The hyper-realistic photographs of black people created by Nigerian artist Arinze Stanley Egbengwu, who is based in Lagos, are noted for capturing the nuanced emotions of the modern black experience.
At the age of six, Stanley started drawing using graphite pencils and supplies from his family’s paper company. The self-taught artist used what he refers to as the three Ps—patience, practice, and persistence—to develop his photorealistic technique. He meticulously crafts these sculptures using live models, reference photos, and his own creativity.
“My art is created out of the drive for perfection in both technique and expression as well as my devotion to bringing about positive changes in the world,” says Stanley.
He is inspired by real-world events and essentially anything that makes him feel compelled. He finds himself devoting countless hours to creating artwork that will evoke powerful, intense feelings in his viewers, allowing him to establish a closer connection with them.
He frequently needs two to four months to finish only one portrait. Even though his victims’ features are shown to be covered with thick liquid, shrouded by woven paper masks, or punctured by gunshot holes, his subjects’ emotions—which range from subdued to exaggerated—clearly register in these pieces.
Stanley’s practice relates to the realities of police violence and systematic racism and reflects his commitment to social justice and political action. It was inspired by his personal experiences living in Nigeria.