ROB OMODIAGBE

Rob’s journey has been one of consistent reinvention. A British-Nigerian artist now based in Sydney, Rob spent decades helping to shape visual culture as a designer and then advertising creative. His career includes stints in London, New York and Sydney, where he crafted emotive, award-winning campaigns for brands such as De Beers, Cadillac and Axe (Lynx) at agencies including the lauded BBH. Yet despite his commercial success, there was a different kind of storytelling waiting to be told. 

Rob first picked up a paintbrush in 2012, then set it down in 2013. In 2024 he came back — and this time for good.

I paint moments, or very short stories… A seven-second love affair in a Soho shoe shop, a date with someone who failed to see the irony of their endless chatter during the movie ‘A Quiet Place’, or a chance encounter with Philippe Petit; the man who ‘danced’ on a tightrope strung between New York’s Twin Towers in 1974.”

His visual language is bold, evocative and rooted in his multi-disciplinary background and identity. His work often uses wit to explore the complexities of race, relationships, culture and connection, blending gestural abstraction with figurative elements. The result? A compelling fusion of emotion and intellect, instinct and precision.

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In just a short time since returning to painting, Rob has made a striking impact:

Arte Laguna Prize, Venice — Shanghai Exhibition selection, 2025
Teravarna Art Prize, Los Angeles — Talent Prize, 2025
National Emerging Art Prize, Australia — Finalist, 2024
WhiteLock Art Centre Prize, New York — Excellence Award, 2024
Audrey Fine Art — Solo Show, 2024
Featured in ‘The A-Z of Contemporary Art’ — ABC Television, 2013
Gaffa Gallery — Solo Show, 2013 (sold out on opening night)

Whether crafting a short film script or a brushstroke, Rob moves seamlessly between art forms, proving that great stories can be told in many ways.
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