Yewande Ambeke (b. 1994) is a self-taught visual artist based in Lagos, Nigeria. She is fascinated with unraveling different states of the human mind, and advocates for support systems and safe spaces through her paintings.
Her swirly figures are a play on abstraction and figuration, as she uses them to depict personal experiences and her hopeful yearnings. Created from swirls of contrasting colours representing positive and negative emotions such as joy, hope and anxiety; each painting allows for spontaneous brush strokes and movements that often reflected her own emotions during creation and the different stages of her career.
Ambeke holds the belief that her art transcends geographical boundaries and racial distinctions. Her creations serve as a catalyst for a broader societal discussion about the core principles that guide human lives. This conversation encourages a shift in focus from placing excessive importance on material possessions to fostering positive connections with individuals. This shift not only fosters a sense of belonging but also elevates overall well-being.
In her artwork, Ambeke has recently employed shades of brown to symbolize the earth, which is the common source of sustenance for all living things. Her pieces depict interconnected figures that rely on each other for mutual support and stability. In doing so, they embrace vulnerability as a source of strength rather than perceiving it as a weakness.
Ambeke holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy and a Master's degree in Clinical Pharmacy from the University of Lagos. She has been practising in Lagos since 2020, completing residencies and particpating in bootcamps winning recognition and coming runner up for the Kuenyehia Prize for Contemporary Art in 2022. She has recently been made a fellow for the Global Arts in Medicine Fellowship.
Her artistic journey has taken her to numerous exhibitions both within and beyond Nigeria. Notable recent showcases include "Life, As We Know It" (Lagos, 2023), "At Once, Then Again: Selections From Practice" (Lagos, 2023), "No Wahala" (Kingston, 2023), "Life Lines" (Lagos, 2023), and "Handwidth" (Ogun, 2023).