Ibiyinka Olufemi Alao (born 17 October, 1975) is an American artist, architect, writer, film director and musical theater composer. He has focused his career on the fluidity of all art forms, using painting as an act of frozen music and self-expression. Along with John Lennon, singer Alicia Keys and 2 other artists, he is noted among 5 Artists Who Have Spread Messages of Peace Around the World by Global Citizen.
Education
Alao attended the Nigerian Navy Secondary School (NNSS) in Navy Town, Lagos. He obtained an A-Levels certificate in Physics at Kwara State Polytechnic and studied Architecture at the Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife. After graduating with the University degree, he worked as an architect and civil engineer with the State Ministry of Works and Housing Development.
Career
In 2005 he was named Nigeria's "Ambassador of Art" by The President and Commander in Chief of The Armed Forces. Alao won first place in the United Nations International Art Contest involving participants from 61 countries. On May 18, 2016 Ibi's Fireflies a story book based on one of his paintings "Eternity in our Hearts" won the Grand Prize of the 2016/2017 Scholastic "Kids are Authors" contest. Ibi's Fireflies was presented by students of Willow Lane Elementary School in Macungie Pennsylvania and also Al Khair school in London. It won the 1st place out of over 900 entries from schools in the United States.
From 2018 to 2020, Ibiyinka worked on a new painting that some considered his magnum opus. "Eternity" is one of the largest paintings in the world, measuring 100 ft (30.50 meters) wide X 12 ft (3.70 meters) tall. The painting was unveiled accompanied by song and dance in October 2020 at NC Church in Pennsylvania.
My FireFlies, a feature animated movie based on this painting was released in 2019. It is scheduled to be shown at some film festivals and art shows in 2021. The book "Ibi's Firefies" is filed as the artist's biography at the Smithsonian National Museum of American Art, while the original painting along with some of his other works are catalogued with copyright by The United States Library of Congress
As an Art Ambassador, the artist is among a select few around the world whose work is used to represent the original 1945 UN Charter of Peace, Food Security, Equality, Freedom, Human Dignity and more by agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations(FAO) in Rome, and the UNFPA.
Recent quote by Ibiyinka about his Painting: "I Draw, Paint and Write about whatever I'm able to find, feel and sometimes understand. I feel that it is healthier to look out at the world through a window than through a mirror. Otherwise, all you see is yourself and whatever is behind you." He's from Ponyan in Iyagba East Local Government area of Kogi State. Father is Ezekiel Bamisaiye Alao and mother is Grace Bosede Alao. Two brothers and two sisters. Ibiyinka's artworks are characterized by bright colors and a sunlight wilderness. They express many themes including hope, joy, peace and love - a reflection of his West African roots and deep faith in Jesus Christ as Lover and Redeemer of our Souls.
Ibiyinka's artworks have been featured by the Nigerian National Museum, the British Council, the Royal Netherlands Embassy, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC, The World Bank Headquarters in Washington DC, The headquarters of the United Nations in New York City, the Harvard Business School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the Empire State Building in New York City and the Martin Luther King Center to name a few. Ibiyinka was invited by the Director General to attend the SEC 25 class, and give a special lecture at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies(NIPSS) where he expounded to the participants about the importance of art in establishing government policies towards peace. He is an honorary member of the National Institute.
James D. Wolfensohn, The Chairman Emeritus of the Carnegie Hall in New York City and Former President of the World Bank Group hosted Ibiyinka's artworks during the exhibit "Visions and Vignettes" - a collection of 18 contemporary colorful Tempera pieces. It was curated by the World Bank Art Program in partnership with the Smithsonian Museum. Three important early pieces of Ibiyinka's work are in the permanent collection of the World Bank.
The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh hosted Ibiyinka as a 2020 inaugural Tough Art at Home Artist in Residence. They produced a video from his studio of Ibi telling a story and teaching children how to paint with light using Chiaroscuro.