Hassan Aliyu

introducción

Dr Hassan Aliyu (DProf), FRSA is a British-born artist acclaimed for his collaged paintings, which examine Africa’s historical and present-day challenges. A member of the Guild of Professional Fine Artists of Nigeria (MGFA) and the current president of the Nigeria Art Society UK (NASUK), Aliyu’s work delves into themes of colonial impact, global capitalism, and systemic inequities affecting the Global South.

Aliyu desarrolló una práctica crítica hacia las medidas de austeridad impuestas por el FMI y el acceso limitado a materiales artísticos durante el Programa de Ajuste Estructural (SAP) de Nigeria en los años 80, mientras estudiaba en la Universidad Ahmadu Bello en Zaria. Inspirado en los envoltorios llamativos de bienes de consumo importados, él innovó una técnica que impregnó su arte de comentarios sobre las presiones económicas que moldearon el panorama cultural de Nigeria.

Through his art and academic research, Dr Aliyu addresses cultural imperialism, consumerism, and Third World debt, illuminating their roles in perpetuating global dominance. His work invites meaningful discourse on Africa’s developmental journey and advocates for social justice.

“Las fuentes del trabajo de Hassan, tanto históricas como contemporáneas, son a menudo metáforas de temas más amplios sobre raza y cambio. La impresionante dinámica de la obra de Hassan es particularmente evidente. Vincula energía y movimiento en la pintura, produciendo imágenes vibrantes que fascinan y provocan. Con referencias técnicas a las imágenes dinámicas de los futuristas italianos, Hassan elucida temas y cuestiones con unlirismo y una energía cautivadores.” – Mark Bills, Curador, Museo y Galería de Arte Russell Coates, Dorset, Reino Unido  – Mark Bills, Curator, Russell Coates Museum and Art Gallery, Dorset, UK

Aliyu’s recent exhibitions include Legacies of Biafra, a touring exhibition currently on view at Iwalewahaus, Bayreuth, Germany (8 May – 20 December 2025); The Carnivalesque: Body, Mind & Spirit at Noho Showrooms, London (August 2025); and The Blue Between Us, a group exhibition at Rele, London (2025). His work was also featured in Waves of Change: Artistic Journeys from Nigeria to Britain, a 1-54 London Art Fair Special Project (2024); More Than Meets the Eye, Rele, London (2024); Convergence, the Guild of Professional Fine Artists of Nigeria Annual Exhibition (December 2024); and Shared Horizons, part of the 15th Havana Biennial (November 2024 – March 2025). In the Spring of 2026, Aliyu will exhibit a solo exhibition at Portugal Place gallery, Cambridge