Samuel Nnorom

The Essence of Life

2023

Samuel Nnorom (b.1990) is a Nigerian-born visual. He discovered his talent at the age of 9 years while assisting his father in his shoe workshop – where he started making life drawings of customers that visited the shop. He was also influenced by his mother's tailoring workshop –as a kid who played with colourful fabrics with sewing needles and thread. He went further to develop this talent through apprenticeship, training, workshops, Exhibitions, art school and practice. Samuel holds an MFA in sculpture from the University of Nigeria Nsukka and is a full-time practising studio artist with many awards, exhibitions and residencies which include 3rd and 1st prize for the National Gallery of Art 2010 and 2012 respectively, won prizes in 2016, 2017 and 2019 editions of the Life in My City Art Festival. He was the first prize recipient (leatherwork category) of the Icreate Africa 2019. Nnorom has received invitations to important workshops and group exhibitions, including the international art workshop by IICD at the United States Embassy, Abuja (2019), Rele Young Contemporary Bootcamp 2021, published in an international magazine the UK (zine, issue 11, artist responding to issues) and Haus-a-rest, issue 17 Material Damage 2021, Cassirer Welz Award, Bag factory and Strauss & co South Africa 2022, recipient of 2022 Royal Over-Sea League and Art House Residency London, recipient of Guest Art Space (GAS) fellowship and residency from Yinka Shonibare Foundation 2022, shortlisted for Prince Claus Funds CAREC and Mentorship 2022/2023, Noldor fellowship and Residency 2023, and several others. He belongs to the New Nsukka School of Art and he is currently exploring Okirika clothes and Ankara fabric using bubble techniques as sculptural media while interrogating human experiences that relate to consumption, environment, sociopolitical and economic issues through questioning.