In this episode of How is the Art scene ticking? I talk with Nigerian-born, London-based artist Ken Nwadiogbu, who pioneered Contemporealism, a contemporary form of hyperrealism that merges lifelike portraiture with political, cultural, and social narratives. Ken shares his journey from studying civil engineering in Nigeria to becoming an internationally recognized artist, and how a single encounter with hyperrealistic drawing changed the course of his life. We explore how he coined Contemporealism to define his practice, his relationship to photography as both a tool and an archive, and the central role of storytelling in his work. The conversation touches on migration and identity as recurring themes in his art, the way visa struggles and bureaucracy inspired reflections on freedom of movement, and his global career plans that span London, New York, and Asia. Ken also speaks about balancing family expectations with the pursuit of art, and why he believes humanity and hope remain vital in politically turbulent times. A dialogue about art as activism, the tension between realism and abstraction, and the power of painting to speak across borders.

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