b. 5 November 1977, Lagos, Nigeria Lives and works in Lagos, Nigeria Isaac Emokpae is a multifaceted Nigerian visual artist, painter, photographer, and conceptual thinker whose creative practice centers on the concept of duality. He studied Creative Arts at the University of Lagos under the mentorship of Professor Abayomi Barber (BA, 2005), and previously gained recognition as a fashion and journalistic photographer. As the third son of Erhabor Emokpae, a pioneering modern artist in Nigeria, Isaac inherited a deep poetic sensibility, combining artistic flair with philosophical introspection. His painting practice is rooted in Expressionism, Surrealism, and Abstract Expressionism, exploring themes of identity, spirituality, and emotional polarity. Inspired by thinkers like Leibniz, Descartes, and Santayana, his work often emerges from personal introspection on a topic or emotion, which he then translates into richly textured visual form. Emokpae’s dual passions for painting and photography have led to acclaimed shows and exhibition highlights such as Genesis, Duality, Strip, and Transparent. He has received significant recognition, including a semi-finalist award in the 2007 Hasselblad Masters and winning the UNESCO “Save Our Treasures” art competition in France in 1996. Today, Isaac Emokpae is celebrated for his thoughtful, layered work that weds visual beauty with conceptual depth and emotional resonance.