User:JuniorAji/sandbox

John Tosin Ajidahun ( Born 12 July 1989 – 20 September 2016) was a Nigerian painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, stage designer, poet and playwright who spent most of his adult life in the United Kingdom, London and exhibited in South Africa, Western Cape. He had the potential to be one of the most influential artists of his generation.

John demonstrated extraordinary artistic talent in his early years, painting in a naturalistic manner through his childhood and adolescence. During the first decade of his upbringing, his style changed as he experimented with different theories, techniques, and ideas. He aspired to follow his inevitable artistic career. His inspirations followed the work the contemporary artist Banksy and the late Henri Matisse. They motivated John to explore more radical styles. Exceptionally prolific throughout the course of his life, John achieved overseas interest in his growing art career.

Early life

Born in the city of Ibadan, John Ajidahun was the third born out of five siblings. John's family was of high class background. His father was the prince of a Nigerian tribe but left his future roll of kingship in hope of a greater future in the UK. Traveling to London he worked in property development and car trading. John's father returned to Nigeria leaving John and the family in his teenage years.

John showed a passion and a skill for drawing from an early age. From the age of seven, John didn't receive any formal artistic training. John became preoccupied with art to the detriment of his classwork.

On one occasion, the mother found his son painting over his unfinished sketch of a dirty dishwasher. Observing the precision of her son's technique, an apocryphal story relates, Paulina (Mother) felt that the thirteen-year-old John had surpassed her.

In December 2014, John was given some unexpected news that he was going to be a father. John was going to be a father to two children from two different woman. As this unexpected news followed his loss of visa from 2009, John was in distress. Having an up and coming artistic career he was advised by South African art collector Mark Smith, to carry on and persevere. This lead to heartache and struggle as he had to find fast finances to pay for his two new born children as well as his visa. John found himself falling fast down a slippery slope. He had constant battles with himself and feelings of disillusion and hopelessness. In his low and battered state he felt as if there was no other way to make ends meet then selling narcotics, this then lead to violent acts.