Famous Nigerian artist Yusuf Grillo dies aged 86

Veteran Visual Artist, Prof. Yusuf Grillo has been confirmed dead, due to COVID-19 complications.

Gboyega Grillo, son of the deceased, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Monday.

Gtillo was 86 years old.

He said his father died in the early hours of Monday, August 23, 2021.

Grillo, who could not hide his emotions, said he was so pained that he wasn’t able to speak to the media, due to the shock and preparations toward the burial.

He said the remains of his father would be buried today at 4 p.m at Atan cemetery in Lagos.

Grillo is considered one of Nigeria’s outstanding and academically trained painters.

Yusuf Grillo, a contemporary Nigerian artist, born in 1934, was known for his inventive works and the prominence of the color blue in many of his paintings.

He became prominent and recognised internationally in the 1960s and 1970s, while exhibiting a large collection of his early works.

He made use of his western art training in many of his paintings, combining western art techniques with traditional Yoruba sculpture characteristics.

His preference for color blue in natural settings, painting is sometimes similar to the adire or resist-dye textiles used in Nigeria.

He was a former Head of the Department of Art and Printing, Yaba College of Technology in Lagos State.

Grillo was the first president of the Society of Nigerian Artists.