Alexia Wright: You have shared that writing was your initial method of artistic expression. What kinds of subjects did you write about, and what led you to make the leap into visual art?
Osinachi: As a kid, I read a lot and that led me to want to write. Most of the books that I read were written by Western authors. So I was basically writing white, let me put it that way.
I wanted to create illustrations to go along with my writing. I used Microsoft Word to type my manuscripts. Naturally, I just thought that this is for word processing, if I could type words, maybe I could also create illustrations. I found the drawing tools in Microsoft Word and I started to learn to use them. At some point, I felt that the illustrations were stories in and of themselves.
This led me to focus on the visual aspect; it became a more urgent way to tell stories.
It became something that I liked even more. Around this time, I bought visual art books that had information about the Masters and the Renaissance. Seeing beautiful artworks in these books led me to want to create something similar to share the rich stories I wanted to tell. This was before 2010 when I got into the university and then it continued as a hobby until around 2014 when I started thinking of visual art as a profession.
Am, 2019
AW: Which of the stories that you wrote stands out as being special to you?
Osinachi: I wrote a short story titled 'Broken,' which was about an African man taken into slavery. The story covered his experience from being on a ship to arriving at the destination. I also remember writing a short story about two girls from different backgrounds in Nigeria who fall in love, titled 'No More Birds.' This story was published on africanwriters.com. These stories draw from my personal experiences. Whether it's LGBTQ rights or women's rights, I still sort of move them from the writing into my visual arts.
AW: Many of us use Microsoft Word regularly and leaping from writing to making art with it seems mind-blowing. What did those first visual explorations with Microsoft Word look like?
Osinachi: My first foray into using Word to create something visual was to make popular brand logos. My first creation was the logo of the Nigeria Television Authority. I chose to make this because it was very simple. I had to use different types of squares, align them, and add color. With a few adjustments, I recreated the exact image. My process has changed over the years. Right now, the focus is more on choosing images I have taken of people. With the vision I have in mind, I use the reference image and then get to work on Microsoft Word. I include the subjects in the work, and there are many other elements I bring into the piece that are not in the reference image but help to portray or strengthen the message I am trying to convey.
Layering is a big part of the process. For example, the work behind me is based on a selfie from the WhatsApp status of an acquaintance. When I saw it, I thought the angle was great for a portrait, so I took the photo and used it as a reference image. The skin of the subject is a collage of newspapers filtered to give that feeling. I used the drawing tool to create the pattern of the shirt and I drew the flowers in the background in Word as well. I use a variety of techniques and tools within Word based on what I want to do. The subject's lips are orange. I like for them to be orange because, for me, it is about bringing out softness in masculinity. Masculinity does not have to be hard. A man can be confident in his masculinity, and he does not have to be toxic in displaying it. That is what the lips in many of my works represent.
I used the drawing tool to create the pattern in the shirt, I drew the flowers in the background in Word as well. I use a variety of techniques and tools within Word based on what I want to do.
Hi Is Also For Home, 2021
AW: Men are a prominent subject in your work, what inspires the focus on this subject matter?
Osinachi: It is part of my roots. In Nigeria, we have three major ethnic groups: Igbo, Hausa, and Yoruba, and I am part of the Igbo. Just as in many other African cultures and traditions, the man is seen as the head, the man is seen as number one, and the man decides whatever happens in the home. Of course, there are a few exceptions. For example, when a woman has achieved so much she is given the status of a man. That also happens in my culture.
I grew up in Southeast Nigeria seeing a lot of toxic masculinity. Boys were expected to become men, in the traditional sense of being a man. But I grew up differently, seeing others doing their thing, running amok in the streets and all of that, and I just wanted to stay inside and read.
I was closer to my mom growing up and, from her, I learned empathy. This has given me the revelation that we are all equal, no matter our gender. I came to have the belief that a woman can be a full person, a woman is a full person. She does not need the validation of men, she does not need the instructions of men, she does not need to be policed by men.
In my work, masculinity is about trying to eliminate that toxicity. I aim to show that a woman is complete and that a man can be complete without being toxic.
Let’s Dance I, 2023
AW: Your work often focuses on the male body, yet you also have powerful pieces like The Future is Female, where women are prominently featured. How do you decide what to focus on in your artwork?
Osinachi: My process is quite a long one. When I get the vision to make an artwork, it stays in my head for a long time. Then, I have to deal with the procrastination that artists often face before I finally settle down to create. Yet, the work becomes the work because the initial vision I have might not be exactly what the work turns out to be.
As I go through the process of creating, the work just sort of becomes what it wants to be.
The Future is Female, 2021
AW: Given that the final product may differ from your initial vision, how do you know when a work of art is complete?
Osinachi: I just know when the work is done. If I reach a point where I have achieved or even gone beyond my initial vision, then the work is done. If I have fallen short of that vision, then the work is not complete.
When I am working, I know the work is done by just looking at it. Microsoft Word gives me time to examine the work closely because it freezes up a lot of the time. Sometimes I am looking at the work while waiting for the process to finish—listening to the fan making noise—and I just keep looking until I can get back into it. This gives me enough opportunity to reflect and ask myself if I have achieved what I wanted.
To go back to what I was saying earlier, I do not believe in boxing myself in as an artist when it comes to subject matter. As an individual and as an artist, I have certain core beliefs, and cardinal things I believe in, and these naturally seep into my work. Sometimes, they even become the entirety of my work.
So, beyond toxic masculinity, women's rights, and LGBTQ rights, I allow myself to explore other themes. For example, in my 2021 series Different Shades of Water, which was exhibited at the 1-54 Art Fair, I focused on placing the Black body beside a body of water. This may seem to deviate from the subjects my work is primarily known for, but it did not entirely. I learned from people, especially People of Color, that this was significant for them because, due to racism, many Black people never had the opportunity or access to public pools to learn how to swim. So, I guess it ties in, but what I am trying to say is that I do not box myself in as an artist. I am open to exploring, whether it is in terms of process, subject matter, and beyond.
AW: When you shared your work Staff of Disobedience on Instagram, you asked: “What makes me a MAN? What makes me MALE? Now, what makes me HUMAN? What does the society think of me when I'm just being myself? Am I being disobedient or just living?” How do these questions relate to your perspective on how identity and gender are perceived in society?
Osinachi: Identity and gender are often non-issues that we sometimes turn into big issues. I am glad you asked this question because just this morning, reports came in that a popular crossdresser in Nigeria was killed last night in Abuja. It shows how much senseless hate people can muster just because someone is not living their life the way they do, even when that person is not harming anyone in society.
Some men embrace their masculinity but express it differently—whether by wearing a dress, a tiara, or a pair of stilettos. For me, that kind of expression should be encouraged in society. The key point is whether what they are doing harms you or anyone else. If it does not, then let them be. That is how they express themselves, and there is something even deeper if you take the time to be curious and ask questions.
So instead of anger and hatred, I suggest curiosity. People should be open-minded and learn. These are themes I explore in my work—I show men wearing dresses or dressed in unconventional ways, and to me, that is valid and even beautiful.
You should be curious about why someone is expressing themselves that way, and maybe you will learn something valuable for your own life.
We are often taught to live in a rigid, conforming way, but I always tell my friends that I am not going to live an average life where you finish university, get married, have kids, and so on. Some people deviate from that path and live life on their terms.
Staff of Disobedience, 2020
AW: Your art often features LGBTQ individuals and embraces a philosophy where “presence is protest.” Given Nigeria’s strict anti-LGBTQ laws and limited freedom of expression, how does your work serve as a form of resistance?
Osinachi:
I believe that the best way to show resistance is to be visible. If the state, religious groups, or individuals try to push you into the background, the strongest form of resistance is to show that you exist.
For me, existence itself is a form of protest. You do not have to carry a sign and request that you want to exist and that you need space to exist. You can simply be yourself and tune out the criticism and noise from others.
The danger in this is real—you could lose your life, as the person I mentioned earlier did. But there is power in unity, which is why we have LGBTQ+ groups that come together to protect their rights and support one another. As an individual, you stand a higher risk, but as a group, your collective visibility is a powerful form of protest.
‘Existence as protest’ has always been the underlying theme in my work.
You see it in the way I portray single mothers who choose to raise children without a man in their lives. For example, in one of my works, a woman is posing with a child in her arms and another by her side. In front of her is a packet of biscuits and a container of powder, which is a tradition in this part of the world when a woman gives birth. These items are shared with visitors to celebrate the birth, inviting joy into their own lives. So, for me, it’s about putting out these works with my subjects as they are, so people can see and understand that these are just people being themselves.
Nwa Bu Ihe Nrite, 2019
AW: Many of the subjects in your work seem to engage directly with the viewer, creating a deep connection, even though they lack eyes. Can you share your thoughts on perspective in your works and the choice to omit this feature?
Osinachi: Over the years I wanted to develop a unique style and voice, and I eventually came up with what I am known for today. When first started creating, I painted the eyes on a subject, but when I looked at it, something did not seem right, so I removed them. I realized it looked better without the eyes, and I decided to stick with that.
It has now become my signature style. I think this choice allows people to scan the work more thoroughly. If the eyes were there, they might be tempted to focus solely on them and miss other details. Without knowing where the subject is looking, the viewer is encouraged to explore all aspects of the piece.
I want the subjects in my work to communicate with viewers non-verbally, just by being themselves.
The artwork itself is complete; everything in it contributes to that world. I want viewers to see all the elements within the work and piece them together, like in mathematics or arithmetic, to tell the story of the subject. Whether there’s one subject or more, everything around them adds to that story.
Prostate of the Arsist - 32, 2023
AW: During your time as the inaugural digital artist-in-residence at the Toledo Museum of Art, you completed "Abitt: The Second Renaissance is Coming," which was showcased and sold by Christie’s at Art Basel Miami. How was your perspective on digital art and its place within traditional art institutions influenced by your residency?
Osinachi: The residency itself was a surprise when I got the call to do it. I think it shows where we are at when it comes to contemporary and digital art, showing how museums are engaging with digital artists and digital art. Technology and blockchain have played a vital role in allowing this to happen. However, we still need these institutions to validate what we do as digital artists because digital art is often dismissed as nonsense.
For years, digital artists have created work for corporations and brands just to get paid, but now web3 is allowing digital artists to create real value for their work.
Although it will take time for the quality of digital art to be fully recognized, there are already artists, like Grant Yun and Sarah Friend, creating high-quality work in this medium. Museums, with their long history and experience, are beginning to acknowledge and integrate digital art into their collections and discourse.
What the Toledo Museum of Art wanted to accomplish through the residence program was to bring an artist to Toledo to commune with the collection and the museum, to be in Toledo, understand Toledo, see Toledo, and create art digitally that would be like the center of everything that has been done at the residency.
The residency also gave the museum a chance to learn about digital art and web3, educating their community about NFTs and crypto art. Adam Levine, the director, understands the evolving art landscape and is leading the museum to support and promote digital artists.
My experience in Toledo, my first time in the US, was wonderful. The work Abitt: The Second Renaissance Is Coming was the culmination of my residency. For me, it was not just about digital art but also about exploring Toledo—a quiet town in Ohio with potential beyond its glass industry.
Abitt: The Second Renaissance Is Coming, 2023
AW: During the residency, you experimented with physical materials like stained glass. How did this experience impact your artistic practice?
Osinachi: I am an artist who works digitally, and when I want to create, I just go straight to Microsoft Word. This experience opened my mind to other possibilities. For example, I translated one of my digital works into glass, and now it is in the museum collection. The experts at the museum’s Glass Pavilion were very helpful—they understood glass, I shared my vision, and we worked together to achieve that. This gave me the idea that I do not have to be solely a digital artist. I can explore various styles, techniques, and mediums.
That is the beautiful thing about residencies: even if you are ambitious as an artist and want to explore different things, you might not always have the resources. Residencies provide those resources and the time to try out new things. I am glad this is happening for artists like me because, without opportunities like this, we might just stick to our work in web3, which could lead to monotony in what we do. Residencies like this switch things up and spark a fire that some digital artists didn’t even know they had.
AW: Scenes by the pool are a frequent motif in your artwork. What draws you to depict these scenes, and what emotions or ideas are you hoping to evoke through these settings?
Osinachi:
I like to push myself. I do not want to do the same thing over and over again. I want the works I create today to be better than the ones I made yesterday.
In 2021, I reached a point in my practice where I felt I needed to challenge myself in how I used Microsoft Word to create art. I thought of David Hockney’s body of work, where he explored and painted pools, and I wondered if I could do something similar in Word.
It was originally supposed to be just one piece; a black body by the pool. I wanted to see if I could create a believable body of water that someone would look at and say, 'Oh, that’s a pool,' and believe it is a pool, even though it was created using Microsoft Word. That was my goal. However, I ended up creating five artworks in the series. It also became political, as I mentioned when it was shown at 1-54 Art Fair, highlighting what it meant for Black people to see a Black person by the poolside. But really, the series was inspired by David Hockney.
I was trying to explore play and work—because when you are done working, it is time to play. You have to prioritize play; that’s very important.
Man in the Pool III, 2021
AW: Your diptych Candy, Capsules, and Molly will be auctioned with Tribul. What did you want to explore through this work?
Osinachi: The work was originally meant to be just one artwork, not a diptych. I wanted that one artwork to feature a subject surrounded by different capsules, molly, and candy to show escape—how we can easily get addicted to sugar and drugs prescribed by healthcare workers (even after they have served their purpose), and how drugs and money can be seen as forms of escape.
The work took a different turn, and I started thinking about the idea of addiction. I decided to make it a diptych—two artworks that are the same and go hand in hand. The beauty of the work, in my opinion, is in the details. As an artist working with Microsoft Word, accomplishing that level of detail was an achievement.
Candy, Capsules, and Molly, 2024
The diptych became a way to explore the theme of escape, whether through drugs, sugar, or candy. The work has taken on a life of its own, and I want people to see what they see in it. There’s a reference to church windows, symbolizing the idea of trying to escape addiction through religion.
The work is about escape, whether we are talking about using drugs, sugar or candy. The subjects are just in their underpants, which to me represents vulnerability—a willingness to let go of addiction and embrace recovery, to be truly themselves without relying on drugs to escape their problems."
AW: What story did you aim to tell with this piece?
Osinachi: I want people to see the work through their own eyes. It is not about what I wanted to make. The work becomes the work, and once it goes out there it has its own life.
There is a reference to a church and the work is about trying to escape drugs through religion. The subjects are in their underpants so that to me shows vulnerability. What I tried to show is the subjects ready to let go of their addiction and to give themselves over to recovery and not trying to escape their problems using drugs.
AW: Being an early crypto artist and the first successful crypto artist from Africa uniquely positions you. How do you see yourself influencing other African artists?
Osinachi: I always think about my position in the space and in the art world, and how it ties to other African artists emerging from the continent. I see myself as someone who has to show how it should be done, even though I expect others to do even better.
What I mean by this is that I always say to people that it is important to tell authentic stories through the work you create. People should not be telling stories just because others are telling them, even if those stories are popular and you want your work to gain popularity. They should be telling authentic stories—African stories if they are from Africa.
When artists from different parts of the world—Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa—bring their works together, you see different experiences, but at the center of it all is humanity. We all have different experiences, but humanity binds us together. If African artists start making artworks that are like those of American artists, neglecting their roots and experiences, then they are not doing the art world any favors. They are not doing us a favor.
When all the works start looking the same, it’s like walking into a room that’s full of beds—where are the chairs? Where are the carpets? It’s these different elements that come together to make art what it is: an experience that is exciting all the time.
I hope that through my work, doors will open for other artists. I have personally helped several African artists get into certain collaborations and projects, and I hope that continues because it is really about giving Africa a platform. I also think that, in the web3 space, African artists are largely ignored. If I was not in the space from the start, I might not be getting the attention I am receiving now as an artist from this part of the world.
AW: If you had to pick one of your works that best represents you as an artist which piece would you pick and why?
Osinachi: I would pick my series Different Shades of Water. That is the first body of work that I would say officially announced me to the traditional art world and made people in traditional art take notice of what is happening in web3. For some of them, it was the first time they saw something called an NFT that was not a CryptoPunk or a CryptoKitty. The media had mostly shown them collectibles, but there is also fine art in this space. That was the first time they were able to see it, and I like to think it opened their minds to explore other artists creating fine digital art within this space.
Pool Day II - Portrait of an Artist, 2021
Osinachi is a visual artist from Nigeria who creates digital works using Microsoft Word. His work focuses on the African body and frequently explores themes related to the LGBTQ community, masculinity, and women’s independence, confronting societal norms with vibrant everyday scenes. During his recent residency at the Toledo Museum of Art, he created the work "Abitt: The Second Renaissance is Coming," which was showcased and sold by Christie’s at Art Basel Miami. He is a.feature artist in the Taschen book On NFTs, his works are in the permanent collection of the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, they have been exhibited with Kate Vass Galerie and Galerie Nagel Draxler, and they have also been auctioned at Sotheby’s.
Alexia Wright is the Head of Social Media and Marketing at Tribul, combining her passion for art with her expertise in content creation, community management, and stakeholder relations. Alexia holds a Master of Arts degree and has extensive leadership experience. She enjoys keeping her pulse on the latest art news and trends in web3.