Tonye Ekine (b. 1992, Nigeria) is a London-based visual artist whose bold, multilayered practice blends storytelling, colour, and cultural symbolism. A graduate of Fine Art from Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria (2014), Tonye’s creative journey began in the applied arts—spanning media, music, broadcasting, design, and creative direction. These early influences remain integral to his visual language, infusing his work with a dynamic sense of rhythm, texture, and narrative complexity.

In 2021, Tonye relocated to London to deepen and expand his artistic practice. He earned an MA in Fine Art: Drawing from Camberwell College of Arts in 2022, a pivotal step that refined his visual vocabulary and sharpened his conceptual focus. That same year, he exhibited with Steingold Contemporary in the group show Haven, alongside a roster of emerging international artists. His first solo exhibition, One of Us, opens in March 2024 at Steingold Contemporary and presents new works and intricate illustrations that form the foundation of his larger canvases.

Tonye’s work often features Ife-inspired masked figures positioned within staged or architectural settings—a reflection of his fascination with British design and his Nigerian heritage. Working primarily with acrylic on canvas or linen, he explores themes of identity, decolonization, memory, and modernity through compositions that balance the finished with the unfinished, the abstract with the symbolic. His approach is deeply intuitive yet technically rigorous, drawing on his background in fashion, music, and pop culture to shape a vibrant, thoughtful, and contemporary visual language.

Ever curious and collaborative, Tonye continues to seek new artistic conversations and opportunities that push the boundaries of his evolving practice.