{{Short description|Nigerian artist (b. 1967)}} thumb|Emmanuel Eni, 2015 '''Emmanuel Eni''' (born 1967), is a Nigerian-born artist and poet. He works in various mediums including painting, sculpture, and performance art.
== Biography == Eni is from Igbanke, in mid-west Nigeria. He received a degree from Igbobi-College in Lagos, Nigeria. In 1984 he graduated from the polytechnic Auchi in the same city. The University of Benin awarded him a BA in scultpure in 1991. Afterwards, he attended the Royal Academy of Arts in London where he received a degree in 1993.<ref name=":0" />
He is the inventor and patent holder of "New Light Paintings", the philosopher of the thesis of "Contemporary Baroque."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Braide |first=Damiete |date=2021-10-08 |title=Eni's art exhibition "Hope of Love" in Bavaria Germany |url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/10/enis-art-exhibition-hope-of-love-in-bavaria-germany/ |location=Lagos, Nigeria|access-date=2026-01-21 |newspaper=Vanguard|language=en-GB}}</ref> He is the writer and performer of "Black man in European Kitchen"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Black man in European kitchen |url=https://www.culturaldiplomacy.org/blackhistorymonth/download.php?f=f4384b6177f5094089cd9bf7002a32a7&target=1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260125150238/https://www.culturaldiplomacy.org/blackhistorymonth/download.php?f=f4384b6177f5094089cd9bf7002a32a7&target=1 |archive-date=January 25, 2026 |access-date=January 25, 2026 |website=Cultural Diplomacy}}</ref> and is also known as the "sculptor of elephants," and the "Father of 100 Elephants."<ref>{{Cite news |title=EMMANUEL ENI, HIS ART AND A TIME OF LOCKDOWN|url=https://www.thisdaylive.com/2020/04/12/emmanuel-eni-his-art-and-a-time-of-lockdown/ |access-date=2026-01-21 |language=en-US|newspaper=This Day}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=2020-12-09 |title=Behold Blackman in European kitchen |url=https://thenationonlineng.net/behold-blackman-in-european-kitchen/ |location=Lagos, Nigeria|access-date=2026-01-15 |newspaper=The Nation|language=en-US}}</ref> His drama ''Death of the Curator'' was performed at the Museum for Ethnography in Leipzig.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eni |first=Emmanuel |title=Death of the Curator |url=https://allpoetry.com/login |access-date=2026-01-21 |website=allpoetry.com |language=en}}</ref>
He has repeatedly addressed the Israel-Palestine conflict in his works, as in the Dakar Biennale in 2006.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Emmanuel Eni in Dakar 2006 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hIOi8DSLdE |website=YouTube |language=de}}</ref>
== Exhibitions == Eni has had exhibitions at the Biennale d'art contemporain de Lyon, France, the Biennale in Dakar (Dak'Art) Senegal, and parallel at the Documenta 12 in Kassel.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Black History Month: Emmanuel Eni |url=https://www.culturaldiplomacy.org/blackhistorymonth/index.php?emmanuel-eni |access-date=2026-01-14 |website=www.culturaldiplomacy.org |language=en}}</ref> He holds lectures. * "Hope of Love" paintings and sculptures, Germany<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.marktredwitz.de/file/102-21-kuenstler-emmanuel-eni-zeigt-hope-of-love-in-marktredwitz.pdf|title=Künstler Emmanuel Eni zeigt „Hope of Love“ in Marktredwitz|date=September 14, 2021|website=Stadt Marktredwitz|url-status=live}}</ref> * "THE BOOM" exhibition of new light painting art and sculptures<ref>{{Cite web|title=Wunsiedel: Eni setzt auf den Boom in Wunsiedel|url=https://www.frankenpost.de/inhalt.wunsiedel-eni-setzt-auf-den-boom-in-wunsiedel.ac523f36-3f20-4cc2-9671-a1ecbead8224.html|website=www.frankenpost.de|access-date=2026-01-25|language=de|first=Gerd|last=Pöhlmann|date=October 9, 2019}}</ref>
* "Brightness of the picture" - sculptures and paintings, Schwarzenbach an der Saale, Bavaria, Germany<ref>{{Cite web |title=Eni’s ‘new light painting’ illuminates future from Germany |url=https://www.africanartswithtaj.com/2020/01/enis-new-light-painting-illuminates.html |access-date=2026-01-19 |website=A-Arts |language=en-GB}}</ref> * "Haske Zanen" - sculptures, paintings and performance with new light, painting, art * Thought pyramid Gallery Abuja / German Embassy Abuja Nigeria<ref>{{citation|periodical=Agwuenekwachiblog|title=HASKE ZANEN: ENI'S ART OF LIGHT AND REDISCOVERY|date=2016-07-24|language=German|url=https://agwuenekwachiblog.wordpress.com/2016/07/24/haske-zanen-enis-art-of-light-and-rediscovery/|access-date=2018-08-20 }}</ref> * "Art Merchant“ - sculptures and paintings, National museum Lagos, Nigeria * Diverse lecture activities in sculpture, installation, audiovisual performance and literature * "Leaf spirit totem" - 7 m high sculpture for Syke, Bremen Germany (Wood, Terra Kota, Mirror glass, 2011) * "Blackman in European Kitchen", ICD Institute for cultural diplomacy, Berlin, Germany * "Ear as a long road" - poetic performance, Berlin, Poetry Festival Lyricline * "Consciences and frontiers" installation "Israel and Palestine" and "Knowledge is power" - SAVVY Contemporary, Berlin, Germany * Exhibition / performance Israel and Palestine "Schlachtfelder" - Battlefields Anniversary of 250 years battle - city of Minden, Germany * "Black History month" - Africa reflection - sculptures and paintings, America Haus, Berlin, Germany * "2nd African Legends Performance" poetic musical dance performance, America Haus, Berlin, Germany * ARESUVA - African regional summit for visual arts, Abuja, Nigeria * Visiting professor new media/performance - Art University Berlin Weißensee. Kunsthochschule Berlin - Weißensee Berlin, Germany * "Africanize" installation - Grassimuseum Grassi Museum, Saxony Ethnographic collection, Leipzig, Germany * "Africanize" installation kunstbanken hamar Hamar, Norway * "Blackman in European Kitchen" - installation/performance, Goethe-Institute, Lagos, Nigeria * "CharacterLAGOStika", Goethe-Institut Nigeria, Lagos, Nigeria * "Death of the curator" installation/performance, documenta 12, Kassel, Germany * "CrossCulture" installation/performance - Goethe-Institut Senegal, Dakar, Senegal * Publication "Death of the curator" drama. E.N.I Publishers, Berlin<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eni |first=Emmanuel |title=Death of the curator (Installation) |url=https://grassi-voelkerkunde.skd.museum/en/ausstellungen/kunstinstallation-emmanuel-eni-death-of-the-curator/ |access-date=2026-01-21 |website=Museum für Völkerkunde zu Leipzig |language=en}}</ref> * Group Show "Black Paris" African position on contemporary art of Diaspora, Iwalewahaus, Bayreuth, Germany * "Blackman in European Kitchen" - performance Iwalewahaus, Bayreuth, Germany * "Israel and Palestine" installation/performance Dak'Art 2006 Biennial of Contemporary African Art, Dakar, Senegal * "Junking of the Elephant" – destruction of a 20-ton heavy "Elephant" Monument of re-enforced Steel Concrete - Before a live Audience. For the Ecology and nature * "Death of the curator" installation/performance, Grassi museum Leipzig, Saxony Ethnographic collection, Germany<ref>{{cite web|title=Museum für Völkerkunde zu Leipzig: Kunstinstallation Emmanuel Eni - "death of the curator"|url=https://grassi-voelkerkunde.skd.museum/ausstellungen/archiv/kunstinstallation-emmanuel-eni-death-of-the-curator/|accessdate=2018-08-20|language=de|archive-date=2018-07-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707123340/https://grassi-voelkerkunde.skd.museum/ausstellungen/archiv/kunstinstallation-emmanuel-eni-death-of-the-curator/|url-status=dead}}</ref> * Guest professor sculpture - rhode island school of design (risd), USA * Publication "Masquaradeundressing" (poems, tales and stories), CPN publishers, England * "Water Burns" - exhibition/installation on "Water Uses" in the New Millennium Vienna, Austria * "History of love" - sculptures and paintings. Galerie im Prater, Berlin, Germany * Making of "Elephant" (20 ton monument for nature) und Making of "Leaf“ (7 meters high monument for nature) steel concrete * "Characteristics of living things", Archäologisches Museum Colombischlössle Archeology museum of Castle Colombi, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany * "Parts of Clay" - Centre Monroe for the Arts, Hoboken, New Jersey, USA * "Clear Walls" - Lisa Parker Fine Art New York, USA * "Parables" - National Museum, Lagos, Nigeria * "Creation Story" - Albertus - Magnus - Haus, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany * Drawing School, University of Lagos, Nigeria.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=2020-04-29 |title=How Germany-based Nigerian artist turned lockdown to creative forge |url=https://thenationonlineng.net/how-germany-based-nigerian-artist-turned-lockdown-to-creative-forge/ |location=Lagos, Nigeria|access-date=2026-01-21 |newspaper=The Nation|language=en-US}}</ref>
== Bibliography == * Emmanuel Eni: ''Death of the curator''. Berlin 2007. * Emmanuel Eni: ''Elephants and new – light paintings'' (Ausstellung vom 19. August bis 9. Oktober 2011, Galerie Schwartzsche Villa, Hrsg.: Bezirksamt Steglitz-Zehlendorf, Kulturamt. Projektmitarbeiter: Anja Braun, Stefan Martinkat) * Emmanuel Eni: ''The Art of Blackman in European Kitchen''. 2017. * "Kindonkind"- Poetry anthology. 321 pages of 600 poems published in Germany 2021 == References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == {{Commons category|Emmanuel Eni}} * [https://grassi-voelkerkunde.skd.museum/ausstellungen/archiv/kunstinstallation-emmanuel-eni-death-of-the-curator/ Death of the Curator-Kunstinstallation] in the Leipzig Museum of Ethnography (German)
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Eni, Emmanuel}} Category:1967 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century Nigerian painters Category:21st-century Nigerian sculptors Category:21st-century Nigerian poets