Daniel ‘Pengrapher’ Oshundaro: The artist, his craft, homecoming exhibition

At 18 feet by 7 feet, ‘The Last Supper’ is a wonder on canvas. The painting is the largest work on canvas by Daniel ‘Pengrapher’ Oshundaro, a multidisciplinary artist from Oyo State, who is currently running an exhibition at Temple Muse, a luxury concept store in Victoria Island, Lagos.

“I paint on walls but this is my largest painting on canvas,” he confessed.

Titled ‘Renaissance Reformed’, the solo exhibition is a first-of-its-kind. From the reason it is being held, the theme, the live show, and to the homecoming, the exhibition is unarguably, the exhibition of the year.

The artist, who has been in Serbia for four years, used the exhibition as a homecoming show, to see family, meet friends and connect with the Nigerian art community that has always supported his career.

But the most exciting aspect of the show, for the art community, was the live painting on February 28, 2025, a day before the opening on March 1, 2025.

However, the excitement for ‘The Last Supper’ stemmed from the fact that it took Oshundaro almost a day to finish the painting.

“I started painting around 8am and hope to finish it today. It is about a day of painting,” he assured.

Truly, he finished to the admiration of the cheerful viewers at Temple Muse.

Speaking on the live painting, the artist said, “I do painting, sculpture and others, but the live painting is the major highlight of the exhibition because of the demand by people to see the process of how I make my work.

“The viewers don’t know how the works come about. So, they wanted me to produce one for a live audience, which is what I am doing today at Temple Muse”.

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Oshundaro is also excited that the live painting generated the intrigues and reactions he anticipated from the audience.

“Some viewers keep asking me how I paint such a large work on canvas for hours. But that is what I do for a living, it is like drinking water for me,” he said.

The live painting also enabled him to connect with the audience.

“Some viewers keep asking me how I paint such a large work on canvas for hours. But that is what I do for a living, it is like drinking water for me,” he said.

On the homecoming aspect, he noted, “I have been in Serbia for four years and this exhibition is homecoming for me. I have been with family, seen friends and now connected with the galleries and collectors before returning to Serbia”.

He also drew inspiration for his works from the theme of the exhibition.

“I am trying to give people a new way renaissance can be reconstructed in modern day and how an African can draw inspiration from the western world to create enthralling works.

“It is also to help me take the mastery of my craft to a much higher level,” he explained.

Apart from ‘The Last Supper’, there are other 2 paintings and over 40 sculptures on display at the solo exhibition.

Meanwhile, the exhibition opening drew the presence of Hannatu Musa Musawa, minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, reflecting how big the artist is, why the exhibition and the high level of curating matter.

Now open since March 1, ‘Renaissance Reformed’ will run until March 30, 2025 at Temple Muse, Victoria, Island Lagos.

It is curated by Avinash D. Wadhwani and features both recent and not-too-recent works by Oshundaro, across paintings, sculpture, and his signature pen pals.

Beyond the large format live painting, the other works on display at the exhibition delve into the artist’s transformative exploration of identity, materiality, and the interplay between self and environment.

Moreover, the exhibition’s title captures Oshundaro’s reimagining of classical masterpieces through a contemporary lens. By weaving elements of graffiti, surrealism, and figurative abstraction into the reinterpretations, he bridges the past with the present, offering a fresh perspective on time-honored artistic traditions.

Known for his striking fusion of surrealism, figurative abstraction, graffiti, sculpture, and creative photography, the artist brings his personal and artistic journey to the forefront.

Having lived in Nigeria and Eastern Europe, his work is an ongoing dialogue between cultural landscapes and artistic reinvention. Utilizing diverse materials such as oil, acrylic, spray paint, emulsions, carbon fiber, bronze, polyester, and terracotta, his pieces reflect resilience, fragility, and the ever-evolving nature of self-expression.

His work seamlessly fuses African heritage with European influences, creating a universal dialogue on identity and transformation. They serve not just as visual statements but as calls to unity, compassion, and introspection.

For Wadhwani, the curator, the exhibition is simply “a reawakening, a manifesto of transformation that challenges us to redefine how we see and engage with the world through artistic expression”.

Central to the exhibition is Oshundaro’s belief in active creation—an idea captured in his philosophy of “PEN PALS,” a recurring character that symbolizes friendship, mutual respect, and shared responsibility. Through the pals, Oshundaro conveys the belief that art has the power to heal societal divides and cultivate empathy. His practice extends beyond the gallery, with murals that transform public spaces into places of community engagement and reflection.

He holds a BA in Creative Art from the University of Lagos, and a BA in Sculpture from the Academy of Arts, Novi Sad, Serbia. He also holds a master’s degree from the University of Novi Sad and was recently awarded the prestigious ERASMUS+ scholarship to study at the Academy of Fine and Applied Arts in Bratislava, Slovakia.

His work has been featured in publications such as Le Monde, BUSINESSDAY, Dnevnik I, N1 VESTI, The Rwanda Times, The Guardian Nigeria News, Metal Magazine, Global Times Magazine, and more.