Stares with Matthew Imuetiyan Eguavoen

Nigerian artist, Matthew Imuetiyan Eguavoen, is known for portraits that look calm at first, but carry a lot of tension underneath. His figures often face us directly, with strong, steady eyes and rich colour around them. The gaze is important. It makes the subjects in the paintings feel present, dignified, and impossible to ignore.

But Matthew paints more than just faces. The people Matthew paints look back. They hold their own history, survival, and a quiet power that can’t be ignored.

His portraits use gaze, posture, clothing, and colour to talk about bigger pressures - identity, class, gender, race, mental health, and the social expectations people carry in Nigeria and beyond. It’s a heavy topic.

See some of our favourite works from the African artist.