(b. 1954) Tunde Odunlade, born on 26th November 1954 in Ile-Ife, is a print and textile artist who has exhibited, taught, lectured, studied, and travelled extensively within Nigeria, Africa, North America, and Europe.
He began his career as a second-generation artist in the school of art in early 1970 and attended the University of Ife’s Oguntimehin Art Workshop in 1973. Through a unique batik appliqué method, he employed accent techniques on textiles and designed the floatograph style, in which batiks, linocuts, and woodcut prints depict Yoruba history, culture, and life. His love for music, which is evident in his works, brought him to be the artistic director of the Toki Memorial Arts Centre in Ibadan for fourteen years, his way of giving opportunities to other musicians.
His dedication to building bridges around the world and improving the situation of the people in Nigeria led him to launch the International Campaign for Better Arts and Cultural Awareness (ICBACCA), the International Centre for Better Arts and Cultural Arcade (ICBACA Ltd.) in Ibadan, the Tunde Odunlade Artist Cooperative Gallery, formed the Nigerian Artists for a Nation Anew (NAFANA) in 1999, curated a big show called “Artists and Nation-Building: Nigeria at 39” through NAFANA, created an exhibition for the International Conference on Sustainable Debt and Development Strategy in 2001 as commissioned by the Nigerian Debt Management Office (DMO), and founded the Tunde Odunlade Arts and Culture Connexions in Ibadan, Oyo state, in December 2020.
In addition to his accomplishments are the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Award, Carnegie Foundation, Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, and MacArthur Foundation endowments for the arts. His works are in the collections of many museums and public institutions.