Tunde Afolayan, a Nigerian native, continues to make a significant impact on people through his paintings and mixed-media expressions. He is a graduate of the prestigious Yaba College of Technology 'Yaba School' Lagos-Nigeria and University of Missouri-Columbia; MO. Exploring color as the basis of painting, Tunde infuses spiritualism and symbolism in his powerful lyrical expressions.

His thematic compositions captured in vibrant colors allow figurative images to adopt expressive, abstract qualities as well as representational styles. Tunde’s spontaneous, energetic gestures create splashes, strokes, and heavily layered areas that reveal the confident control of his painting media for clarity of expressions. His color pallet tempered with strong and vibrant hues exemplifies his powerful traditional African roots and aesthetics.

Tunde’s paintings are held in private and corporate collections throughout the world. His paintings have been exhibited in galleries and museums in Nigeria, Europe and United States.

Artist's Statement

''I believe in fervor and visual metaphors. The use of traditional symbolism, expressive imageries and vibrant colors in my paintings are prominently emphasized to elicit profound aesthetic responses and evoke critical dialogues. However, the use of vibrant colors is more than just a visual feast; they are intended to elevate human experience to a higher level of spiritual harmony.

I continue to explore and experiment while expressing passion for natural forms, beauties, and mysteries including imagined realities with the elements of color, space and texture. This allows me to express my fascination with structured improvisation and poetic metaphors. My approaches to painting may be technically complex as they are spatially; they epitomize a celebration of artistic freedom...''