Talut Kareem (b. 1994) is a contemporary artist based in Lagos, Nigeria. He received his National Diploma in Mass Communication at Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, and subsequently pursued a B.A. in Visual Art from the University of Lagos. His practice is rooted in drawing and painting, with painting being his primary form of expression.
Kareem creates richly detailed portraits by combining realistically rendered charcoal figures overlaid with bright colours and abstract patterns. By juxtaposing the monochrome of the charcoal with the colourful spherical shapes in the picture plane, he has developed a unique visual language, allowing him the freedom to explore figure composition, and further develop his narrative.
His practice centres around the transitory nature of our awareness, depicting the individual’s emotional and mental states – as well as larger patterns of social behaviour – while attempting to capture his own state of mind.