INSPIRING:
12-year old Nigerian hyper-realist, KAREEM WARIS OLAMILEKAN wins International Art Award in Taiwan
* Triumphed over 2,723 international candidates to win Taiwan’s 22nd Fervent Global Love of Lives Award
* Fervent Global Love of Lives Award under Chou Ta-Kuan Cultural and Educational Foundation was founded in 1997
* Gifted-hands young artist is one of a growing crop of hyper-realists in Nigeria that use charcoal and pencil as the medium of choice for his paintings
* “Famous Nigerian Internet Bitty Artist – Waris Olamilekan Kareem sketched a stunning portrait of French President, Emmanuel Macron, on the spot in just two hours, which amazed the global media. He has now become a famous Internet artist. The works of Michelangelo motivate him, and his goal is to surpass the standard set by the great artist. He intends to use drawings to depict Africa vividly and flip a new life to change Africa”-Taiwanese government
BY GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU/AMERICAN ForeignBureau Chief & CLAUDIA KENNEDY, REPORTER, TAIWAN
HE HAs BROUGHT HONOR TO HIs FAMILY, NATION AND CAREER THROUGH HIs CREATIVITY AND NATURAL TALENT. Young Nigerian hyper-realistic artist, Kareem Waris Olamilekan has just won the prestigious International Art award in Taiwan. The 12-year-old Nigerian hyper-realist artist Olamilekan triumphed over 2,723 international candidates to win Taiwan’s 22nd Fervent Global Love of Lives Award.
For the record, the Fervent Global Love of Lives Award under Chou Ta-Kuan Cultural and Educational Foundation was founded in 1997 and annually invites institutions, organizations, schools or individuals to recommend candidates who are brave, benevolent and diligent fighters in life. The foundation promotes the ‘Global Love of Lives movement’ and believes that ‘Everyone is Good at Something’.
Olamilekan was one in approx. 2,723 other international candidates to participate. The young artist is one of a growing crop of hyper-realists in Nigeria and uses charcoal and pencil as the medium of choice for his paintings. Using his impressive talent Olamilekan beat all the participants to cinch the 22nd Fervent Global Love of Lives Award; a top Taiwanese award.
The Representative of Taiwan in Nigeria, Ambassador Vincent Yang, said in a press statement that Waris Kareem, who had gained global recognition for his incredible drawings would attend charity events with other laureates in Taipei and meet Taiwanese President, Tsai Ing-wen.
His words: “Famous Nigerian Internet Bitty Artist – Waris Olamilekan Kareem stood out among 2,723 recommended candidates from all over the world earning the `22nd Fervent Global Love of Lives Award 2019’ from Taiwan’s Chou Ta-Kuan Cultural and Educational Foundation. He sketched a stunning portrait of French President, Emmanuel Macron, on the spot in just two hours, which amazed the global media. He has now become a famous Internet artist.”
He went on to extol Olamilekan’s efforts saying, “The poverty-stricken children all call him the little artist Robin Hood. He uses his drawing talent to produce beautiful works in exchange for some food to fight hunger and also to feed the hungry companions in the slum. The works of Michelangelo motivate him, and his goal is to surpass the standard set by the great artist. He intends to use drawings to depict Africa vividly and flip a new life to change Africa”.
The young Nigerian artist is definitely one to watch with a potentially bright career ahead of him.
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