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'{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}} {{Short description|Nigerian sculptor}} {{Infobox artist | name = Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1952|05|02}} | birth_place = [[Nigeria]] | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2013|12|17|1952|05|02}} | death_place = [[Hacheston]], [[Suffolk]] | nationality = | spouse = | field = Painting | training = | movement = | works = | patrons = | awards = | elected = | website = <!-- {{URL|Example.com}} --> | bgcolour = }} '''Chinwe Ifeoma Chukwuogo-Roy''' [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]] (2 May 1952<ref>[http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/18571/lot/90/ "Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy, M.B.E. (Nigerian, born 1952)"], [[Bonham's]], 16 March 2011.</ref> − 17 December 2012)<ref>[http://www.familynotices24.co.uk/22381164?s_source=arsf_edt "Chinwe CHUKWUOGO-ROY M.B.E.: Death"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150107001554/http://www.familynotices24.co.uk/22381164?s_source=arsf_edt |date=7 January 2015 }}, ''[[East Anglian Daily Times]]'', 22 December 2012.</ref> was a visual artist who was born in [[Awka]] (Oka), [[Anambra]] state, [[Nigeria]], but spent much of her young life in [[Ikom]] on the [[Cameroon]] border, before moving back to the family home at Umubele in [[Awka]]. She lived in Britain from 1975.<ref>[[Verna Wilkins]], [https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2013/jan/30/chinwe-chukwuogo-roy-obituary "Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy obituary"], ''[[The Guardian]]'' (London), Other Lives, 30 January 2013.</ref> Her paintings, prints and sculptures are predominantly [[Figurative art|figurative]], in the genres of [[portrait]]ure, [[still-life]], [[landscape]] and narrative subjects. She won international attention in 2002 for being the first<ref>{{Cite book|last=Bosah, Chukwuemeka|title=The art of Nigerian women|others=Okediji, Moyosore B. (Moyosore Benjamin)|year=2017|isbn=978-0-9969084-5-0|location=New Albany, Ohio|oclc=965603634}}</ref> of only two Nigerian artists (the other being [[Ben Enwonwu]]) to have been allowed to paint official portraits of [[Queen Elizabeth II]].<ref>[http://www.nigerianwatch.com/news/1050-painter-and-illustrator-chinwe-chukwuogo-roy-passes-away "Painter and illustrator Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy passes away"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130501141727/http://www.nigerianwatch.com/news/1050-painter-and-illustrator-chinwe-chukwuogo-roy-passes-away |date=1 May 2013 }}, Nigerian Watch, 28 December 2012.</ref><ref name=NigeriaFirst /> Chukwuogo-Roy was appointed [[Member of the Order of the British Empire]] (MBE) in the [[2009 Birthday Honours]].<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=59090 |date=13 June 2009 |page=22 |supp=y }}</ref>[[File:Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy, Self Portrait in Light.jpg|thumb|1994 Self-portrait]] ==Biography== ===Early years and education=== Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy was born in [[Ondo State]], [[Nigeria]], but moved with her family to [[Ikom]] in Cross Rivers State, where her father had extensive cocoa plantations. As a teenager she was a refugee in the [[Biafran War]] after which she moved to the family home in [[Awka]] [[Anambra State]] and in 1975 she moved to Britain.<ref name=EADT>Craig Robinson, [http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/hacheston_tributes_to_acclaimed_artist_chinwe_chukwuogo_roy_after_three_year_battle_against_cancer_1_1751360 "Hacheston: Tributes to acclaimed artist Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy after three year battle against cancer"], ''East Anglian Daily Times'', 22 December 2012.</ref> She studied at East Ham College and subsequently obtained a B.A. Hons. Degree in Graphic Design from [[Hornsey College of Art]] (now part of [[Middlesex University]]) in 1978. She took up painting professionally in 1988.<ref name=EADT /> ===Artistic career=== Chukwuogo-Roy first gained international fame for painting the official [[Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II|Golden Jubilee]] portrait of [[Queen Elizabeth II]], commissioned by [[The Commonwealth Secretariat]]. The full-length portrait was unveiled at a ceremony at [[Marlborough House]] by former Commonwealth Secretary-General [[Don McKinnon]] on [[Commonwealth Day]], 2002.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1387356/Portrait-shows-Queen-as-head-of-nations.html "Portrait shows Queen as head of nations"], ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', 11 March 2002.</ref> [[File:Portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth II by Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy.jpg|thumb|Golden Jubilee Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II]] Other high-profile commissions include portraits of [[Kriss Akabusi]], [[Chief Emeka Anyaoku]], the Lord Mayor of Norwich.<ref name=Tajudeen>[http://africanartswithtaj.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/tribute-to-portrait-colossus-chukwuogo.html "Chinwe… Brushing Kings and Lords"], Arts with Tajudeen Sowole, 8–14 January 2006.</ref> She was commissioned by [[Martin Keown]] to paint [[Arsenal Stadium|Arsenal's Highbury Stadium]].<ref>[http://www.alexandragalleries.com/pages/ChinweChukwuogo-Roy.php Artists Profile: Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy, MBE], Alexandra Gallery.</ref> In 2003, Chukwuogo-Roy represented the United Kingdom at the [[European Council]] Committee in Paris, advising on Contemporary African Art and Artists. In December that year, she also instigated and organised the "Celebrate" Exhibition for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in [[Abuja]].<ref>[http://www.africaresource.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=143:chinwe-chukwuogo-roy&catid=125:profiles&Itemid=358 "Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy"], AfricaResource, 27 June 2006.</ref> Chinwe was a founder member of the renowned Sudbourne Printmakers, involving several leading [[Suffolk]] artists.<ref>"EADT", 17 April 2009.</ref><ref>[http://www.sudbourneprintmakers.com/ Sudbourne Park Printmakers].</ref> In December 2013, after a lengthy illness with cancer, she died at her home in [[Hacheston]], near [[Framlingham]], Suffolk.<ref name=EADT /> ==Style and concepts== Chukwuogo-Roy created paintings, prints and sculptures that are predominantly [[Figurative art|figurative]], in the genres of [[portrait]]ure, [[still-life]], [[landscape]] and narrative subjects. Her [[Naturalism (arts)|naturalistic]] portraiture is usually optimistic or celebratory in tone. However, she also created many works that, according to Sandra Gibson, writing for ''Nerve'', elicit "complex feelings of desperation, dread and aspiration".<ref>Sandra Gibson, [http://www.catalystmedia.org.uk/issues/misc/reviews/hawkins_co.php "Contemporary Arts Centre, Greenland Street, 7th March – 5th May 2008"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511191517/http://www.catalystmedia.org.uk/issues/misc/reviews/hawkins_co.php |date=11 May 2008 }} (review), Nerve.</ref> Notable among such works are her "Migrants" series and her "African Slave Trade" series.<ref>[http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&id=108896%3Achinwe-roy-queens-portraitist-passes-on&Itemid=492 "Chinwe Roy, Queen's Portraitist Passes On"], ''The Guardian'' (Nigeria), 29 December 2012.</ref> ==Collections and exhibitions== Examples of Chukwuogo-Roy's work are held in many public and private art collections, including that of Queen Elizabeth II, and that of [[Olusegun Obasanjo]], former President of Nigeria.[[File:Water Moon Monotype by Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy.jpg|thumb|Water Moon Monotype by Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy]] Chukwuogo-Roy exhibited throughout Britain,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://commonwealth.sas.ac.uk/News_Archives2006.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080225214025/http://commonwealth.sas.ac.uk/News_Archives2006.htm|deadurl=y|title=commonwealth.sas.uk|archivedate=25 February 2008}}</ref> as well as internationally.<ref name=NigeriaFirst>[http://www.nigeriafirst.org/article_1911.shtml "Sculpting and painting for the Crown"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081016014810/http://www.nigeriafirst.org/article_1911.shtml |date=16 October 2008 }}, Nigeria First, 18 December 2003.</ref> Her work is represented in public and private collections in Antigua, Argentina, Australia, France, Grenada, Ireland, Kenya, Malaysia, Moçambique, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Swaziland, the United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and USA.<ref name="saatchi-gallery.co.uk">[http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/yourgallery/artist_profile/Chinwe+Chukwuogo-roy/27490.html]</ref> She had many solo exhibitions including those at Christchurch Mansions, Ipswich; [[The Mall Galleries]], London; [[The Royal Commonwealth Society]], London; [[Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts]], [[University of East Anglia]]; Reve's [[Cork Street]] Gallery, London; [[Connecticut University]], Connecticut; Didi Museum, Lagos; [[UNESCO]], Paris; [[Aldeburgh Festival]] Gallery, Suffolk; Colchester and [[Ipswich Museum]] Saatchi Gallery; Suffolk,<ref name="saatchi-gallery.co.uk"/> Chukwuogo-Roy's portrait of the 1990–2000 [[Commonwealth Secretary-General]] [[Emeka Anyaoku]] was unveiled by Queen [[Elizabeth II]] in 1999 and hangs alongside the [[Golden Jubilee]] portrait of the monarch herself in [[Marlborough House]]. There has been a permanent exhibition of her work in the Menzies & Hancock Rooms at the [[University of London]]'s [[School of Advanced Study]] since May 2006. ==Recognition and awards== Chukwuogo-Roy won many awards and was featured prominently in the international media, both for her art and also for her charitable and educational work with young people. A biography entitled ''Chinwe Roy – Artist'', published by [[Tamarind Books]], is now studied by children in the UK as part of the National Curriculum.<ref>Verna Allette Wilkins, [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chinwe-Roy-Artist-Black-Profiles/dp/customer-reviews/1870516591 ''Chinwe Roy – Artist''], London: Tamarind Books (Black Profiles), 2002. {{ISBN|978-1870516594}}.</ref> In 2003, Chukwuogo-Roy was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters by the [[University of East Anglia]].<ref>[http://www.googlesyndicatedsearch.com/u/uniea?q=chinwe&Search.x=0&Search.y=0&Search=Search Honorary Graduates of the University, University of East Anglia.] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.is/20130125001520/http://www.googlesyndicatedsearch.com/u/uniea?q=chinwe&Search.x=0&Search.y=0&Search=Search |date=25 January 2013 }}</ref> Her work appeared on the national postage stamps of seven countries during 2006.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.saatchigallery.com/|title=Saatchi Gallery|website=www.saatchigallery.com}}</ref> In 2008, she was invited to address the [[Cambridge Union]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cus.org/index.php?page=ZXZlbnQ=&eventid=362|title=cus.org}}</ref> In 2010 Chukwuogo-Roy was made a Member of the Most Excellent [[Order of the British Empire]] ([[Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire|MBE]]) for her contributions to Art. ==References== {{Reflist|30em}} ==External links== * [http://www.chinwegallery.com/default.asp Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy Online Gallery] * [http://africanartswithtaj.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/tribute-to-portrait-colossus-chukwuogo.html "Tribute to portrait colossus, Chukwuogo-Roy"], Arts with Tajudeen Sowole, 27 December 2012. * [https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/chinwe-chukwuogo-roy-on-suffolks-african-history-month/11859.html "Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy on Suffolk's African History month"], first broadcast on 7 October 2010, BBC News Online. * Verna Wilkins, [https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2013/jan/30/chinwe-chukwuogo-roy-obituary "Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy obituary"], ''The Guardian'' (London), Other Lives, 30 January 2013. {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Chukwuogo-Roy, Chinwe}} [[Category:1952 births]] [[Category:2012 deaths]] [[Category:Black British artists]] [[Category:Nigerian contemporary artists]] [[Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire]] [[Category:Alumni of Middlesex University]] [[Category:Nigerian women sculptors]] [[Category:Nigerian women artists]] [[Category:Nigerian emigrants to the United Kingdom]] [[Category:20th-century women artists]] [[Category:21st-century women artists]] [[Category:People from Ondo State]] [[Category:People from Suffolk Coastal (district)]] [[Category:20th-century Nigerian sculptors]] [[Category:20th-century British painters]] [[Category:21st-century British painters]]'