Bankside Hotel, in partnership with Contemporary Collective, is delighted to welcome Ken Nwadiogbu to the Art Yard Makers Studio.
This residency feels particularly special to us, as our connection with Ken began at the 2025 Signature Art Prize, where he won the Painting Category. As proud sponsors of the prize and hosts of its exhibition in our White Box gallery, it’s a pleasure to welcome Ken back to Bankside, this time to create within our very own Makers Studio.
Ken’s multidisciplinary practice spans painting, sculpture, installation and video, exploring themes of identity, migration, cultural memory and representation.
Originally trained as a civil engineer, Ken began his artistic journey creating hyperrealistic charcoal portraits before developing a distinctive visual language that combines figurative painting, expressive abstraction and layered storytelling.
Drawing on personal experiences and the complexities of navigating different cultural identities, his work invites viewers to explore the connections between memory, place and belonging.
About Ken Nwadiogbu
Ken Nwadiogbu (b. 1994, Lagos, Nigeria) is a London-based multidisciplinary artist and graduate of the Royal College of Art.
His practice spans painting, sculpture, installation and video, exploring representation, belonging and the complexities of contemporary life through the lens of migration and cultural identity.
His work has been exhibited internationally, including at the Royal Academy of Arts, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery and Retro Africa. In 2025, he was awarded the Painting Category prize at DA Gallery’s Signature Art Prize, followed by the Young Generation Art Award in 2026.
Explore Ken’s work: degreeart.com
Stay Connected
Follow Ken’s residency journey, creative process and behind-the-scenes moments from the Art Yard Makers Studio via @Contemporary_Collective
Open House
Art Yard Maker’s Studio has an open-house policy, so if you‘re visiting our neighbourhood’s major art galleries, Southbank Centre, Tate Modern or Hayward Gallery why not stop by to see an artist at work.