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Taiwo Olaniyi Oyewale-Toyeje

  • Skill Category: Sculptors
  • Present Address: Ibadan, Nigeria
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Social media:

Biography

Twins Seven Seven, born Omoba Taiwo Olaniyi Oyewale-Toyeje Oyelale Osuntoki, was a prominent Nigerian painter, sculptor, and musician. Born in 1944 in Nigeria, he was named after being the sole survivor of seven sets of twins, reflecting Nigeria’s high twinning rate. Twins Seven Seven initially pursued dance at the age of 16, inspired by a Yoruba tradition. He later transitioned to become a renowned artist, attending an Mbari Mbayo workshop conducted by Ulli Beier and Georgina Beier in Osogbo, Nigeria, in 1964. Twins Seven Seven’s artistic style draws heavily from traditional Yoruba mythology and culture. His works depict a fantastical world filled with humans, animals, plants, and Yoruba deities. His compositions mirror the segmentation and repetition seen in Yoruba carvings, while his themes embody concepts of transformation, balance, and dualities such as earthly and spiritual realms. His early works were influenced by his exposure to Amos Tutuola’s book “My Life in the Bush of Ghosts.” As he progressed, Twins Seven Seven delved further into Yoruba folklore and his own dreams. He intentionally avoided exposure to other painters to safeguard his distinct style. Twins Seven Seven’s art gained international recognition, and he taught in the United States. He was in line to become King of Ibadan, but this was not realized before his passing in 2011. Throughout his life, he received numerous honors, including Nigerian chieftaincy titles, and was designated a UNESCO Artist for Peace in 2005. He left a lasting legacy through his contributions to African art and culture. Twins Seven Seven passed away in 2011 at the age of 67, following complications from a stroke. His work continues to be celebrated and was featured in the 2015 exhibition “We Speak: Black Artists in Philadelphia, 1920s-1970s” at the Woodmere Art Museum.

News / Ranking / Titbits / Awards

Private collections: Olivier Doria d’Angri (Rome/London); The Glendonwyn Collection (Madrid/Tenerife/Dubai); Patrick and Awele Okigbo (Abuja, Nigeria)

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