Sola Olulode UK, b. 1996

Sola Olulode (b. 1996, London) is a British-Nigerian artist based in Brixton whose practice spans painting and textile-based work influenced by Yoruba Adire textile designs. She received her BA in Fine Art Painting from the University of Brighton in 2018, following foundation studies at Chelsea, Camberwell, and Wimbledon Colleges of Art. Her paintings and textural canvases employ natural dyes, wax, ink, pastel, oil bar, and impasto to create immersive explorations of identity, intimacy, and community.

Olulode’s work centers the experiences of Black Queer Womxn and non-binary folx, drawing on personal experience, cultural reference points, and collective stories from literature, cinema, and poetry. Her paintings depict figures and scenes that celebrate queer love and utopian spaces of tenderness, movement, and self-expression, offering a nuanced and reflective vision of contemporary life and identity.

She has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions internationally, including Islands of the Blessed at Berntson Bhattacharjee Gallery, London (2024), Could You Be Love at Sapar Contemporary, New York (2022), An Infinity of Tracesat Lisson Gallery, London (2021), Breakfast Under the Tree at Carl Freedman Gallery, Margate (2021), and In Heavenly Blue at Pacers Gallery, Lagos, Nigeria (2021). Her work has also been included in the Womxn of Colour Art Award(2021), Christie’s Education exhibitions, and featured in Artsy’s ‘Portrayals of Black Joy’ campaign.

Olulode’s work is included in prominent collections, notably Columbia University and the Smithsonian Institute, reflecting her growing recognition on the international stage. Through her practice, Olulode emphasizes the importance of visibility, representation, and celebration of Black Queer lived experiences, establishing her as a vital voice in contemporary painting and queer art discourse.