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Odili Donald Odita

Odili Donald Odita (born on 18 February 1966) is variety of media, but his works since the 1990s are often
an African American abstract painter from Philadelphia, large-scale paintings on canvas and Plexiglass. He some-
Pennsylvania whose work explores color both in the g- times paints directly on walls to alter the perception of
urative historical context and in the sociopolitical sense. space.[3] Often involving complex interlocking geome-
His vibrant large-scale abstractions have been described tries and contrasting hues,[5] his works are seen as rais-
as showstoppers[1] and are considered to raise questions ing signicant questions about race and society.[2]
about race and society.[2] Most of Odilis work is inspired
by the vibrant textiles of his home country, Nigeria mixed
with patterns from Western modernity.
All visual materials are culturally
grounded and that it is important to recognize
1 Early life and education where their meaning is derived from.[2]

Odili was born on 18 February 1966, in Enugu, Nigeria.


However, in 1967, Oditas family were forced to ee Although often related to mainstream abstract artists such
Nigeria in order to avoid the Biafran war. Where they as Helen Frankenthaler and Kenneth Noland, Odita in-
then resided in Columbus, Ohio in the United States.[1][3] tentionally places himself in a tradition of black abstract
painters from the 1970s and 1980s. He has studied and
Starting at the age of ve, Odili began recreating draw-
interviewed many of the artists from that period includ-
ings from superhero comic books, and later fashion mag-
ing Howardena Pindell, Alvin D. Loving, Edward Clark,
azines. Odili said I knew I was going to be an artist af-
Frank Bowling, and Stanley Whitney.[6]
ter I did a marathon copying of images from a stack of
prints/drawings that my father had collected for his work
as an art historian."(A Will Brown) Day and night Odili
would continue drawing until fatigue would get to him
and force him to fall asleep.
Odili received his B.F.A. (with Distinction) from Ohio
State University in 1988 where Odili also received the
Excellence in the Arts Award. Later he than received a
M.F.A. from Bennington College, Vermont in 1990. In
1998 Odili earned ART/OMI, International Artist Resi-
dency.

2 Career

In the 1990s Odili was a Critic for Flash Art Interna-


tional, and a Consulting Editor and Writer for NKA, Jour-
nal of Contemporary African Art.[4] From 2003 to 2005
he was a Visiting Critic in Painting at Yale University
School of Art.[4] From 2002 to 2003 he was a Visiting
Associate Professor in Painting at the University of South
Florida, Tampa.[4] From 2000 to 2006 he was an Asso-
ciate Professor in Painting at the Florida State University,
Tallahassee.[4] From 2006 to the present Odita has been
an Associate Professor of Painting in Philadelphia at the
Tyler School of Art / Temple University.[4]
Odita is primarily a painter, but also works in photo-based
pieces and installation art. He has experimented with a

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2 4 REFERENCES

3 Awards
1994: Penny McCall Foundation Grant[7]
2001: Joan Mitchell Foundation Grant[7]

2007: Louis Comfort Tiany Grant[7]


2007: his large installation Give Me Shelter was fea-
tured prominently in the 52nd Venice Biennale exhi-
bition Think With The Senses, Feel With the Mind,
curated by Robert Storr.[7]

4 References
[1] Koplos, Janet. Odili Donald Odita. Art in America. Re-
trieved 26 March 2015.

[2] Oguibe, Olu. Odili Donald Odita. BOMB Magazine.


Retrieved 26 March 2015.

[3] Perspectives 169: Odili Donald Odita. Contemporary


Arts Museum Houston.

[4] Odili Donald Odita, Temple University.

[5] Ulrich Project Series Odili Donald Odita Television Jan-


uary 17-April 26, 2009 (PDF). Ulrich Museum of Art.
2009. Retrieved 26 March 2015.

[6] Sheets, Hilarie M. (June 4, 2014). The Changing Com-


plex Prole of Black Abstract Painters. ARTnews. Re-
trieved 26 March 2015.

[7] Odili Donald Odita, Jack Shainman Gallery.


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5 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses


5.1 Text
Odili Donald Odita Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odili_Donald_Odita?oldid=769810513 Contributors: Smallbones, Gobonobo,
Headbomb, Mary Mark Ockerbloom, Waacstats, Dthomsen8, Dorevabelore, KasparBot, Lindatawana and Brandongambone

5.2 Images
File:Commons-logo.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg License: PD Contributors: ? Origi-
nal artist: ?
File:Kiasma_from_the_north,_2011.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/99/Kiasma_from_the_north%
2C_2011.jpg License: CC BY 2.0 Contributors: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kiasmamuseum/14117181260/ Original artist: Creator:
Pirje Mykknen
File:Odili_NB2_(7704409682).jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Odili_NB2_%287704409682%29.
jpg License: CC BY 2.0 Contributors: Odili_NB2 Original artist: Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York
File:Odili_Odita2_vc.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/Odili_Odita2_vc.jpg License: CC BY 2.0
Contributors: Odili Odita2 Original artist: Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York

5.3 Content license


Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0

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