Since October, we’ve been following Anthony Azekwoh as he’s been dropping his paintings, and Twitter especially has been agog. Each new piece has sparked a different conversation, leaving people guessing, debating, and sharing in equal measure. His latest series, The Wedding, is no exception; a collection that dives deep into the chaos, humor, and emotion of a wedding through his distinct lens.
Anthony Azekwoh isn’t just creating images; he’s telling stories that pull viewers into the lives of each character, from the teary-eyed Mother of the Bride to the enigmatic bridesmaids and towering best man. Every release has hinted at the depth of the full exhibition, building anticipation and giving audiences a taste of his narrative mastery.
Here are 5 things you should know about Anthony Azekwoh.
1. He Never Planned to Become an Artist, Story Found Him
Anthony didn’t grow up thinking he would become an artist. In fact, his first love was storytelling through words. He spent most of his early years reading everything he could find and writing short stories just for the fun of it. Art came later, almost by accident. During one of those long, quiet stretches at home, he started experimenting with digital tools, simple sketches, colour tests, small ideas he treated like side projects.
What started as curiosity slowly became a language he understood better than he expected. Visual storytelling gave him a freedom that writing alone didn’t, and he began blending both worlds without even planning to. His journey into art wasn’t a straight line, but looking back, it feels like a path he was always going to take, even if he didn’t know it at the start.
Read: How Tiwalola Olanubi Turned Influence Into an Industry
2. He Dropped Out of Engineering to Chase a Different Truth
Like many young Nigerians, Anthony started out on a familiar path; studying engineering because it felt safe, respectable, and understood. It was the kind of career choice that made sense on paper and aligned with what most families expect: something stable, something clear, something that guaranteed a future. But while the classes moved forward, his interest didn’t. He kept creating on the side, spending more time with his art than with his textbooks, until it became obvious that he was forcing himself through a path that wasn’t his.
Then came the “today is enough” moment, the point where he admitted to himself that he couldn’t keep living a version of life that didn’t feel true. Dropping out wasn’t dramatic; it was honest. It was the quiet decision to stop pretending and start choosing himself, even if it meant facing the uncertainty that comes with pursuing art full-time.
For Anthony, it wasn’t the easiest choice, especially with family expectations and the weight of what people might think. But that decision shaped everything that came after. It sharpened his voice, strengthened his confidence, and pushed him to approach art with purpose rather than hobby-level interest. That courage sits in every piece he creates today.
3. The Red Man Changed Everything
“The Red Man” was the turning point, the moment Anthony’s work moved from small online circles to global visibility. When he first shared the piece, he didn’t expect anything extraordinary. But the internet reacted fast. The painting spread across timelines, blogs, and art pages, introducing him to audiences far beyond Nigeria. For many people, that was the first time they paid attention to his name.
In Anthony’s creative universe, the Red Man isn’t just a striking figure; he represents identity, resilience, and the quiet intensity that runs through all his work. The character became a reference point, a symbol that people connected with instantly. And as the artwork travelled, so did the perception of who Anthony was becoming.
That single moment shifted him from being seen as a “promising young talent” to someone shaping culture in real time. It opened doors, attracted new collaborators, and positioned him as a voice worth following in contemporary African art.
4. His New Exhibition, The Wedding, Is His Most Personal Work Yet
The Wedding is Anthony stepping into a new level of storytelling; one that feels closer, heavier, and more deliberate. The series pulls viewers into a Lagos wedding that clearly didn’t go as planned. Instead of painting the usual glamour and celebration, he focuses on the smaller, messier moments: tense glances, forced smiles, bruised emotions, and the quiet chaos that families often try to hide. Each piece feels like a scene from a story you’re slowly piecing together.
The themes running through the exhibition are familiar to anyone who has experienced a typical Nigerian family event: pressure to appear perfect, unspoken expectations, identity struggles, unresolved secrets, and the constant balancing act between individuality and community. Anthony uses these moments to examine how people show up publicly even when privately falling apart.
This body of work shows how much he has grown, not just technically, but emotionally. The compositions are more mature, the storytelling more controlled, and the commentary more pointed. It’s a quieter kind of confidence, one that doesn’t need to announce itself to be felt.
The Wedding will be open to the public on December 13 – 18 at 1959 Africa, Lekki Phase 1, and it’s the clearest sign yet of Anthony’s evolution as an artist.
Read: Here Are 5 Things You Should Know About AMAKA Studio
5. Anthony Azekwoh Works Like a Filmmaker, Every Image Has a Universe Behind It
Anthony doesn’t just create paintings; he builds worlds. Each figure in his exhibitions carries a backstory, a motive, and an inner conflict, carefully thought out before a single stroke lands. His process mirrors that of a filmmaker: mood boards, character arcs, emotional beats, and scene composition all inform the final work.
This is why his art feels alive. When you look at a portrait or a scene, you’re not just seeing an image, you’re stepping into a story, experiencing a moment from multiple perspectives. The tension, the humor, the subtleties all exist beyond the frame, making every piece feel cinematic.
With Anthony, art isn’t just visual; it’s immersive. His work invites you to linger, imagine, and connect with the lives he creates, proving that contemporary African storytelling can be as layered and dynamic as any film.
Step Into Anthony Azekwoh’s World
Anthony Azekwoh matters now more than ever because he shows how African stories can be told with honesty, depth, and imagination. The Wedding isn’t just an exhibition, it’s a window into Lagos life, a glimpse at the tensions, joys, and characters that make up a vibrant culture.
Seeing these works in person allows you to feel the emotion, understand the narratives, and appreciate the craft behind each portrait. Don’t just read about it, step into Anthony’s universe.
Catch The Wedding at 1959 Africa, Lekki Phase 1, from December 13–18, free entry daily.
For more stories on African art and culture, follow RefinedNG and keep up with the creatives shaping the continent. RefinedNG – your number one stop for all things positive.