Crown of Union by Olamilekan Okunade
Explore Mondoir Studio
Medium: Acrylic on canvas
Dimensions: 42 x 48 in
Year: 2025
Price: $4250.00 USD
Status: available
Crown of Union This piece celebrates the women who have upheld the spirit of unity in Nigeria, women whose touch not only blesses this great nation but also extends across the African continent and the diaspora. During my research for this series, I was reminded of a mantra I hold dear: “A woman is home.” It reflects the depth of unity found in women who build, nurture, and bring people together. This series is a tribute to all the women in history, past and present, who have fostered harmony in this land we call home. They wear the Crown of Union, representing those who fought tirelessly to bring peace to the very table where we now dine and celebrate.
Why collect this work?
The portrait’s block-built surface turns a single crowned figure into an image of collective commemoration, balancing individual presence with shared social meaning.
- Okunade states that his practice honours women’s strength and often addresses their social roles. The catalogue identifies this figure as a tribute to women who have fostered unity in Nigeria, across Africa, and in the diaspora.
- In the photograph, a centrally placed face, frontal eyes, crown, earrings, and circular collar form a nearly symmetrical structure. Warm red-orange squares surround the head, while deep blue blocks give the lower half visual weight.
- The documented acrylic on canvas supports two distinct pictorial registers: crisp, tessellated colour units and finer ornamental detail. Their contrast associates ceremonial splendour with a person assembled from many adjacent tones.
- Dated 2025 and catalogued at 42 by 48 inches, the painting recasts regalia as civic recognition. It is particularly relevant to discussions of how portraiture can assign public authority to women understood collectively rather than to a named ruler.
About the Artist
Olamilekan Okunade
Olamilekan Okunade is an artist on Mondoir Studio. Artistic discipline: painting. Based in Nigeria, NG.
Nationality: Nigerian
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