Samson Ogiamien was born in Nigeria and has been working as a freelance artist in Graz, Austria for several years. After his training focussing on art and design as well as welding and construction he managed a sculptor’s workshop and came to Austria in 2004. Here the artist attended the two-year master class in sculpture at Ortweinschule Graz – college, from which he graduated with distinction in summer 2007. Since 2013 he’s working as a restaurator of monuments in Austria.
2010 he was granted the outstanding Artist Award intercultural dialog by the Austrian Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture for the project „Kunst als Brücke zwischen verschiedenen Kulturen“.
2012 he was granted the outstanding Artist Award intercultural dialog by the Austrian Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture for the project „Agony of the Beloved“- Steiermark Tour.
2014 he received the award of the city of Graz promoting outstanding artists.
After Performing at the international festival for Street & Puppet Theater, La Strada. The artist was invited to participate in the Colombo Art Biennale, Sri Lanka. Ogiamien’s works are based on the traditions of his home country and usually show the human form in realistic and semi-abstract style, often using “contemporary” materials such as concrete, iron, varnish, resin. It is important to him that people less familiar with art should also be able to understand his works. Samson Ogiamien likes to help people experience and express their own creativity. Thus the artist passes on his talents in workshops. Samson Ogiamien sees his art as a bridge between cultures and as an opportunity of bringing people together.
Samson Ogiamien: „Convincing art that brings people together and stimulates reflection is made not only with the mind and hands but it has to come directly from the heart. I understand my art as a medium of communication. It can and should provide material for discussion and provoke a debate on the issues portrayed. At best it creates communication itself and connects people. This is the power of art“. Samson Ogiamien is part of the European network IN SITU and currently touring Europe with the project entitled, “Iyagbon’s mirror“ in collaboration with the performance group Onyrikon and the artist Khadija von Zinnenburg Carroll which approaches a very topical and critical subject: the provenance and the reclaimed restitution of thousands of artefacts that European museums have obtained directly or indirectly through colonial exploitation and theft.
