Uzo Egonu

**Uzo Egonu** // ⓘ (25 December 1931 – 14 August 1996) na he be Nigerian-born artist wey settle insyd Britain insyd de 1940s, only once wey he return go ein homeland for two days insyd de 1970s, although he remain concerned plus African political struggles. According to Rasheed Araeen, na Egonu "perhaps be de first person from Africa, Asia anaa de Caribbean wey cam Britain after de War plus de sole intention say he go cam turn artist." According to critic Molara Wood, "Egonu ein work merge European den Igbo traditions but chaw significantly, place Africa as de touchstone of modernism. In combining de visual languages of Western den African art, he help redefine de boundaries of modernism, thereby e challenge de European myth of de naïve, primitive African artist.""

## Ein Biography
Dem born am insyd Onitsha, Nigeria, na Egonu dey ein early teens wey for 1945 he first travel go England. He already start dey draw as na he dey attend Sacred Heart College, Calabar, before he lef go UK, he eventually study Fine Arts den Typography for Camberwell School of Arts den Crafts, London, from 1949 go 1952, wey he go participate insyd sam number of exhibitions.

For later years insyd he suffer two heart attacks den deteriorating eyesight, wey for 14 August 1996 insyd he die for London.

## Ein Style den legacy
De subject of study by Olu Oguibe entitled *Uzo Egonu: An African Artist insyd de West* (1995), dem sana dey Egonu sana dey describe  as "perhaps Africa ein greatest modern painter". Eddie Chambers comment for Egonu ein "remarkable ability say he go fi render landscapes den cityscapes as compelling den fascinating geometrical configurations, each very different insyd ein representational aspects." Ein work feature insyd de 2015–16 exhibition *No Colour Bar: Black British Art in Action 1960–1990* for de Guildhall Art Gallery, City of London.

## Ein Selected exhibitions

; Ein Solo

* 2004: *Uzo Egonu ein London*, Museum of London, London
* 1997: *Uzo Egonu: Past den Present insyd de Diaspora*, InIVA
* 1986: *Uzo Egonu Now 1986: Stateless People*, Royal Festival Hall, London

; Ein Group

* 2015: *No Colour Bar: Black British Art insyd Action 1960–1990*, Guildhall Art Gallery, London
* 2001: D*e Short Century*, Villa Stuck, Munich, Germany; House of World Cultures, Berlin, Germany
* 1997: *Transforming de Crown: African, Asian den Caribbean Artists insyd Britain 1966–1996*, New York City
* 1990: Herbert Art Gallery den Museum, Coventry
* 1989: D*e Other Story: Afro-Asian Artists insyd Post-War Britain*, Hayward Gallery, London
* 1986: *Third World Within*, Brixton Art Gallery, London (31 March–22 April)
* 1975: *Ljubljana Graphic Art Biennial*, Graphic Art Biennial, Ljubljana, Slovenia
* 1973: Commonwealth Institute Art Gallery, London

## References


## Read further

* Eddie Chambers, "Uzo Egonu den Contemporary African Art insyd Britain, insyd *Black Artists insyd British Art: A History Since de 1950s*, I.B. Tauris, 2014, pp.&nbsp;56–73.  .
* Olu Oguibe, ''Uzo Egonu: An African Artist insyd de West'', Third Text Publications, 1995.  ISBN&nbsp;.

## External links

* Layla Gatens, "Artistic Insight: Uzo Egonu", NoColourBar blog, 5 November 2015.
* Uzo Egonu works at De Tate.