“My work is not about dictating a singular narrative but about opening a space for reflection and connection.”

Benro Adegbenro (b. 1990, Ibadan, Nigeria) is a British/Nigerian artist based in Berlin, Germany. Initially working with experimental films and video art, he later transitioned into drawing and painting. His painting practice centres on expressive figurative abstraction, where characters serve as vessels for personal and cultural narratives. His emotionally charged compositions explore themes of identity, history, and human connection.

Adegbenro employs exaggerated facial expressions and gestures to convey unspoken emotions. His paintings transcend traditional portraiture, capturing the tension between individuality and collective identity, allowing each piece to exist between personal storytelling and broader cultural resonance. Inspired by his Nigerian upbringing, he uses hair as a recurring motif, representing cultural heritage and self-expression. His use of bold colour, gestural marks, and raw textures adds a visceral quality to the work, evoking both vulnerability and strength.

He has exhibited in independent art spaces such as Art Space in Exile and Backhaus Project in Berlin, Germany. Since 2021, he has been an active participant in Burnt Sienna Art School Berlin, taking part in its annual winter residency while also using the space as his studio. As his practice evolves, Adegbenro continues to explore new ways to communicate identity and human connection through painting.