Painting Towards Possibility: Obi Agwam
In the hands of Obi Agwam, painting becomes an act of trust guided by curiosity and the emotions that emerge through the creative process. Rather than searching for fixed meaning, he follows what feels natural, allowing painting to emerge as a language shaped by intuition and sensitivity. Drawing from his own memories and conversations within his community, he transforms lived experience into deeply personal visual narratives.
Shaped by growing up in New York and navigating life through the lens of Black culture, Agwam’s practice is rooted in urban experience and the evolving language of Black creativity. His imagined figures exist within emotional worlds where plants often appear as recurring symbols of growth and resilience. Since 2023, vulnerability has become central to his work, shifting his focus toward the space between memory and feeling rather than direct representation.
In the following conversation, Agwam reflects on the emotional foundations of his practice and the importance of trusting his own voice over external validation. His words reveal an artist drawn not only to what is seen, but to the internal landscapes that shape how we feel and remember.
“I create artwork because it feels right, I stopped asking myself for a reason beyond that, painting feels like the most natural medium for me to express myself.”
— Obi Agwam
-OBI AGWAM
-OBI AGWAM
WHAT IS YOUR WHY? WHAT DRIVES YOUR CREATIVITY?
I create artwork because it feels right. I stopped asking myself for a reason beyond that. Painting feels like the most natural medium for me to express myself. I believe in exploring the natural curiosity we all have as human beings. My curiosity led me to painting, and I've stayed with it because it feels right. My creativity sparks mostly from pouring into my passions outside of my discipline. Long conversations and movies especially can be very motivating because of the range of emotions they can bring out in me.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME AN ARTIST?
I didn't think I was good at anything but art. I had unrestricted access to the internet from a young age, and through that access, I was exposed to all kinds of artists who were expressing themselves online. I thought to myself, “I could be one of those people,” but ultimately, I treated this thought as a fantasy. The frivolous fantasy I entertained from time to time started to alchemize into aspiration when I made one of my first sales. The money I got was enough for me to not work, and that made me think, “Oh, okay, I think I have something here. If I do it again, I won't have to get a ‘real’ job.”
WHAT THEMES OR EMOTIONS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY SHOWING UP IN YOUR WORK RECENTLY & WHAT DO YOU WISH TO CONVEY TO THE MASSES THROUGH YOUR WORK ?
Nature has been a consistent theme within my artwork. Plants are the foundation of life, and I love the connection we have to them. Just like plants, we need water, sunlight, attention, and most importantly, the right environment to thrive. Within nature, I find that flowers are the most aesthetically pleasing, carrying cultural meanings within each species. I love including that dynamic within my work, and every flower I include has intention. I also simply really enjoy painting flowers. I wish to explore the many ways we can depict the figure and find new approaches to painting people outside of direct observation.
HOW HAS YOUR BACKGROUND OR CULTURE INFLUENCED YOUR WORK ?
My relationship with Black culture and my background in New York have been the biggest influences on my work. The worlds that my characters exist in often reference urban environments. The themes I explore within my work also come from my experiences in New York and as a Black person. Blackness is more often than not at the root of popular culture. I am in awe that I get to contribute and watch the spirit of Black creation move through time.
Realizing that I am in control of my own internal narrative has to be the accomplishment that I’m most proud of. It's taken a long time for me to feel comfortable and confident within my work. Along the journey, I've started to convince myself that my work wasn't important. Every no that I would receive became heavy on my consciousness. This weight stopped me from creating to the point where I thought the world would be better off without my artwork. Finding confidence in my work has been an arduous task. It has taken a lot of work to regain faith in what I'm creating, especially learning to make without expectation. This is not a fiscal goal but a spiritual one that I'll carry for as long as I continue my practice.
-OBI AGWAM
-OBI AGWAM
HOW DO YOU NAVIGATE CREATING WORK THAT FEELS BOTH DEEPLY PERSONAL AND CULTURAL COLLECTIVE?
I’m able to create deeply personal works due to my admiration for other artists. I've always been a fan of artists who selflessly share their soul in a way that we can feel, no matter the medium. I love the instances of art where we all empathetically share an emotion through an artwork, like when we can all feel joy from a song’s lyrics or tune.
I believe that for that to happen, an artist has to practice vulnerability and openness, pouring themselves into their craft. Seeing others express that openness gives me the courage to do the same within my own artwork. If my favorite artist can do it, then so can I.
WHAT'S A BREAKTHROUGH MOMENT IN YOUR JOURNEY THAT STILL MOTIVATES YOU TODAY?
I do not rely on any specific moments to be a source of motivation, but one moment that I believe helped me the most was having my first solo exhibition at New Image Gallery in Los Angeles in 2021. This exhibition threw me into the “fine art world” in a way that was disarming but all the more exciting. I was making work in a vacuum, and this was the first instance where my work was given a context to exist within. All of a sudden, I was hearing unfamiliar terminology and learning about artists and institutions I had never encountered before. This show would lead me to other professionals and spaces that I would have never thought my artwork would be in conversation with. I am forever grateful to the team at New Image for giving me the platform at the time.
IF YOUR WORK COULD IMAGINE A NEW WORLD FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS WHAT WOULD THAT WORLD LOOK AND FEEL LIKE?
I tend not to think of the future as much when I create work. Thinking about the unlimited possibilities for what could be gives me anxiety, so I choose to stay as present as I can. Ideally, I would like to create a world where pursuing anything feels possible. I feel that as humans, we all too often bear the cross of others' expectations, stopping us from really tuning into who we are and who we could be. An ideal future is one where everyone can listen to themselves without the noise of limiting beliefs. We all have value and unlimited potential from birth, and that only becomes realized when we can acknowledge our own power.
WHAT ROLE DOES VULNERABILITY PLAY IN YOUR WORK?
Vulnerability is the basis for my artistic practice. Every painting I've made since 2023 comes from my own personal emotional experiences. I started to self-loath over my inability to be open with others. Journaling became the method I found most effective. Journaling helped me become more open within myself, but not with others, so I thought the best place to practice that openness was within my artistic practice. The subjects within my artwork are entirely imaginary, but their origins come from my emotional reflections and memories of others. When remembering things, our emotions tend to fill the gaps where our memory lacks. I make work that focuses on that emotional gap.
IS THERE A PARTICULAR WORK THAT FEELS ESPECIALLY PERSONAL OR TRANSFORMATIVE TO YOU?
There isn't a specific artwork that feels more personal or significant to me. With every artwork I create, I try to be more open. I really enjoy What’s Left of My Dawgs, a painting I made in 2024. In that artwork, there was a feeling of solitude and apathy that I was reflecting on. I enjoy looking at the main subject and the feeling the painting gives me. It feels almost cinematic to me
-OBI AGWAM
