Oyewole Lawal
Oyewole Lawal (born December 8, 1998) is a Nigerian visual artist and documentary photographer based in Lagos. With a strong academic foundation in Sociology from the University of Lagos, his work engages with themes of social structures, challenge stigma, drives awareness, and honours grassroots climate action and trigger conversation around consumption rate, and everyday life in contemporary Nigeria. Raised in an average Nigerian family, he attended CMS Grammar School and King’s College Lagos, where his interest in storytelling began to evolve.
Oyewole’s sociological perspective continues to shape his visual language, enabling him to create work that is both introspective, debunk some social construct and also create work around socially awareness. He has refined his practice through residencies and mentorships at institutions including the Nlele Institute, Art Work Project, Nigeria Institute of Journalism, and G.A.S Foundation. He has also participated in programs such as the Vital Impact Mentorship, StoryMi Academy, Dikan Institute, and VII Academy.
His growing portfolio has earned him recognition at home and abroad.
Oyewole is a recipient of the Eugene Smith Student Grant and the Emerging Lens Mentorship and Grant.
His work has been exhibited at PhotoVogue Festival (Italy), Iwalewahaus (Germany), and 234 Art Fair (Lagos), and featured in Mother Jones (USA), AP Magazine (UK), The Republic (Nigeria), among others.