University’s MA in Fine Art program has greatly enhanced and broadened my creative practice. The program has given me the space and resources to not only improve my hyper-realistic pencil portrait technique but also to push beyond my previous limitations. I’ve had the opportunity to experiment with new mediums, such as acrylics and fabrics, which I’ve started incorporating into my work. This material blending has resulted in exciting new textures and layers in my hyper-realistic portraits, allowing for a more dynamic and multidimensional exploration of the human figure.
Engaging with contemporary art themes and methods has inspired me to reconsider traditional portraiture concepts. I can now experiment with combining the meticulous detail of pencil work with the larger, more abstract expressions of acrylic and fabric, which adds depth and context to my portraits. This shift has been transformative, allowing me to tell more complex stories through my work.
Overall, my MA experience has improved my technical proficiency while providing me with new creative outlets and enhancing my capacity to convey more complex themes and feelings through my artwork.
