Hakeem Olayinka is Nigerian-American painter.  Hakeem began his art education at Duke Ellington school of the arts in 2011 and in 2019, he received his BFA in Painting & Drawing from SUNY Purchase’s School of Art & Design. 

Hakeem Olayinka’s artistic style as vibrant, satirical, and introspective. His work is reflective of how he see himself and the world around him. He uses oil paint to paint people and acrylic paint to adorn these characters and shape their reality.

Portals are a constant theme in Hakeem’s work. The characters in his work are often looking through something whether that be masks, windows, fences, or other obstructions. These obstructions do not hide their identity, it reflects their spirit.

Color theory is a very important part of my work. I use color to invoke and contradict these feelings of the subjects in my work.