Wanger Ayu is a self-taught materials experiment artist & a fashion designer. Her mediums of expression combine the exploration of the hand-woven textiles, with painting, print-making, beading, transfer & collage.
Wanger Ayu is a self-taught materials experiment artist & a fashion designer. Her mediums of expression combine the exploration of the hand-woven textiles, with painting, print-making, beading, transfer & collage.
Wanger was born in the tranquail city of Jos, Plateau state, Nigeria, which was known for its cosmopolitan nature and encouragement of the arts. While living in Jos, Wanger attended 6 primary schools; a curiosity which her father accredited to her mother’s almost manic quest for the best. Art became her solace at a very young age and she excelled in the creative arts all through her early schooling. She studied law at the University of Exeter, UK, but lacking fulfillment went on to explore fashion in the Middle East, where she earned a fashion certification from the French Fashion University (ESMOD), Dubai. In all of this, Wanger continued to explore her artistic talent through sketches and hobbyist paintings as gifts for friends and family.
She has been mentored by some of Nigeria’s old and young masters including Professor Bruce Onobrakpeya and Mr. Sam Ovraiti through the Harmattan Workshop Series, and other renowned Nigerian artists including Nduwhite Ndubuisi, and Uthman Wahab, to name a few. Some of her influences include Magdalena Abakanowicz, Collins Sekajugo, Abass Kelani, and Billie Zangewa.
Wanger presently lives and works between Lagos and the Washington DC. When in Lagos, she is inspired by the spirit of the city.
Exhibitions
- Regards Contemporains, LouisSimone Guirandou Gallery, Abidjan, Ivory Coast, 2023
- The Tie that Binds, Gallery Affinity, Lagos, Nigeria. 2023 - Group Exhibition: Institut Français de Côte d’Ivoire, Abidjan, Ivory Coast, 2023
- Decouvertes #4, LouisSimone Guirandou Gallery, Abidjan, Ivory Coast, 2022
- Visage, Chilli Arts Projects, London, UK, 2022
- Weaving Identity, DICA Arts at 1952 Africa, Lagos, Nigeria, 2021
Wanger's works are included in the collections of Bloom Art, Lagos, Nigeria, Corentyne Cottage House, United States, and multiple private collections.