Yusuf Grillo, veteran Nigerian visual artist, dies of COVID-19

By Esther Innocent

Veteran Nigerian visual artist, Yusuf Grillo, has died from COVID-19 complications at the age of 86.

According to NAN, Gboyega, son of the deceased, confirmed the development in Lagos on Monday..

He said his father died at the early hours of the day.

Gboyega, who could not hide his emotions, said he was so pained that he wasn’t able to speak to the media, due to the shock and preparations toward the burial.

He said remains of his father would be buried today at 4p.m at Atan cemetery in Lagos.

Grillo is considered one of Nigeria’s outstanding and academically trained painters.

He was born in 1934 and renowned for his inventive works and the prominence of the color blue in many of his paintings.

He became prominent and recognised internationally in the 1960s and 1970s, while exhibiting a large collection of his early works.

He made use of his western art training in many of his paintings, combining western art techniques with traditional Yoruba sculpture characteristics.

His preference for color blue in natural settings, painting is sometimes similar to the adire or resist-dye textiles used in Nigeria.

He was a former Head of the Department of Art and Printing, Yaba College of Technology in Lagos State. Grillo was also the first president of the Society of Nigerian Artists