Femi Olajire Akande is a multidisciplinary Nigerian artist, educator, and researcher whose practice spans ceramics, printmaking, and multimedia installation. With over two decades of experience, Akande has exhibited internationally and received recognition through awards and publications for his contributions to contemporary African art. His work bridges classical Western thought and African visual philosophy, drawing deeply from the indigenous ceramic traditions and cultural aesthetics of the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria.

Akande’s narrative-driven, figurative ceramic sculptures and multimedia prints explore complex themes including identity, cultural memory, theological allegory, and political critique. He approaches ceramics not merely as a material, but as a tactile language of healing, resistance, and social connection. His studio practice combines traditional hand-building methods with contemporary innovations such as stoneware, glaze chemistry, and mixed clay bodies to create works that are emotionally resonant and intellectually engaged.

He holds dual Master of Fine Arts degrees from Houston Christian University, Texas, and a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria. A Principal Instructor of Ceramics at The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Akande also coordinated community-based adult education programs that championed inclusive and accessible art education. He previously taught foundational fine art at Franci’s ‘M’ College in Bodija, Nigeria.

Currently based in Houston, Texas, Akande continues to develop his studio practice while contributing to global conversations around the role of art in education, emotional healing, and social transformation
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