“Play to me is the highest form of art. There's beauty in exploring emotionally charged themes that feel playful at first glance, but as the viewer peels through the work, they discover the seriousness & intentionality of what’s being conveyed”

With bold strokes, bursts of color, and abstracted human forms depicted in a multitude of mediums, Doherty’s work is a striking take on the human identity, and a contemporary twist to his West African heritage.

The artist often explores nostalgic themes at the intersection of technology and culture, weaving these subjects in his choice of mediums, with the center-point being the human form.

Doherty graduated with an MS in Design from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2020, and has since exhibited in Los Angeles, New York, and most notably the National Museum in Lagos. He’s a recipient of the Schnitzer Art Prize and the Burningman Honoraria. His works belong in institutional collections such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the Movenpick Hotels & Resorts.

CV

Education

MS Design (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA)

BS Mechanical Engineering (University of Virginia, USA) 

Solo Exhibitions

2022 Finding Home (Rele Gallery, Los Angeles)

2018 Shards of Time (National Museum, Lagos)

2015 Coherence In Duality (Nike Art Gallery, Nigeria)

2014 Intermission (Red Door Gallery, Nigeria)

Group Exhibitions

2019 SCHNITZER Art Prize Exhibition (M.I.T Wiesner Gallery, USA)

2018 RELE In Los Angeles ( Regus Colorado Center, USA)

2017 Artyrama Launch Exhibition ( 28 Norman Williams, Nigeria)

2017 Interactive Live Projects (Art X Lagos, Nigeria)

2017 IDANIMO (Terra Kulture, Nigeria)

2017 AT WORK (Arthouse Contemporary, Nigeria)

2016 Finalists, Art X Prize (Art X Lagos, Nigeria)

2016 Fine Arts and the Acts (Stanbic IBTC Bank, Nigeria)

2016 Lagos: Living & Working (The Heritage Place, Nigeria)

2016 Young Contemporaries (Rele Gallery, Nigeria)

2016 Sao & The Muse (Sao Cafe, Lagos, Nigeria)

Selected Bibliography & Publications

DIGITAL JOURNAL: Emerging Artist Dipo Doherty. opens 2nd Solo Exhibition (Link)

OKAY AFRICA: How Doherty uses technology to enhance his work (Link)

ARTS AT MIT: 2019 Winners of the Schnitzer Prize (Link)

MIT MEDIA LAB: Schnitzer Prize Exhibition (Link)

OKAY AFRICA: Nasty Boy Creative Class of 2018 (Link)

ART X LAGOS: Unveiling of galleries and artists for 2017 Art Fair (Link)(Link)

BUSINESSDAY: Doherty, others to exhibit at Artyrama's Launch Exhibition (Link)

BOULIN ART (Link)

THE GUARDIAN: Profile on Dipo Doherty (Link)

VISUAL.NG: Doherty talks Murals, Graffiti, and the human experience (Link)

STANBIC IBTC: Press Release (Link)

VANGUARD: On Coherence in Duality (Link)

ASIRI MAGAZINE: Doherty at the Young Contemporary Exhibition (Link)

THE GUARDIAN: Doherty's Coherence in Duality. A bridge for Science and Art (Link)

OLASHORE ALUMNI MAGAZINE: Alumnus Art Exhibition (Link)

Grants, Awards, Recognitions & Residencies

2023 Burningman Honoraria Artist (Black Rock City, NV)

2019 Schnitzer Art Prize ( Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA)

2018 Community Mural Project ( Social Media Week, Nigeria)

2017 Interactive Projects Participant (Art X Lagos, Nigeria)

2016 Young Contemporary ( Rele Gallery, Nigeria)

2016 Finalist, Art X Prize ( Art X Lagos, Nigeria)

2016 Inaugural Resident (Arthouse Foundation, Nigeria)

Auctions

2017

18th Modern & Contemporary Art Auction (Arthouse Contemporary Ltd., Nigeria)

19th Modern & Contemporary Art Auction (Arthouse Contemporary Ltd., Nigeria)

2016

16th Modern & Contemporary Art Auction (Arthouse Contemporary Ltd., Nigeria)

17th Modern & Contemporary Art Auction (Arthouse Contemporary Ltd., Nigeria)

Lectures & Panel Discussions

2018

Arts & Creativity Panel: Wharton Africa Business Conference 2018

Conversations: The Freedom to be New Again (Rele Gallery, Nigeria)

2017

Sao & the Muse 2 (Sao Cafe, Nigeria)

Indelible & Artbridge Project: Canvas Talks (Wheatbaker Hotel, Nigeria)

Collections

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)

Arthouse Foundation

Makore Art Fund

Access Bank

Murals

Stata Center, Massachusetts institute of Technology ( Cambridge, MA)

Hack Cville Incubator (Charlottesville, VA)

Danfo Bistro, No. 2 Alexander Road (Lagos, Nigeria)

La Verandah Mexican Restaurant (Lekki, Nigeria)