Exploring Self Through Art with Chigozie Obi
Chigozie Obi
On Art as a Form of Therapy, Freedom, and the Power of Women’s Stories
Chigozie Obi is a multidimensional artist whose art is made with various materials like pencils, paper, digital drawing, prints, and paint to narrate stories influenced by personal and societal encounters. She covers themes such as the complexities and simplicity of human life, interpretations of beauty, community, cultural and societal narratives especially concerning women, mental health, activism, self-acceptance and healing. These themes are not only reflective of her personal journey as a woman but also serve as timestamps and a bridge to connect with other women who share similar experiences.
Chigozie Obi’s journey as an artist began in secondary school, where she first explored art through Fine Art classes as she didn’t grow up surrounded by art. During a six-month academic break before entering the University of Lagos she started drawing more which gave her the opportunity to develop her skills further. Encouraged by her aunt and cousin, she decided to pursue a degree in Visual Arts. Despite limited formal instruction at the university, Chigozie remained committed to her practice, often learning independently.
She obtained a bachelor's degree of Visual Arts from the Creative Arts department, University of Lagos in 2017. Her work has been featured in several exhibitions and sales, which include, ‘In Stillness of Being’, Yenwa Gallery, Lagos, Nigeria (2024), ‘Celebrating Identities’, AG18 Gallery, Vienna, Austria (2024), ‘Modern Matriarchs’, Windsor Gallery, Lagos, Nigeria (2024), ‘to mention a few.
Chigozie Obi joined me to have a conversation about art, the beauty and depth in what she creates, and how much time, energy, emotion, and unseen effort goes into her art.
Chigozie’s paintings
In three words, how would you describe your art?
Chigozie Obi: I would say it’s Multidisciplinary, because I work across a variety of materials and techniques. Colorful, since I use a lot of colors in my work. Relatable, because I aim to evoke shared emotions and experiences.
From my perspective, I would describe your work as relatable, beautiful, and worthy.
Chigozie Obi: I absolutely agree, those three words capture exactly what I strive for in my practice.
1. Tell us about your journey as a Visual Artist: when you started, how your art has evolved, and what moments in your life have deeply shaped the work you create today.
Chigozie Obi: My journey as an artist started back in secondary school, although then I honestly didn’t see art as something I could mainly do because I didn’t grow up around it or know much of it. But there was a six-month break before I was supposed to apply to study at the University of Lagos and during that time, I found myself drawing more. My aunt and cousin saw my work then and encouraged me to talk to my dad about studying art and spoke to him themselves as well, that support pushed me forward.
When I got into the university, we didn’t get much practical teaching, it was majorly theoretical and assignments, we had to figure out a lot of things on our own. It wasn’t until I went for my industrial training (IT) that everything changed. I met artists who had studios and were making a living from their work, and that was the first time it truly clicked for me. “I could do this too”. Then I began practicing more intentionally and building a career. After that experience, I moved away from the school approach and started doing things on my own terms. My mentor advised me to use my art to speak about the things I was passionate about and naturally talk about, it really helped shape my direction.
The passing of my mum was another deeply defining moment. My art has always been a way to express my emotions, but after her death, it became even more personal. I started capturing memories more intentionally, using my work as a way to hold on to them like a timestamp.
Life moves so quickly, and you never know what will happen, so I began documenting more of life through my art. That shift continues to influence everything I create today.
2. You explore life and speak up for women (body, beauty, and stereotypes) through your art. How do these themes come to life in your paintings?
Chigozie Obi: As a woman and a feminist, I am quite opinionated. I like to talk, to share, and to express myself and art became the perfect medium for that. It allows me to communicate my thoughts and beliefs to a wider audience in a way that feels natural and honest.
Growing up as a girl in this society, you are constantly confronted with stereotypes and expectations. Society has a lot to say about how women should look, behave, and exist. There’s so much pressure, and art became my way of responding to that. With my work, I aim to speak on these issues, raise awareness, and create connections—especially with other women. Even if someone doesn’t fully relate to what I’m saying, I want them to at least know how things are.
Most of the figures in my work are women because that’s who I naturally connect with. I want to share our stories, show that we are not alone in our experiences even in the moments when we are not actively fighting against something. I also want to capture us in a whole empowering light, using my style to celebrate who we are, positives and even negatives. A lot of the themes I explore are drawn from my own life or the lives of women around me. I may not have experienced everything I paint about, but being a woman I feel connected to these narratives, and I want to reflect that through my art.
3. What was the inspiration behind your piece, “Head Above Water”, you spent a lot of time, dedication and used this piece to channel your feelings. Was it healing in any way after you finished this piece?
Chigozie Obi: Yes, definitely. When I created ‘Head Above Water’, I was going through a really tough period. Like I have said before, I use my art to channel different emotions especially during difficult times. ‘Head Above Water’ was a direct reflection of how I was feeling at that moment. I felt like I was just trying to stay afloat, to keep my head up amidst everything I was dealing with.
Creating it helped me feel better. Art, for me, is a form of therapy. I take everything I’m feeling, put it into paper, canvas, print or whatever medium and let it lie there. I get to step back and look at it, almost like I’m looking at the emotion itself. Sometimes it feels like a release, like I’ve let something go instead of carrying it with me. So yes, it was definitely healing.
‘Head Above Water’ by Chigozie Obi
4. In a recent post, you mentioned imagining yourself as a ‘koi fish’, flowing freely in water when 'it's a lot to be human.' I found that really poetic. Do moments like that influence the kind of art you create or the materials you choose to work with?
Chigozie Obi: Yes, it does. My art is often influenced by how I’m feeling at any particular moment. Sometimes those feelings are deep, sometimes they’re light but they always guide what I create. Being human can be overwhelming, and in those moments, I find myself thinking about animals like fishes or birds, creatures that seem to have a kind of freedom we don’t. They can just swim or fly away, and there’s something really comforting and peaceful about that for me.
In terms of materials, what I create influences what I use. When I’m creating a large series or something more structured, I usually work with canvas. Canvas feels more serious to me, it allows for a more cohesive body of work and typically requires more planning and time for me.
But when I need to release something quickly, something raw or spontaneous, I usually turn to paper because it’s lighter and quicker to work with, it gives me the freedom to pour out what I’m feeling quickly and let them go. Sometimes I also use print. It really depends on the weight of the emotion and how I need to express it at that moment.
‘Free Flow’ by Chigozie Obi
5. Your piece “A Woman’s World", is what I will describe as gorgeous. But you mentioned feeling 'calmly exasperated' and I relate with you completely. The emotional toll of constantly witnessing injustice, yet continuing to resist it. How do you navigate the emotional weight of these realities in your creative process, and how do you hope this piece speaks to or holds space for other women who feel similarly?
Chigozie Obi: The emotional weight can get really heavy sometimes, and it can also affect my creative process. There are moments when the feelings become so strong that I just have to put something down, create, and share those emotions to get them out of me and also create awareness, while there are moments when I lack the motivation to create at all so I take breaks and rest or do other things till I get my groove back. Those are some ways of dealing with what’s happening around me.
When I create, I want it to be honest. Honesty is really important to me. I try to talk about things I truly relate to, things that others can connect with. So, I try not to force the creative process. If I’m feeling overwhelmed or if I don’t feel the need to create something about a particular issue at a certain time, I listen to that. It doesn’t mean I’m unaffected, it just means my spirit isn’t calling me to create right then.
Sometimes, while I’m working, I try not to think too much about how other people will receive it, so it doesn’t affect what I’m making. My focus is often on my own feelings and experiences, and sometimes the work is very personal rather than universal.
With ‘A Woman’s World’, I definitely knew other women would relate. Talking with friends, strangers, receiving general information online and offline helped shape the piece. Knowing that other women feel this same frustrated resistance inspires me. I want my work to give a voice to those who may not have one, or to offer a space where someone can see themselves and say, “Yeah, I’m not alone.” Sometimes that connection can help people feel understood and even a little better.
‘A Woman’s World’ by Chigozie Obi
6. Your art explores radical self-care and collective renewal in a women-only space. How does your work engage with the idea of community as a space for healing and resistance, especially for African women and how do you see art playing a role in building or nurturing that kind of collective care?
Chigozie Obi: For me, women are everything. Especially in my personal life, after my mum passed and I had to deal with grief, I realized how much my female friends helped me grow. I used to be very introverted and less confident, but having a community of women who love, care for, and support me has been instrumental to who I am today. Honestly, nothing compares to that.
Even seeing women I don’t know makes me feel better as a woman. Having a female community is so important, and it’s one of the things I hope every woman can experience. I like to talk about this in my work, sharing how my community has shaped me, encouraging women to find their own tribe or be that encouraging person in their circle(s).
In the society we live in, women are often expected to be subdued. We are raised to “not do too much” or “keep quiet.” But having a community, even women you don’t know who uplift you can empower you to step into your light, resist oppression, and pave the way for easier paths for future generations.
Through my art, I aim to show this and encourage women to build resistance and understand why the fight matters. Art can speak to young girls, older women, and everyone in between. Whether it’s visual art, music, or writing, these mediums help build communities of women who keep the conversation alive, speak up for themselves, and become their own person.
I believe art plays a crucial role in nurturing collective self-care. It’s powerful to see people creating work that reflects this. That’s how we build and sustain the communities we need.
‘Girl’s Night’ by Chigozie Obi
Can you mention a few women in your community who have been influential or supportive in your journey?
Chigozie Obi: There are so many incredible women in my community. Some of my closest friends who have been very supportive include Yadichinma Ukoha Kalu , Morenike Olunsanya, Amanda Iheme, Nengi Nelson, Yinka Babalola, Bolaji Ogunsoroye, Fiyin Koko, Adulphina Imuede,Tobi Afolabi, Tomi Adesina and many more. These women have been instrumental in my growth and continue to inspire and uplift me. I’m truly grateful to have them in my life.
7. Do you ever surprise yourself in the stories or emotions your art uncovers? And what do you hope viewers feel or take away when engaging with your art?
Chigozie Obi: Yes, I do surprise myself sometimes. For instance, during my last solo exhibition in November 2024 titled ‘In Stillness of Being‘, I worked closely with my curator, Nneoma Ilogu , who helped me dive deeper into myself and work. When I finished, I thought, “Wow, this is really great.” The show was received very well too, a lot of people connected to the point of crying which was a nice surprise. It’s rewarding to consistently push my limits, and sometimes I’m genuinely amazed by what I create emotionally. You don’t want to feel stagnant as an artist, and I like to create new things and awe at the possibility of me doing that.
When viewers engage with my art, I hope they experience that same sense of surprise, especially those who have been following my work for a while. I want them to feel something different, to be inspired to do better, to become more aware, or even to create art themselves. Honesty is central to my work, so even if they don’t consciously recognize it, I hope they feel that honesty. (laughs). It’s about connection, inspiration, learning, and sparking creativity. Those are the things I hope my art brings to people.
Chigozie Obi and her art works ‘Anchors’
What’s next for Chigozie Obi?
Chigozie Obi: (laughs) Honestly, I just really started working this year. Let’s see how the year unfolds. I have a few bodies of work in my head that I’m trying to bring to life, so right now, I’m focused on putting that work out first and seeing what follows. I’m really just entering work mode. But yes, expect more from me, more accomplishments, more great work, and beautiful art.
