Nigel Ip

Regardless of art-viewing experience, I think most people can appreciate hyper-realistic drawing, particularly of the human form. It comes with a special kind of aesthetic experience that borders on the hypercritical, forcing us to pay excruciating attention to details we would not normally notice in daily life. Kolade Emmanuel Ayinuloa, known professionally as EmmieJazzy, is an artist who has mastered this technique, using draughtsmanship to capture deep human emotions and collective truths.

A member of the artist-led, non-profit arts organisation ArtCan, EmmieJazzy’s practice encompasses several distinct strands, each touching on a core aspect of human experience. Stillness appears to be a unifying theme across many of his drawings – often quite large in scale – as can be seen in Reflection II (2022) from his Identity series (2022 – ongoing). Born in Nigeria, ideas surrounding cultural heritage and identity permeate his output, such as Cultural Elegance (2023) which depicts an attractive sitter adorned with tribal-inspired facial markings and hoop earrings, inviting the audience to reflect on African femininity.

Meanwhile, the Smile series (2021 – ongoing) is a vibrant celebration of womanhood centring on the beauty of the sitter’s joyful expression. Smile III (2022) is an especially good example of the artist’s proficiency with charcoal and graphite, enabling him to render droplets of rain with effortless realism. Mother’s Love (2023) extends this tribute to the strength and sacrifice of mothers around the world.

On the flip side, African Child (2020 – ongoing) is a poignant series exploring identity and resilience, drawn from the artist’s upbringing. Works like Reflection I (2021) and Broken (2021) highlight his observed experiences of children living in underrepresented and underserved communities, wearing tattered clothes and enduring emotionally tragic circumstances. Solace (2023) is one of the most arresting works in this series, where a child’s eyes meet our gaze.

Still, EmmieJazzy has an optimistic view for their future, spotlighting small moments of joy like sunlight gracing a child’s face in Hope or Despair (2023) or a baby’s wide smile in Euphoria (2025). Elsewhere, the Hope series (2023 – ongoing) offers the definitive image of childlike optimism in the form of A Brighter Day (2023), featuring a child gazing upwards while clutching a glowing jar of light.

While the monochrome aesthetic is EmmieJazzy’s bread and butter, he has begun to incorporate colourful elements using mixed media, such as acrylic paint. In Smile IV (2023), flowers and butterflies serve as a symbolic reflections of the sitter’s emotions and life journey, channelling themes of freedom, growth, and metamorphosis.

Recently, EmmieJazzy has looked to his educational background for inspiration, having graduated from Teesside University, UK, with an M.Sc. in Environmental Management following a Chemical Engineering degree from the University of Petroleum Resources in Effurun, Nigeria. As a result, he is working on a new series investigating humanity’s relationship with the environment.

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Find out more about EmmieJazzy’s work on his website and Instagram.

At the time of publication, opportunities to view his work can be found below:

• Guildford House Open Exhibition (22 November 2025 – 28 February 2026) – Guildford House Gallery, Guildford, https://www.guildford.gov.uk/whatsonatguildfordhouse
• RBSA Friends Exhibition (8 January – 7 February 2026) – RBSA Gallery (Royal Birmingham Society of Artists), Birmingham, https://rbsa.org.uk/event/rbsa-friends-exhibition-2026/