MAKING NIGERIA ABROAD:
NIGERIAN Hyperrealistic Artist, ARINZE STANLEY Wins ‘WORLD’S Best Self Potrait’ At 2017 AMERICAN ART Awards…Defeats America’s Mano Sotelo, Sweden’s Susanne Persson, Taiwan’s Lynn Chen and more
*USES only Charcoal and Graphite Pencils to create portraits so realistic, powerful than digital pictures
*Every Year 25 best galleries in USA vote on 50 different categories
*HAD first BIG BREAK when viral trending drawing of President Muhammadu Buhari caused sensation on Social Media
BY GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU/FOREIGN BUREAU CHIEF, UNITED STATES
ARINZE STANLEY is from South-Eastern part of Nigeria. He is regarded a genius in his own right due to several hyperrealistic art works he created over a length of time. The beauty and attraction of his works are such that whenever you see any of his paintings done by Charcoal and Graphite pencils, you will be amazed at the life and aura of creativity that will greet your sight. Just recently, Stanley Wins ‘World’s Best Self Portrait’ At 2017 American Art Awards.
For the records, every year for the American Art Awards, 25 best galleries in United States vote on 50 different categories – from fashion to portraiture – for art submitted from all around the world. The bests in each category irrespective of color, accent, race, and ethnicity are adjudged only on merit of their creativities.
This year, for the ‘World’s Best Self Portrait’ category, the winner was none other than Nigerian hyperrealistic artist, Stanley, who come out tops and defeat other competitors in persons’ of USA’s Mano Sotelo, Sweden’s Susanne Persson, Taiwan’s Lynn Chen and more.
Today, Stanley is famous in world’s art circle for using only charcoal and graphite pencils to create portraits so realistic you’ll have a hard time believing they are not actually photographs. His first big break came when his impressive drawing of president Muhammadu Buhari went viral.
His words: “I won’t consider myself successful just yet, because everyday I draw is a journey for me. I see my art as a competition between me and myself. So hopefully I’ll just keep practicing as I always do to get better at what I do.”
