He has worked with brands including Nike, NASA, CNN, Yamaha, Unilever, Barclays, and the Barclays Center, supporting the renowned ONE AFRICA Music Fest. His exhibitions span New York City, Los Angeles, Málaga, and Amsterdam. One of his more recent collaborations, was the creation of a piece honoring Jackie Robinson, gifted to his estate and the Jackie Robinson Museum.
His artistic journey is a testament to his dedication to African legacy and it’s lasting cultural fortitude.
BLKPRES is the artistic persona of Oluwatobi Ayanfodun (“Ayanfodun” in Yoruba, meaning Drummers of the Village Festival), a visual storyteller whose work bridges history, nostalgia, and African culture, particularly through the diasporic experience. Born on the same day as Picasso and shaped by the energy of New York City’s world-famous boroughs, his work reflects Cubism and has transcended into what he has now coined “Cubi-Realism”—an artistic style where shapes and perceived abstraction meet structure. His art emerges from the triumphs, struggles, and self-reflection of what it means to be Black and magical. From a bold fire, the name BLKPRES was born—short for Black President—inspired by Fela Anikulapo Kuti and rooted in the belief that culture is the highest currency, second only to time.
His style, is best described as “fragmented beauty,” capturing both harmony and disruption. The musical influence in his pieces are unmistakable, drawing from Hip-Hop, Jazz, House, Afrobeats, and, more recently, Amapiano. His work has helped to pioneer the visual narrative of how Afrobeats was perceived and received in America, alongside frequent collaborator Dj Tunez, currently the most influential Afrobeats Dj in the world.
Who is BLK PRES
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