Nwaneri Kelechi (b. 1994) is a self-taught mixedmedia artist. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Extension from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 2015. He has participated in numerous group exhibitions in Nigeria, and won the 2018 Spanish Embassy annual Visual Art Competition in Abuja.
Nwaneri started pursuing drawing during his third year in university. He was inspired by artists such as Kelvin Okafor, Arinze Stanley, and Ken Nwadiogbu, and initially focused on pencil realism, which he later combined with acrylic and oil paints, watercolor, and collage. Nwaneri’s work focuses on issues around mental health, psychology, and social values. He uses his art to advocate for mental health awareness, and applies uli, nsibidi and adinkra iconography to create surrealistic landscapes which explore metaphysical and allegoric imagery and concepts.