- City
- Thorold
- Booth
- Nathan Phillips Square
Booth 512
Emmanuel Akolo
Emmanuel Akolo Olusegun is a Nigerian-born, Niagara-based visual artist whose practice bridges two worlds: the precision of a civil engineering degree from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, and a deeply expressive, self-taught approach to figurative painting.
Working primarily with acrylics and charcoal, Akolo builds richly textured surfaces through layers of expressive brushwork and an intimate “fingerprinting” technique that embeds his personal mark directly into the canvas.
His figurative works, characterized by earthy tones, bold contrasts, and sculptural depth, engage themes of identity, human resilience, social justice, and the enduring bonds between people. He describes life as an “unfinished narrative,” and his paintings reflect that ongoing, evolving story.
Akolo has exhibited widely across Canada and Nigeria. Recent highlights include his debut solo exhibition Unfinished Narratives (Niagara Falls, 2026), Reclaiming Narratives: A Black Resistance (St. Catharines, 2025), Melanin & Masterpieces (Art Gallery of Hamilton, 2025), and the Niagara Falls Juried Art Exhibition (2025), where he was awarded Best in Show. He also received 2nd Place at the Art Gallery of Hamilton’s Live Painting Competition in 2025, and holds a residency at Niagara Falls Exchange Art Studios.
His reach extends well beyond traditional gallery walls. In 2023, Saatchi Art recognized him as the sole Nigerian artist on their 23 Artists to Collect list, and in 2026, Singulart featured him among their West African Artists to Watch and Global Emerging Artists to Watch. His paintings are available globally through licensing partnerships with Samsung Frame TV and LG Gallery TV+. He is a recipient of grants from the Ontario Arts Council and the Toronto Outdoor Art Fair Arts Encounters Program. His work is held in private collections across Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Nigeria, Hong Kong, and France.
Akolo is a member of the Niagara Artist Centre, CARFAC Ontario, and Artsy.net.
