They have also been illustrated on fabric and exhibited at international fashion parades.
Your dose of African Goodness # The Art Of Victor Ehikhamenor, Discovered Through Fashion We've always believed that fashion as an art form, can throw down its commercial guns and take on the full embodiment of the creative arts, as was aptly illustrated through the fabrics of Ituen Basi's Spring Summer 2014 'Ekemini' collection showcased at the 2013 Music Meets Runway. The collaboration which brought two energetically creative forces together went beyond just slapping the artist's patterns and paintings on a piece of fabric. They created living art, the models became a live canvas that strutted down the runway as part of a grand exhibition, instead of someone just wearing a piece of cloth. We had been so immersed in the distorted human shapes illustrated, the sway of the fringing on the clothes and the interesting allure of the collection as a whole; from the hair to the print shoes, that we were completely unaware that the beautiful illustrations which adorned those fabrics were conjured by an artist, until months later when a friend mentioned it in passing. Victor Ehikhamenor is a Nigerian-born visual artist, writer and photographer who has been practicing all these art forms for so long now that they intersect and feed off of each other. His intent is to stretch things beyond the traditional canvas; painting becomes his outlet when the need to reminisce about old shrine drawings of his childhood arises, and poetry, when he needs to serenade. As a figurative-abstractionist who draws influences from traditional African motifs and religious cosmology, he opts to try different forms, (sculptures, charcoal on canvas, "paintfortation": painting by perforation-a technique that uses nail perforations in thick white handmade paper to create subtle relief work), he goes back and forth with the forms and styles he likes, while seeking to discover new ones. Struggle For Big Afro Mama | The Way You Make Me Feel Victor also sees book covers as another canvas, a collaboration between text and visuals. He's the artist behind over 30 amazing book covers, starting with Chika Unigwe, followed by favorites like Chimamanda Adiche's Purple Hibisicus, then a long list including measuring time by Helon Habila. Art Lovers | Eye Love You Such collaborative efforts between fashion and art are few and far between. The other example that readily comes to mind is the beautiful illustrations seen on different pieces which made up the Re Bahia SS15 collection showcased at the last LFDW. In a continent with vast numbers of incredibly talented artists and designers, there's much left to be desired, and while we hoe for change, we are comforted by Ehikhamenor who shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. ##### CONNECT ##### Website | Instagram ###### ###### ###### Credits | Xokigbo | ContemporaryAnd | Sabi News | African Writer | We Run Things | Africa Is A Country ## Black Fabulousity A conversation on the most interesting, creative works and stories from all around Africa and the diaspora. Discover, share and engage. Previous articleTlale F/W '15, Muted but not Underwhelmed. Next articleWeekend Mashup No. 02 ### You may also like August 10, 2015 ## African Identity, Illustrated By Joseph Eze & Namsa Leuba June 22, 2015 ## A Conceptual Art Space In Lagos | Studio Of Modé ### 1 Comment Reply February 27, 2015 #### Sister From Another Planet » The Art of Victor Ehikhamenor, Discovered Through Fashion […] by blackfabulousity [ …] ### Click here to cancel reply. ### HEY, DROP A COMMENT BEFORE YOU LEAVE Cancel reply ### Say Hello [email protected] ### Just Pinned ### Instagram ### Everyone is reading.. The Art Of Victor Ehikhamenor, Discovered Through Fashion If You're Hunting Retro Or Vintage ,You Should Make These Stops 5 Protective Braids Styles you can do yourself + Easy Tutorials Day Out: Zaron Ikeja Franchise Opening ### Like this blog? Why not make it official.. Like this blog? Why not make it official.. ### Dont be shy, Tweet at us Tweets by @BlackFabulosity ### More Stories #### Captured Style: Vivian Mivu For this first style issue, we linked up with Vivian Mivu, a student who just wears what feels alright or looks good in her closet. She describes her style as "Casual Chic", and says that the foundation of her style is built on variety. Send to Email Address Your Name Your Email Address Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Email check failed, please try again Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. %d bloggers like this:
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Victor Ehikhamenor
Education and work influence.
Ehikhamenor was born in Udomi-Uwessan, Edo State, Nigeria. He was educated in Nigeria and in the United States. He returned from the United States in 2008 to work in Lagos. 
 His work is strongly influenced by work done by villagers especially his grandmother who was a cloth weaver. His uncle was also a photographer, his maternal grandfather a blacksmith, and his mother, a local artist. 
 He is also inspired by wall paintings and installation arts, mostly in community shrines. This has been an enduring feature of his work, which is abstract, symbolic and politically motivated; and influenced by the duality of African traditional religion and the interception of Western beliefs, memories and nostalgia. 
 Ehikhamenor's art and photographs have been used for editorials as well as cover art on books by authors such as Chimamanda Adichie, Helon Habila and Chika Unigwe.