ABOUT THE ARTIST

Ekow Nimako is a Toronto-based, internationally exhibiting LEGO artist who crafts futuristic and whimsical sculptures from the iconic medium. Rooted in his childhood hobby and intrinsic creativity, Nimako’s formal arts education and background as a lifelong multidisciplinary artist inform his process and signature aesthetic. His fluid building style, coupled with the Afrofuturistic themes of his work, beautifully transcend the geometric medium to embody organic and fantastical silhouettes. 

His large scale public installations include the monumental Cavalier Noir (Nuit Blanche, 2018) which features a seven-foot Black rider atop a dauntless Black unicorn. Conceptualized in collaboration with Director X, the piece subverts the dominant imagination of public monuments and centres Black narratives. 

Nimako’s installation To Feed the Village, the Young Must Grow debuted at Berlin’s Urban Contemporary Art Biennale (Urban Nation Museum, 2019) alongside other internationally renowned visual artists. The touring group show Brick by Brick features several works from his Building Black: Mythos series and opened in 2019 (20-21 Visual Arts Centre, 2019). 

Nimako’s medieval Africa inspired body of work Building Black: Civilizations opened in 2019 at the Aga Khan Museum. The architectural and imaginative pieces explore the untold narrative of sub-Saharan Africa during the middle ages, with detailed references to architecture, Islamic civilizations and Afrofuturism. 

Nimako’s latest exhibit Building Black: AMORPHIA presents artworks that thread together elements of West African mask making traditions, fauna and organic forms to create an amorphous and fantastical tapestry. The exhibit will be on display at the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto from January to June 2020.

Nimako’s work has been featured in media outlets and publications such as NOW Magazine, CBC, CBC Radio, Global News, TorontoLife, VICE, Toronto Star, BlogTO and the Globe and Mail. He is a published author of Beasts from Bricks (Quarry Books, 2017) an instructional LEGO book featuring miniature sculptures of rare and beautiful animals with an elevated aesthetic. 

PUBLIC ARTWORKS

2018 - Cavalier Noir, Nuit Blanche, Scarborough Civic Centre/Toronto City Hall

2016 – Grey Matters, The Brain Project/Baycrest Foundation, Union Station |

Yorkdale Shopping Centre

2015 – Silent Knight, Scotiabank Nuit Blanche, Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art

EXHIBITIONS

2020

2020 - Building Black: AMORPHIA, Harbourfront Centre

2020 - Building Black: Mythos, The Harley Gallery 

2019 - Building Black: Mythos, 20-21 Visual Art Centre

2019 - To Feed the Village the Young Must Grow, Urban Nation Museum for Urban Contemporary  Art, Urban Nation Biennale

2019 - Building Black: Civilizations, Aga Khan Museum

2019 - Fly High, Brick Campus

2018 - Cavalier Noir, Nuit Blanche, Scarborough Civic Centre/Toronto City Hall

2017 - (Group Exhibition) CreativeTO, Artscape Young Place

2016 - (Group Exhibition) Intergalactic Noise, Art Gallery of Mississauga

2015 - (Solo Exhibition) Building Black, Capacity 3 Gallery

2015 - (Group Exhibition) Black Future Month, Ontario College of Art and Design

2014 - (Solo Exhibition) Building Black, B.A.N.D Gallery and Cultural Centre

2014 - (Solo Exhibition) Building Black, Impresario Gallery

2014 - (Solo Exhibition) Building Black, Daniels Spectrum

EDUCATION

2007 - 2010 - BFA: Studio, York University

RESIDENCIES/WORKSHOPS

2016 – The Art Gallery of Mississauga - Roots and Branches

2015 - The Power Plant Gallery - Power Youth Residency/Winter

2015 - The Power Plant Gallery - Power Youth Residency/Fall

COMMISSIONS

2018 - Cavalier Noir, City of Toronto, Nuit Blanche 

2018 - Copa, Nemeziz, X, Predator, Tango League, adidas Canada

2016 – Grey Matters, The Brain Project - Baycrest Foundation

2016 – the Bergeron Centre of Engineering Excellence, Lassonde School of

Engineering

2015 - Silent Knight, City of Toronto, Scotiabank Nuit Blanche
2014 - Lady Nzinga, Canadian Film Centre, Bold, Black Risk-taker 2014