Yusuf Grillo
Yusuf Adebayo Cameron Grillo | |
|---|---|
 Yoruba Bride by Yusuf Grillo | |
| Born | 16 December 1934 Brazilian Quarters of Lagos, Nigeria |
| Died | 23 August 2021 (aged 86) |
| Known for | Contemporary art |
Yusuf Grillo ⓘ (16 December 1934 – 23 August 2021) was a Nigerian contemporary painter, sculptor and muralist.[1]
Early life and education
Yusuf Grillo was born on 16 May 1934 in the Brazilian Quarters of Lagos Island, Lagos.[2] He attended the Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology in Zaria, where he obtained a diploma in Fine Arts and a postgraduate diploma in Education in 1961.[3] He later undertook specialist training at the University of Cambridge and attended professional courses in Germany and the United States.[3]
Career
Grillo began his teaching career in 1962 at Yaba Technical Institute under the leadership of Paul Mount, then Head of the Department of Art.[3] He later became Head of the Department of Art and Printing at Yaba College of Technology, where he trained several generations of Nigerian artists before retiring in 1987.[4]
Grillo was regarded as one of Nigeria's leading modern painters and gained national and international recognition during the 1960s and 1970s. His work combined academic Western painting techniques with elements of traditional Yoruba art. He became particularly known for his distinctive use of blue tones, a style often associated with the colour palette of adire textile designs.[3]
Following his retirement, Grillo worked as a full-time studio artist in Ikeja, Lagos, where he continued to paint and mentor younger artists.[5]
Personal life
Grillo was married to Iyabo Amope Grillo, and they had five children.[6]
Death
Grillo died on 23 August 2021 at the age of 87 from complications related to COVID-19.[7]
Notable works
- Drummers Return
- Sultan Bello Mural
- Mother and Child
- Moslem Woman
- Abe nu Gongo (1993)[8]
References
- ↑ "Eminent artist, Yusuf Grillo goes home at 86". The Guardian. Lagos, Nigeria. 24 August 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
- ↑ "Art is my life, it's what I will do till I die — Yusuf Grillo". Vanguard. Lagos, Nigeria. 25 February 2015. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Falola, Toyin; Jennings, Christian (2002). Africanizing Knowledge: African Studies Across the Disciplines. Transaction Publishers. pp. 177–178. ISBN 0-7658-0138-8.
- ↑ "Art is my life, it's what I will do till I die — Yusuf Grillo". Vanguard. 25 February 2015. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
- ↑ "Art is my life, it's what I will do till I die — Yusuf Grillo". Vanguard. 25 February 2015. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
- ↑ "Veteran artist Yusuf Grillo dies at 86". TheNEWS. 23 August 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
- ↑ "Veteran artist Yusuf Grillo dies at 86". TheNEWS. 23 August 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
- ↑ "Art Information Sheet: Yusuf Grillo's Abe nu Gongo". Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art. Retrieved 28 June 2026.