Ben Enwonwu
| Ben Enwonwu | |
|---|---|
| Born | 14 July 1921 Onitsha, Anambra, Nigeria |
| Died | 5 February 1994 (aged 72) Ikoyi, Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Known for | Painter and sculptor |
| Movement | Modern African Art |
| Awards | Shell Petroleum Scholarship, National Merit Award, Commonwealth Certificate in London, Officer of the National Order of the Republic in Senegal, Member of the Order of the British Empire, & National Order of Merit in Nigeria |
Odinigwe Benedict Chukwukadibia Enwonwu MBE (14 July 1917 – 5 February 1994), better known as Ben Enwonwu, was a Nigerian painter and sculptor. He is one of the pioneers whose career opened the way for the postcolonial proliferation and increased visibility of modern African art, and was the first Nigerian contemporary artist to win international acclaim. His work has been exhibited around the world. The Enwonwu crater on the planet Mercury is named in his honour.
Ben Enwonwu was born a twin on 14 July 1917 into the noble family of Umueze-Aroli in Onitsha, Nigeria. His father, Omenka Odigwe Emeka Enwonwu, was a technician who worked with the Royal Niger Company; he was also a member of the Onitsha Council of Chiefs and a traditional sculptor of repute. He was a reputable traditional sculptor who created office stools and decorated doors with religious images. His mother, Ilom was a successful cloth merchant.
In 1934, Enwonwu studied Fine Arts under Kenneth C. Murray at Government Colleges, Ibadan and Umuahia, 1934–37. Murray was an education officer in charge of art education in the colonial civil service and later director of antiquities. Enwonwu attended Goldsmith College, London, in 1944, then continued his studies at Ruskin College, Oxford, England, from 1944 to 1946, at Ashmolean College and Slade School of Fine Arts, Oxford, 1946–48, graduating with first-class honours. During their time together, Enwonwu became Murray’s assistant and was recognized as one of the most gifted and technically proficient student of the “Murray Group”. In 1937, Murray exhibited Enwonwu’s work at the Zwemmer Gallery in London The period of study under Murray marked the beginning of Enwonwu’s formal education in art. He took postgraduate courses in anthropology and ethnography at the University of California and Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge.
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