Joseph Abu

Joseph A. Abu (1993) is a Nigerian born contemporary artist based in Atlanta, GA. His journey with art started with a consistent drawing practice as early as 3 years old. Later motivated by social behavior and a worldly view, he studied political science and economics, while continuing to make art to transpose his intellectual interests into artistic form. In 2019, he completed his master’s in public administration from Cornell University.

Abu’s work is often abstract, as he is drawn to the absence of recognizable imagery that abstract art can provide. He creates primarily large acrylic paintings on canvas and wood, though he has worked with sculpture and many other containers for his work.

The urgency, bold color palette, and shapes in Abu’s work are drawn from his time living in vibrant meccas like Lagos, Nigeria, New York City, as well as his many travels around the world. He leans into the physicality of his work; how the body moves with each stroke. Abu works as a kind of experiential translator, interpreting literal and perceptive experiences through his unique lens as an intellectual observer and creative thinker. Abu has exhibited across the country, with his most recent solo show in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2022.