Young black talent should never go unrecognized. That's why everyone should get into the artwork of Kareem Waris Olamilekan, an 11-year-old artist from Nigeria whose life-like work is garnering the attention of folks from his community and French President Emmanuel Macron. 👇👇👇 pic.twitter.com/gE8bMc6SWV MEET 10YEAR OLD NIGERIAN ARTIST KAREEM WARIS WHO IS SO SO TALENTED .. Take a look at some of his works👇👇👇 @TrendsOfNigeria April 18, 2018 This young genius' name is Waris Kareem. You'll be seeing a lot more of him. https://t.co/iVjWv0o5dA July 8, 2018 Olamilekan actually met with Macron last week in Lagos to showcase his work: Describing his art as "hyper-realism," Olamilekan began drawing at 6-years-old, and advanced to professional status at the age of 8, when he became the youngest professional artist in Nigeria, according to DD News. Naturally, the young artist uses his family and surroundings as his inspiration. "The inspiration behind it is that something going on around me, especially my family. The sweat on it symbolizes hard work and struggling. And the spoon symbolizes food. Everybody in my society has little now, or my streets, they struggle, struggle, they sweat for their eats," said Olamilekan. "He can go far, farther than even beyond our expectations, because I believe with what he has been doing, he's going somewhere greater. We used to tell him don't see yourself like a roadside artist. Believe you can have a name like Michelangelo, like Davinci," said Adeniyi Adewole, who teaches Olamilekan and other young artists at an arts academy in Lagos. Olamilekan hopes his works will be displayed in international museums and that his name will be well-known for years to come. Looks like he's on the right path. Black Boy Joy in full effect! Liking this content? Check these out: 13 Incredible Black Artists, Past And Present, Everybody Should Know Here's The Scoop On The Talented Group Of Young, Nigerian Dancers From Viral Video Praised By Rihanna, Diddy The Video Director Behind The Prolific 'This Is Nigeria' Music Video Is 23-Year-Old Prodigeezy<doc-sep>In the thriving art city of Lagos, lives Kareem Waris Olamilekan, a pencil artist, painter and prosthetic makeup artist. He began drawing at 6, starting with cartoon and comics and by 8, he had started drawing professionally. Speaking to Spark about what work made him believe in himself, he said: "It was not my personal project but when my boss gets contracts like mural painting, I will be given sides to do. The mural painting I did at Marshall School at Magboro, Ogun state increased my confidence because I was given freedom to do anything.” In an interview with BBC video journalist, Ayo Bello, Kareem states that his best work is "Daily Bread", a Charcoal-on-card piece that depicts a boy desperately having a meal while sweating and crying. This amazing pencil work is inspired by his hustle and his family's struggle to provide and put food on the table. This work bears major semblance to the viral artworks of Arinze Stanley Egbengwu, another Nigerian hyperrealism artist who Kareem also claims is an inspiration. In a makeshift studio in an obscure part of Lagos, Adeniyi Adewole, a graduate of General Arts, teaches art to a group of students, including Waris.<doc-sep>French President Emmanuel Macron, left, walks on stage at the New Africa Shrine in Lagos with 11-year-old, Kareem Waris Olamilekan, a young Nigerian artist who drew his portrait. (CNN) — French President Emmanuel Macron has praised the skills of an 11-year-old Nigerian artist who drew a stunning portrait of him in just two hours. Kareem Waris Olamilekan drew a portrait of President Macron during his visit to Fela Kuti’s New Africa Shrine in Lagos Tuesday. Unbelievably talented 11-year old Kazeem paints the President of France on a canvas in just 2 hours at the New Afrika Shrine yesterday. You should have seen the shock on the Macron's face.#Art #Muse #PrideofLagos #AfrikaShrine #afrotourism #africa #culture pic.twitter.com/9Z0DDV25p7 — afrotourist (@afrotourist) July 4, 2018 Macron is currently on a two-day visit to Nigeria and attended a cultural showcase at the venue to announce the launch of the Season of African Cultural Season, scheduled to hold in France in 2020. TRACE 11-year old Nigerian hyperrealist artist, Kareem Olamilekan draws portrait of French President's Macron at the African shrine on July 3, 2018. While waiting for the President to arrive, Olamilekan got to work and created a portrait of Macron, which was presented to him by the event’s host, Nigerian singer, Banky W. A visibly moved Macron touched heads with Olamilekan and later took to Twitter to appreciate his work. He posted a short video of the moment, with the caption, “Very touched. Congrats to this young boy.” Very touched, congratulations to this young boy! pic.twitter.com/hQd3ylxGnV — Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) July 3, 2018 Olamilekan is one of the youngest members of a growing community of artists in Lagos creating hyper-realistic charcoal and pencil paintings. Hyperrealism is a genre of art that produces hand-drawn images resembling high-resolution photos. Other young Nigerian creatives, like Arinze Stanley and Oscar Ukonu, are using their art to mirror real life. It’s an aesthetic growing in popularity, amongst both the local art community and an avid global audience. During the event organized by TRACE media, President Macron was treated to a display from top contemporary Nigerian visual artists Ndidi Emefiele, Abraham Onoriode Oghobase and Victor Ehikhamenor, curated by ArtX Lagos fair founder, Tokini Peterside.<doc-sep>
Kareem Waris Olamilekan, known as Waspa, is the youngest living artist in Nigeria at the age of 11. He has been a professional artist for the last three years, garnering global attention for his hyperrealistic pencil art. Olamilekan even had the honor of drawing a portrait of President Emmanuel Macron of France on July 3 at the Celebrate Africa event in Lagos, according to CNN. It reportedly took the young child only two hours to sketch the photo of president Macron as a crowd waited for him to arrive at Fela Kuti’s New Africa Shrine. Very touched, congratulations to this young boy! pic.twitter.com/hQd3ylxGnV — Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) July 3, 2018 The young artist began to draw at 6 years old and now attends art school at a makeshift studio in a neighborhood in Lagos, reports CTGN. Olamilekan creates portraits of his family, friends and other figures in his community. Each drawing is full of detail, which he says he gets through “patience,” and delivers messages about his environment. https://www.instagram.com/p/BWaao4IhHmX/?taken-by=waspa_art The young prodigy’s art teacher says he sees him as “the DaVinci of Nigeria.” His artistic idols are Italian Renaissance mixed-medium artist Michelangelo and fellow Nigerian portraitist Arinze Stanley, who also draws in pencil. While Olamilekan’s pencil work is gaining attention, he also works in other mediums including pastel, pen and paint. Outside of portrait work the 11-year-old draws cartoons and comics, as reported by BBC Africa. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bhcki0QH2a6/?taken-by=waspa_art “I want to be a great artist among the great artists in the whole wide world,” Olamilekan says. “And I want some of my artwork to be in international museums. I want myself in the highest place.” Watch the artist’s interview in full below.