Recently updated on January 22nd, 2023 at 10:18 pm
Toju Micheal Ogbe is a Nigerian mixed media artist focused on newspaper and fabrics collage for visual storytelling and documentation of progress in societies.
Art/Artist summary
- Artist: Toju Micheal Ogbe
- Art type: Mixed media (collage)
- Genre: Good news art (positive news and truthful information)
- Materials: Newspapers, magazines, posters, cloth, gum, pictures, beads, markers, etc.
- Start date: November 28, 2022
- Number of works created: Eight (8)
- Exhibitions/contests participated in: Currently unavailable
- Contact details: Phone (+2349064503292); Email (tojuunderscoremicheal@gmail.com); Twitter (@Toju_Micheal); Fine Art America (Toju Ogbe)
- Teacher/Mentor: Cliff I. Agba
- Photographer: Ayus
- Art summary: Truthfully, documenting the positive progress and excellence in various areas of life as published in (Nigerian) newspapers on specific dates.
Art Works by Toju Micheal Ogbe
- Title: The Nigerian Stock Exchange Market (2022/2023) | Date: January, 2023 | Size: 20″ x 24″ | Availability: Yes
Dedicated to hardworking, patriotic and entrepreneurial Nigerians, the art work highlights and celebrates the progress and truth in the Nigerian Stock Exchange Market on the last reporting date of 2022 (December 30, 2022) and the first reporting date of 2023 (January 3, 2023) as published in Nigerian newspapers.

- Title: Cliff Agba | Date: January, 2023 | Size: 20″ x 24″ | Availability: No
In celebration of Cliff Agba (a remarkable artist) on his birthday on January 5, 2023, the art work highlights and celebrates the progress and truth in the field of arts in Nigeria and the world as published in Nigerian newspapers on January 5, 2023.

- Title: Pele | Date: January, 2023 | Size: 20″ x 24″ | Availability: Yes
In honour of Pele, the great football legend who died on December 29, 2022. Based on truth and positivity, the first reporting of his death published on December 30 by Nigerian newspapers was used for this work.

- Title: Human Solidarity I | Date: December, 2022 | Size: 20″ x 24″ | Availability: Yes
Dedicated to kind and helpful people in Nigeria and the world, the art work highlights and celebrates the progress and truth in the progress of human love, cooperation and unity in Nigeria and the world as published in Nigerian newspapers on December 20, which is the International Day of Human Solidarity.

- Title: Lionel Messi I | Date: December, 2022 | Size: 30″ x 40″ | Availability: Yes
In honour of Lionel Messi for his footballing excellence and winning the 2022 FIFA Men World Cup Tournament held in Qatar on December 18, 2022. Based on truth and positivity, the first reporting of this feat published on December 19 by Nigerian newspapers was used for this work.

- Title: Human Right I | Date: December, 2022 | Size: 30″ x 40″ | Availability: Yes
Dedicated to advocates of human rights, the work highlights and celebrates the progress and truth in promoting and defending the dignity and responsible human right practices in Nigeria and the world as published in Nigerian newspapers on December 10, which is the International Day of Human Rights.

- Title: Anti-Corruption I | Date: December, 2022 | Size: 20″ x 24″ | Availability: Yes
Dedicated to people of integrity in Nigeria and the world, the art work highlights and celebrates the progress and truth in the fight against corruption/ corrupt practices in Nigeria and the world as published in Nigerian newspapers on December 9, which is the International Day of Anti-Corruption.

- Title: Good News I | Date: December, 2022 | Size: 30″ x 40″ | Availability: Yes
Dedicated to everyone who love and contribute good, positive and joyful things in Nigeria and the world, the art work highlights and celebrates the progress and truth in promoting positivity in Nigeria and the world as published in Nigerian newspapers on December 5, 2022.

Artist profile: Toju Micheal Ogbe
Documentation of good news and positive progress which occur in various areas of life and in different societies based on reliable curation of published information on newspapers/magazines or other papers of information alongside colourful representations is the artistic focus of Toju Micheal Ogbe’s mixed media art works. He is therefore regarded as a historian and recorder of events in societies revealing at specific periods of time, the level of positive progress and excellence attained by mankind.
His unique puzzle-like works of collage of several layers of tough gums are reflective of his core values (truth, love, positivity and excellence) and a call to humans to appreciate themselves as capable of doing good and focus on the impact of such actions no matter how little they may appear.
In his works, generally is the use of colourful fabrics on the entire borders of the canvas as representative of the mood or context of the subject matter. A first layer of newspaper(s) (from the news of the specific day/period) is then used over the canvas, which also acts a background to the main newspaper cuts (second layer), which are then placed on top; signifying that in the midst of all kinds of news and information, the particular subject matter of focus has been brought to the fore for recognition, reflection or possible further action(s).
He is an author, a journalist, researcher, graphic designer, media publisher/entrepreneur and began his newspaper mixed media collage art on November 28, 2022 under the mentorship of Cliff Agba. His works demonstrate clarity, durability and contemporariness. He lives and works in Abuja, Nigeria.
tojuunderscoremicheal@gmail.com