Artist Biography
Eddy Ochieng (b. 1993, Nairobi, Kenya) is an award-winning hyperrealism artist whose work examines the emotional and psychological depth of the human experience. He began in childhood with pencil sketches of everyday life and later studied Fine Art at Kenyatta University, where he developed his technical skill. His paintings focus on subtle expressions, detailed textures, and quiet moments, drawing influence from artists like Kelvin Okafor and Phillip Weber.
He is a two-time Mask Art Prize winner and the 2021 Manjano Art Competition winner. His work has been shown internationally, with solo exhibitions in New Jersey and London, and group shows in Australia, South Africa, and the U.S. In 2024, he joined the Art Omi
International Residency in New York. His work is held in private and institutional collections across
Africa, Europe, and North America.
Selected Exhibitions
- Expo Chicago Contemporary Art fair, Chicago USA (2026)
- Scope, Miami, USA (2025)
- Butter Art Fair, Indianapolis, USA (2025)
- Children of the sun, group show– Sotheby’s USA (2025)
- Silent chatter – Johannesburg, South Africa (2025)
- Phoenix Rising, Solo exhibition – Ria X Gallery, New Jersey, USA (2024)
- The Wait, Solo exhibition – Tafeta Gallery, London, UK (2023)
- Sanaa Fest, Group exhibition – Australia (2022)
- Water and Smoke, Joint exhibition – Nairobi, Kenya (2022)
- Various Small Fires, Group exhibition – Circle Art Gallery, Nairobi (2020)
- Virtual Viewpoint – Hansford & Sons Gallery, New York (2020)
- Keeping it Real Group exhibition– PolkaDot Art Gallery, Nairobi (2019)
- Franschhoek Art Festival – Cape Town, South Africa (2018)
- The Kenya Art Fair – Nairobi (2015, 2016, 2017)
Institutional collections
Skillern family art museum, South Carolina, USA
Perez’ Art Museum, Miami USA
Legacy Museum Alabama, USA
Artist Statement
Eddy’s work studies humanity through the lens of his life and community in Kenya, grounded in the idea that people can see the same subject and leave with different truths. His paintings invite you to question what you see and what you might be missing, focusing on detail over perfection and on honesty in aging skin, quiet strength, and steady gazes. He paints everyday individuals, not to replicate likeness but to reveal presence, using layered compositions to reflect story, history, and emotion. Through universal expressions of longing, joy, loss, and contentment, he creates space for viewers to feel seen and to reflect on shared experience. His work acts as a mirror of human connection, preserving identity and encouraging empathy across cultures and time.