Abdul Hakim Onitolo, 11.01.02 - 03.02.02,
Manuela Höfer - Printgallery, 29/30 St Albans Place, London N1 ONX
Tel +44 (0) 20 7930 1

Following the success of his exhibitions last year, this graduate of the Royal College of Art, London, has been developing an interesting new body of work. British born, of Nigerian heritage, Abdul Hakim Onitolo started out as a painter, later specialising in printmaking, and consistently incorporating photography. Shown here at Manuela Höfer’s Print Gallery, Hakim’s, thematic works delve deeper into exploration of culture, identity, religion, symbol, politics and icon. In particular, his work draws from traditional African religions, and their synthesis, and hybrid forms in Western society.

Hakim’s use of autographic marks against photographic imagery within print or collage, have become freer, and less formulaic as his work matures and pushes the boundries of the media he uses. His work has developed with free play and association, spontaneity, adding layers to the image as the meanings and themes increase in complexity.

His works in progress are to be entitled:’Historia’ where recontextualising the paintings of the old masters; Holbein, Duccio and Bellini, from an afrocentric point of view are the motivations. Hakim plays with words; ‘His Story’, ‘Paranoia’, History itself and the way its recorded and manipulated, and contextualised. The thought processes here are in line with artists such as Yinka Shonibare.
All works are unique pieces and for sale.

Hakim Onitolo was born in Liverpool in 1966. Present residence is London, England
1998 Royal College of Art Master of Art (Printmaking)
1993 City and Guilds of London Art School Graduateship Production
1984 Lagos State College of Science and Technology Diploma in Fine Art

"My work has dealt mostly with aspects of History, Identity, Culture, Tradition and West African Mythology. I have found these themes fascinating, especially in the amount of visual and oral material available. The related symbolisms, the illumination through research of things being synthesised, forgotten and those upheld. I find their usage and interpretation in other parts of the world somewhat stimulating. I constantly strive to find different ways and methods of working to reflect my subject matter. The possibilities have continuously expanded as I use my thought processes as they come to me as freely as I am capable. For series of work I used the Billy Holiday song 'Strange Fruit' as a theme. This took me into dealing with aspects of modern culture, attitudes and the way black people have been perceived through time, drawing mostly on popular preconceptions. The work and thoughts of Fanon, Langston Hughes, Levi Strauss feature predominantly within the making of my work. Through personal exploration, especially of printmaking, I have developed an open approach where restrictions, albeit technical, are those self- imposed. A lot of work I create, varies due to experimentation and the need for deferring modes of expression within the framework of my thoughts."

2001 Manuela Hofer Print Gallery, London
2000 Westbourne Gallery, London
1997 Gallerie 53 Munich West Germany
1996 Pizza Chelsea 93 Pelham Street Kensington
1996 Stoorum Restaurant Kennington, London

2000 Henry Peacock Gallery, London
2000 City of Leeds Art Gallery, London
2000 Manuela Hofer Print Gallery, London
2000 Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
2000 National Print Exhibition Mall Galleries, London
1999 University of Calgary, Canada
1999 Hockney Gallery Jay Mews, London
1998 Network AD Islington, London
1998 National Print Exhibition Mall Galleries, London
1997 Heathers Restaurant Deptford, London
1997 Strata Gallery 58 Church Road Norwood, London
1996 Lowick Print Workshop Students Open
1996 Westbourne Gallery, London
1993 Cannon Lincoln Mezzanine floor Saville Row, London
1993 Warrior Artists Studios 241 Coldharbour Lane, London

Department for Education and Employment
Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
City and Guilds of London Institute
The Rayne Foundation
Westbourne Gallery
Gallery Voice, Japan
University of Calgary, Japan
Royal College of Art print Archive
Kunst De Budenstem, Vienna
United States of America

2000 Exhibition Coordinator For Westbourne Gallery
2000 Royal West of England Academy Purchase Prize
2000 National Print Exhibition Curwen Studio Press Prize
2000 Erasmus Travel Award to Vienna
1999 Royal College of Art Travel Award to Portugal
1998 Royal College of Art Travel Award to Calgary Canada
1996 J Haworth Prize for Painting
1996 City and Guilds of London Award of Excellence in Printmaking
1995 City and Guilds Institute Travel Award to USA
1994 Liquitex International Painting Competition Award
1993 British Civil Service National Painting Competition Award