WELLBEING
PERFORMANCE
Fine Art Contemporary Practice
Contents
About
Exhibitions
Artwork
CV
Contact
AS SEEN IN
ABOUT
Emmanuel Unaji’s artistic practice explores cultural exchange through visual narrative at the intersection of wellbeing, performance, and fine art—deconstructing iconography into "editorial paintings" that incorporate twentieth-century modernist elements and employ the Johari window framework to promote self-awareness within his signature split portraiture.
DRAFTSMANSHIP
·
MIXED MEDIA
·
PAINTING
·
DRAFTSMANSHIP · MIXED MEDIA · PAINTING ·
EXHIBITIONS
-
![]()
"The Power of Self Validation" House of African Art, Hoxton Arches London 2019
-
![]()
"Seeing Sounds" Copeland Gallery, House of African Art, London England 2019
-
![]()
Acid Gallery, Lille France, 2020
-
![]()
Magistrates Association HQ, London 2020
-
![]()
Acid Gallery, Roubaix France 2021
-
![]()
The Hari Hotel, Belgravia London England 2021
-
![]()
Adidas Flagship x Creative Debuts, London England 2022
-
![]()
The World Reimagined, Leeds England 2022
-
![]()
FLANNELS x Letitia Wright, London England 2022
-
![]()
FREIZE Art Week, MELT Hypha Studios x Creative Land Trust 2023
-
![]()
"Things Left Unsaid" Affinity Gallery, Lagos Nigeria 2023
-
![]()
Burning Man Festival x The World Reimagined, Las Vegas Nevada, USA 2024
-
![]()
"Yellow Brick Road" art'otel London Hoxton, England 2025
CV
b.1994
Lives and works between Kent & London
Education
London College of Contemporary Arts 2013-2014 (Foundation)
Ravensbourne University 2015-2016
Kingston University London 2017-2020
BA (Hons) Fine Art, Kingston University London, 2017- 2020 First Class Hons
Foundation Studies in Art and Design (Distinction)
Qualifications
artiq x The Pump House Residency - Artist in Residence, 2026
art’otel London Hoxton - Artist in Residence, 2025
La Maldita Estampa Printmaking Studio Gallery, Barcelona - Artist in Residence, 2025
art’otel London Battersea - Artist in Residence, 2024
Bleur Art - Artistic Director (2022-2023)
Creative Land Trust - Artist Ambassador (2022-present)
Creative Land Trust - Artist Trustee (Governing Board of Trustees), 2020-2021
The Hari Hotel - Artist in Residence, 2021
The Soulstice Festival - Creative Directors, 2021
Appointments
2025
“Yellow Brick Road” art’otel London Hoxton, England
2021
Solo Show
2023
“MELT”, Hypha Studios x Creative Land Trust Exhibition
“Things Left Unsaid”, Affinity Art Gallery, Lagos Nigeria
2022
Letitia Wright x Flannels, Immersive Exhibition, W1Curates, London
AKAA Paris 22, International Art & Design Fair, Africa First x Lys Contemporary Booth
The World Reimagined, National Sculpture Trail, United Kingdom (Leeds Install, Corn Exchange)
The Royal Exchange, Sustainability Crossover project, London
Adidas x Creative Debuts, International Women’s Month Exhibition, London
The Hari Hotel, Illustrated Room Key Card Holders
2021
ArtiQ x Mayer Brown, “On Experience and Perception”, London
The Hari Hotel x ArtUltra Residency, Belgravia, London
100 Years of Justice Magistate Association x D Contemporary Gallery, Mayfair
2020
Fashion Illustration, Acid Gallery, Lille, France
Superstar Showcase, Adidas Originals x Creative Debuts, Oxford Circus, London
2019
Welcome to LDN, Adidas Originals x Creative Debuts, Oxford Circus, London
Built from Past at Present, Custard Factory, Birmingham
Unaji: Immersive Art Experience, Freemasons Hall, Covent Garden, London
Nostalgia, Tate Britain, Pimlico, London
Self Validation & Authenticity, Horton Arches, Hoxton, London
2018
Arts Alive Gallery, Soho, London
2017
House Of MTV, Shoreditch, London
Savage, Circle 1 Gallery, Berlin
Time Flies, Musée Noir, Soho, London
2016
Vin+Omi Frieze Art Fair, Sanderson Hotel London
Gallery On The Corner, Battersea, London
Selected Group Exhibitions & Projects:
Awards:
Young Entrepreneur, Best of Royal Greenwich Business Awards Winner 2021
Peabody Thamesmead Open, International Art Competition, Runner Up, 2020
Fida Fashion Illustrations Drawing Awards Finalist, 2020
Ravensbourne Incubation Lite Award Winner, 2019
MTV Breaks Artist, 2017
Collections:
SAO Capital Group
Cassava Technologies
Adegbola Collection
Africa First Collection
Folkes Collection
Broilliet Collection
House of MTV HQ, London
Magistrates Association HQ
The New York Times: Hypha Studios x Creative Land Trust Exhibition, 2023
ThisDay Newspaper: Affinity Gallery, Lagos, 2023
BBC News: The World Reimagined National Sculpture Trail, 2022
ELLE Decoration: The Crossover Project at The Royal Exchange, Sustainable Art Auction, 2022
Forbes: Frieze Week London and Beyond - 5 Essential Exhibitions To See 2021
Creative Land Trust Interview - Art, Culture & Commerce, May 2021
Chromatica Magazine, 2020 High Fashion
Magistrates Association: 100 Years of Justice Commission Interview, 2020
British GQ Magazine, Online: November 17th
Forbes: Sustainable Fashion Brands, 2019
Harper’s Bazaar Arabia: Apr 8th 2019
Polo Lifestyles Magazine, Vol 3 issue 1, Jan 2019
Daisie app, Debut issue, 2019
Press:
-
"Unaji style tends to rebel against the norms of fashion illustration as he boldly re-creates iconic fashion shoots in his own way. He exploits parts of magazine photographs while painting, drawing or, in some cases, sculpting over them."
— British GQ
Contact
For Collector enquires, complete the form with a few details, we'll review your message and get back to you within 48 hours.
