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Mayowa Nwadike

@mayowanwadike

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6th
@forbes 30 under 30 |2026

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Meet Mayowa Nwadike— self-taught Nigerian multidisciplinary artist based in Manhattan, New York.

Nwadike’s practice blends realism with symbolic storytelling, using acrylic, charcoal, and coffee to explore themes of identity, vulnerability, and self-discovery. His layered portraits often feature biblical references and subtle cues—gestures, expressions, attire—that illuminate the internal conflict between societal expectations and personal truth.

Rooted in personal experience and observation, Nwadike’s work invites viewers to reflect on the complexities of human behavior, prompting a deeper engagement with their own identity and values. His art has been featured in New Visionary, Suboart, and Art Connect magazines, as well as in video interviews on his process and journey.
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On view now at Jonathan Carver Moore— “To Be Seen” a multigenerational group exhibition that invites us to boldly embrace who we are through visibility, presence, and unapologetic self-expression.

“To Be Seen” Features works by Eric Hart Jr. (@erichartjr), April Bey (@aprilbey_), Ramekon O’Arwisters (@ramekon), Khari Johnson Ricks (@khari.studio), Lulu Mhlana (@lulumhlana), and Mayowa Nwadike (@mayowanwadike).

Video by @tinashe.arts

#MayowaNwadike#JonathanCarverMoore #ContemporaryArt #SanFrancisco taken in Jonathan Carver Moore by @mayowanwadike

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a year ago

I Heard What You Said, I See What You Do.
24” x 36”
Acrylic and Charcoal on Panel
2026 taken in New York, New York by @mayowanwadike

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6 days ago

Dinner For Two, Table For One.
Acrylic and Charcoal on Panel
12 x 16
2026

currently on view in Libration, My Love curated by @iambritsade with @jessicaannpeavygallery through August 14th. taken in New York, New York by @mayowanwadike

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a month ago

Join us for GG & POP Institute's three year anniversary exhibition curated by @iambritsade

Liberation, My Love, a group exhibition featuring 17 artists opens June 27, 2026. The exhibition gathers emerging artists working across a breadth of media and geographies, united by a shared inquiry into what it means to move through the world freely,on one’s own terms, in one’s own body, within one’s own community. The work ranges from the intimate to the monumental, the personal to the political, the quiet to the confrontational. Together, it builds an argument: that liberation is not an abstract ideal but a daily, practiced, embodied thing.

The opening on June 27 is free and open to the public. All are welcome.

Featured Artist:
Mayowa Nwadike is a Nigerian mixed media artist based in New York City. Working primarily hi with charcoal and acrylic, he creates emotionally layered work that blends heritage and lived experience to explore themes of identity, gender, roles, spirituality, and the immigrant experience. His paintings have been exhibited internationally at esteemed galleries and institutions, including the Whatcom Museum in Washington, the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, and the African-American Museum in Dallas. His work has also been featured in numerous publications, including Hyperallergic, Timeout, Observer, and New Visionary Magazine. In 2026, Nwadike was named to Forbes 30 under 30 (Art & Style), a recognition of his distinct voice and influence in contemporary art. @mayowanwadike by @mayowanwadike

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a month ago

last week, i had the privilege of speaking alongside some truly remarkable humans at audible ben’s: the salon, a conversation about art, wealth, and culture hosted by the black employee network at @audible headquarters.

being in a room full of black people genuinely curious about art collecting, asking real questions, leaning in, that was the whole thing for me. conversations like that are why this work matters.

grateful to have shared the floor with @akwaabagallery, jacob walthour , and @iambritsade . thank you to @dwaithe and @tiffiee_ for the invitation and for creating something so intentional.

#artcollecting #blackart #artandculture #emergingartists #contemporaryart by @mayowanwadike

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a month ago

really grateful to have been recently featured in @forbes_at and got to sit down with the amazing @hallosarahse for a full conversation. we talked about how i find the people featured in my work, staying close to the business side of my practice, and what it means to tell honest stories about who we are across African and diasporic identity.

feeling really good about this one, especially coming on the heels of being included in the @forbes 30 under 30 art & style list last year.

full feature linked in bio. taken in New York, New York by @mayowanwadike

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2 months ago

i could swear you were here two seconds ago (2026), acrylic and charcoal on panel, 18 × 24 in.

created out of a four-hour conversation with my friend theresa, we found ourselves talking about the overlap in our journeys. mine from nigeria to new york, and hers from new york to san francisco.

we kept coming back to how those transitions create a kind of longing for community, for family, for friends, and even for yourself, because different places bring out different versions of who we are.

i wanted to hold that feeling, the in-between, the almost.

the title, i could swear you were here two seconds ago, sits in that space, speaking to how present a moment can feel, and how quickly it can disappear.

earlier this month, this work, alongside another portrait of theresa, was on view in san francisco with jonathan carver moore for my first sf art fair, and both found homes with collectors. by @mayowanwadike

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3 months ago

spent the weekend in san francisco for my first sf art fair with @jonathancarvermoore and I’m feeling really grateful. had two works on view and even happier they both found amazing homes with beautiful collectors.

this was my second time in san francisco, the first was with jonathan for “to be seen,” and both times my work has been met with so much care and support.

feeling really inspired by the architecture, the people, the food, and the energy of the art scene here.

thank you to everyone who came through, showed love, and spent time with the work.

i’ll be back, more coming soon! 🤍 taken in San Francisco, California by @mayowanwadike

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3 months ago

Trust me, I’ve been there too.
Acrylic and charcoal on wooden panel
16 x 20
2026

#mixedmedia #acrylic #charcoal taken in New York, New York by @mayowanwadike

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4 months ago

This is a huge moment. i grew up dreaming of times like this. to be included in forbes 30 U 30 class of 2026 amongst some of the most amazing and creative minds in today’s world feels amazing. it makes the years of work and faith in my dreams worth it. thank you to @forbes @forbesunder30 for the honor, and thank you to each and everyone of you who have continuously supported my journey.

❤️ this is just the beginning.

📸: @typerception taken in New York, New York by @mayowanwadike

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8 months ago

Some of the most important moments in life happen at a table.
Conversations, laughter, hard truths, healing.
That’s why seeing this print for the first time feels surreal,
Because this piece was created for exactly that.

Thank you to everyone who has supported by collecting a copy of this print. To collect yours, comment the word “DINNER” below and i’ll send you a link to the print in your dm.

❤️🍇 by @mayowanwadike

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5 months ago

BLACK ART MATTERS | Mayowa Nwadike

“The conversations in my work are an ode to where I grew up and the ancestry that continues to live through me. My work isn’t about offering answers, but about creating space for exploration and alternative approaches to what we consider ‘normal.’” – Mayowa Nwadike

Mayowa Nwadike is a self-taught Nigerian mixed-media artist based in New York City whose work explores identity, vulnerability, and cultural memory. Working in layered acrylic and charcoal, he creates intimate portraits that examine the tension between personal truth and social expectation, drawing inspiration from the techniques of the Old Masters to blend realism with symbolic storytelling.

Rooted in lived experience, Nwadike’s work challenges unspoken ideas surrounding gender, race, and faith, inviting viewers to reflect on what is revealed and unresolved.

His work has been exhibited at institutions including the Whatcom Museum, the Museum of Science & Industry in Chicago, and the African American Museum in Dallas. In 2025, he was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 (Art & Style), recognizing his growing influence in contemporary art.

#BlackArtMatters #MayowaNwadike #ContemporaryArt #FigurativePainting #BlackArtist by @mayowanwadike

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6 months ago