Bruce Onobrakpeya (1932) - Ominira

Ominira (Yoruba for “Independence”) is a historically significant subject in the work of the renowned Nigerian master printmaker and painter Bruce Onobrakpeya.
The work uses the visual language of Adire (traditionally dyed Yoruba textiles) and indigenous symbols to convey sociocultural and political messages.

Ominira symbolizes the unity, justice, and collective progress of postcolonial Nigeria. By interweaving traditional Nigerian motifs with modern graphic techniques, the work celebrates the preservation of indigenous knowledge systems in African modernist art. Examples of this iconic work are held in prestigious international collections.

Technique: Plastograph / etching; an intaglio technique developed by Onobrakpeya himself using plastic/resin.

The work was given as a gift to my father in 1975, when he was working as an architect with Kho Liang Ie in Lagos on the new airport. A lovely and interesting backstory.