Modupeola Fadugba awarded the 2025 Norval Sovereign African Art Prize

Nigerian artist, Modupeola Fadugba, has been awarded the Grand Prize for the 2025 Norval Sovereign African Art Prize for her painting, 'Portrait of an Artist at Ease' (2024). The prize includes a $35,000 cash award, a solo exhibition at The Norval Foundation and a residency at the Outset Contemporary Art Fund in London.

Modupeola Fadugba in Studio | Credit: kristin hjellegjerde

Modupeola Fadugba (b. 1985 in Lomé, Togo) is a Nigerian artist whose work bridges the worlds of art, science, and social engagement.  With a background in chemical engineering and economics, she approaches her art with a  structured, analytical mindset, using painting, drawing, and installations to address issues of  identity, justice, and human connection.  

Living and working in Ibadan, Fadugba’s thought-provoking pieces offer fresh insights into  the complex narratives shaping contemporary Nigeria.

PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST AT EASE | Acrylic on Canvas | 108 x 124.5 x 3cm