Collection: Tola Wewe 🇳🇬

Tola Wewe (b. 1959) is a visual artist from Ondo State in Nigeria. He worked as a cartoonist before becoming a full-time studio artist in 1991. He is a founding member of Ona Movement - a group of scholars, critics and practising artists committed to pursuing artistic excellence through the adaptation and interpretation of traditional materials and methods, forms and styles of contemporary Yoruba art and design. He has participated in various group shows locally and internationally, as well as many solo exhibitions. Wewe was once a Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in Ondo State in Nigeria. Even whilst holding a governmental position, he continued to find time to paint, promoting tourism in Ondo which contributed to Nigerian tourism as a whole. During his tenure, he was responsible for the organisation of the Mare annual Festival, which involved mountain climbing, cultural activities like music, dance, drama and marathon race. He organised the first international conference on culture in Akure, where international scholars, culture practitioners from different parts of the world came together to discuss ‘Culture and the Challenges of Development in Nigeria. Wewe credits his style of painting to the Ona symbols of the Yoruba culture. This he said remains his main source of inspiration, and his themes dwell on the traditional myths of his native Yoruba culture.