Nigerian Visual Artist · Painter · Draftsman · Muralist
Benjamin Odeke — Beo Art
Benjamin Odeke, professionally known as Beo Art, is a Nigerian visual artist and founder of Beo Art Studio whose practice spans drawing, painting, portraiture, murals and contemporary visual experimentation.
His practice moves between commissioned work created for clients and independent original artwork developed from his own artistic interests, with selected available pieces published through the Beo Art Store.
The artist
About Benjamin Odeke
Working primarily across pencil, charcoal, oil and acrylic, Benjamin creates both commissioned and independent artwork across realistic, expressive and contemporary approaches.
His practice includes portraiture, figurative work, abstract and expressive painting, landscapes, large-scale murals and selected mixed-media or experimental projects.
Portraiture played an important role in the development of his career and remains one of his recognised areas of work, but it does not define the full extent of his artistic practice.
Across different subjects and mediums, his work explores people, memory, identity, culture, emotion and the relationship between an artwork and the person or environment experiencing it.
Beginning
Early Life & Creative Development
Benjamin began drawing as a child and developed much of his practice through independent observation, experimentation and continued study.
After spending several years away from active art-making, he returned to drawing and gradually developed the practice into professional commissioned work.
What began again with pencil and portraiture expanded into painting, murals, live art and a wider exploration of contemporary visual expression.
Mediums and disciplines
Artistic Practice
- Pencil and charcoal drawing
- Oil and acrylic painting
- Portraiture and figurative art
- Abstract and expressive painting
- Landscape painting
- Murals and large-scale wall art
- Live painting and event art
- Mixed-media and experimental visual projects
The medium and style change according to the work. Benjamin does not approach every subject as a realism problem or force every artwork into the same visual language.
One part of the practice
Portraiture & Soft Realism
Within his portrait practice, Benjamin has developed an approach described as Story-Driven Soft Realism.
It combines recognisable likeness and controlled realism with softer tonal transitions and close attention to expression, character and emotional presence.
The goal is not simply to reproduce a photograph as precisely as possible. The portrait should still feel connected to the individual and to the reason the artwork was commissioned.
“Accuracy matters, but I also want the finished piece to carry something of the person beyond the photograph.”
This approach belongs specifically to part of his portrait and realism practice. His abstract, landscape, mural and experimental works may follow very different artistic decisions.
Beyond commissions
Painting Beyond Portraiture
Benjamin's painting practice extends beyond portraits into abstract, expressive, figurative and landscape work.
Some pieces begin with a person or photograph. Others begin with colour, memory, environment, movement, an interior space or an idea that does not need to be represented literally.
This broader practice allows him to move between commissioned artwork created for a specific client and independent work developed from his own artistic interests.
Available works
Original Artwork & Collecting
Alongside commissioned work, Benjamin creates original artwork from his independent studio practice.
These pieces are not created around a client brief. They develop from his own exploration of people, colour, memory, identity, culture, landscape, abstraction and contemporary visual expression.
Selected original paintings and available works are published through the Beo Art Store, where collectors and interested buyers can view artwork currently available for acquisition.
This independent body of work exists alongside his commissioned practice and allows his artistic direction to continue developing beyond client-led projects.
View Original Artwork →Scale and environment
Murals & Work in Physical Spaces
Murals form another important part of Benjamin's practice.
Unlike a canvas viewed as an isolated object, a mural has to respond to architecture, scale, viewing distance, wall condition, colour, the purpose of the environment and the people who use the space.
His mural work has included commercial, hospitality, fitness and other client environments where visual ideas have to be adapted to real physical conditions.
Selected experience
Career Highlights
- Commissioned mural work for Silhouette Fitness Centre
- Exhibitor at FAME Bayelsa Edition
- Exhibitor at FAME Port Harcourt Edition
- Showcased at Bayelsa Creative Converge 2024
- Professional commissioned work across drawing, painting and murals
Ideas behind the work
Themes & Inspiration
Benjamin's work draws from human identity, memory, Nigerian and African experience, culture, emotion and ordinary observations from everyday life.
Rather than tying his practice to a single subject, he is interested in how different visual languages can communicate a feeling, preserve a moment, question an idea or change the atmosphere of a space.
Artist and organisation
Benjamin Odeke & Beo Art Studio
Benjamin Odeke is the artist. Beo Art is the professional name associated with his personal artistic practice.
Beo Art Studio is the art studio he founded to deliver commissioned paintings and drawings, portrait commissions, murals, live painting and selected creative projects for clients.
This distinction allows Benjamin's personal practice to continue developing across different subjects and styles while Beo Art Studio provides a clear professional structure through which individuals, businesses and organisations can commission creative work.
Learn more about the company, its services and professional approach on the About Beo Art Studio page.
Continuing practice
Artistic Direction
Benjamin's goal is not to become known for repeating one type of image.
His practice continues to develop through drawing, painting, experimentation, large-scale work and the study of colour, form, people and environment.
Whether the result is a portrait, abstract painting, landscape, mural or another visual form, the intention is to create work that has a clear reason for existing and a meaningful relationship with the person or space experiencing it.
Commission or collect
Explore Benjamin Odeke's Work
Commissioned paintings, drawings, portraits, murals, live painting and collaborations are handled through Beo Art Studio. Independent original artworks available for acquisition can be viewed through the Beo Art Store.
@_beoarts on Instagram
