Interview with John Akande

John Akande is a Nigerian contemporary artist celebrated for his vivid figurative paintings that celebrate the richness of African culture in its unfiltered, everyday form. Born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, Akande draws deep inspiration from the cultural rhythms, traditions, and moral textures of his environment, translating lived experience into emotionally resonant visual stories.

Largely self-taught but refined through formal studies at Yaba College of Technology, his practice fuses expressionism with realist techniques, often working in acrylics, mixed media, and oil on canvas. His signature works are marked by bold color palettes, dynamic storytelling, and layered textures, sometimes incorporating newspaper collage to reflect the dialogue between past and present.

Influenced by music and animation, his compositions possess a rhythmic, almost therapeutic quality that invites emotional connection. Akande’s art often addresses identity, memory, and the contagious spirit of African life—making each piece not just a painting, but a celebration of cultural presence.

Music On Walls had the chance to discuss with JOHN AKANDE about his recent works inspired by music and the place that music has in his creation process.

MOW : Why is music important to you and your art? 

JOHN AKANDE : Music is so very much important to me because it's a sound and sound is part of human existence, its a way for me to live and to keep living, because it's also a way of life, i connect my art with music by documenting how important music is to human, and i use my art as a voice to tell people how music flows in out vein when listening to music and how music has connected the world and the nations together, this is why i have come to use my art to tell how i feel about music and the impact it has made in my life since when i was a kid till this very moment. 

Finding Solace in Music ii

Cellist iii

Symphony of four II

Symphony Of Four III

My Father’s Footsteps

MOW : Which of your artwork is your favorite from the ones presented today?

JOHN AKANDE : Symphony of four would be my favorite artwork for now because it explains how music connects people, it also explain how it harmonizes humans spiritually.

And how music has come so far in Africa and other continents, and as a black man musician. 

Symphony of Four

MOW : Do you have plans on creating new artworks inspired by music ?

JOHN AKANDE : I will be creating more artworks that push the narratives about music, part of it is a story of me when i was young trying to know more about music and whose music draws his attention. 

MOW : Do you listen to music when you’re working ?

JOHN AKANDE : I do listen to gospel and secular reasonable and well-composed music with good harmony and melody 

MOW : What is the album you liked the most lately?

JOHN AKANDE : I don't have a favorite song i just love songs that shows hard-working, and i only play the instrument in my church for now. 

MOW : Are you a musician yourself ?

JOHN AKANDE : I do create music covers and also produce some music myself, i have recorded some few music covers with my piano and also a singer singing 

JOHN AKANDE SHARED WITH US HIS CURRENT PLAYLIST

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Stay tuned with JOHN AKANDE’s work here :

INSTAGRAM.COM/JOHNAKANDE