CHIEF OLORUNTOBA

The Chief was born October 1, 1919. He is a spiritual leader, artist, herbalist, avid polo player to this day, flutist and film maker. His art is in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, New York, Queen Elizabeth II, David Rockefeller, and Muhammad Ali.

He is also a well-known practitioner of herbal medicine who consults and conducts workshops at such institutions as the Georgetown University Medical School. The Chief uses medicinal herbs to dye the fibers he uses in his tapestries and feels, therefore, that his art has curative powers for the viewer. Glass would impede the flow of healing power and should never be put over the tapestries. There is also a practical reason to avoid glass: Over time it causes the deterioration of fiber art.

The medium: Cotton-cord applique on canvas. Hand-spun and herbal-dyed, applied with wheat paste and set by the weight of a heavy slab of stone. Silk in appearance. Can be rolled, like any tapestry or rug for transport. The drawn pattern is often visible on the back.

Dorothy Dannemiller Rogers
U.S. Representative

Exhibitions

• British Council, Dugbe Ibadan, Nigeria, 1966

• New York, 131 Prince Street, 1967

• Museum of Modern Art, Lagos, Nigeria, 1968

• Paris, 1968

• British Council, Kano, Nigeria, 1969

• Geneva, 1970

• Commonwealth Institute, London, 1972

• New York, One Man Shows, 1972-1975

• Brussels, 1976

• German Cultural Organization, Lagos, 1979

• Italian Embassy, Lagos, 1982

• Eko Hotel, Lagos, 1983-1996

• Antwerp and Chicago, 1989

• The October Gallery, London, 1989

• Brazilian Embassy, Lagos, 1996

• The October Gallery, London, Diasporas I & II, 1997

• Frankfurt,  1997

• Alliance, France, Paintings and Weavings, 1998

• Artists Alliance Gallery, Accra, Ghana, 2001

• The Wichita Center for the Arts, Kansas, 1999, 2000

• The Dorothy Rogers Collection, Wichita, Kansas, 2003

• The Dorothy Rogers Collection Online, 2003

• The Bruce Museum, Greenwich, Connecticut, The Spirited
  Canvas: Toiles and Tapestries of Chief Z.O. Oloruntoba,  2002

• The October Gallery, London, New Works by Jimoh Buraimoh and Z.O. Oloruntoba, 2002

• Stars in the Arts, with former Ambassador Andrew Young, Atlanta, Georgia, 2002
  

• 21st La Quinta Arts Festival, La Quinta, California, Special Guest Artist, 2003
  
  
• Dorothy Rogers Fine Art, Santa Fe, The Spirited Canvas II: Toiles and Tapestries of Chief Z.O. Oloruntoba, 2003
  
  22nd La Quinta Arts Festival, La Quinta, California, March, 2004
   
  Dorothy Rogers Fine Art, Santa Fe, "The Spirited Canvas: Tapestries, July/August, 2004
   
  The Catskill Art Society, Sullivan County Museum, Hurleyville, New York,
  July, 2004
  
  The Museum of International Folk Art Market, Santa Fe, July 17 & 18, 2004
  

Awards and Distinctions

• Kenedica, U.S.A., 1968

• Seaspuds cover and UNICEF award for "Traditional Flute Player," 1972

• Certificate of Appraisal - The International Art Registry, Ltd., New York

• Artwork on over 30 UNICEF cards

• Corporate Merit Award of Excellence: Artist of the Year from  the National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Product Workers (NUPPPPROW),  Ibadan, Nigeria, 1998

• Honored Guest Artist, La Quinta Arts Festival, California, March 20-23, 2003

Collections

• Museum of Modern Art, New York

• Queen Elizabeth II

• David Rockefeller

• Muhammad Ali

• Jazz Musician, Ornett Coleman

• Reverend Jesse Jackson

• Susan Wengar (Adunni) Olosa, Nigeria

• Studio Museum, New York

• Mobil Oil Company, Lagos, Nigeria

• His Royal Highness Oba Sonanwo, Ijebu-Segamu, Nigeria

• Chevron Oil Company, Lagos

• His Royal Highness Oba Adebimpe, The Olubadan of Ibadan Land, Nigeria

• Colen Doman, U.S.A.

• Texaco Inc., London

• His Royal Highness Oba Iylola Motanmi Ataoja of Osogbo, Nigeria

• Chief (Dr) ING M. A. Moser

• Chief (Mrs) Maria Moser

• Chief Fenapa, A Traditional Dance Cultural Centre, Ibadan

• His Royal Highness Oba Sikiru Adetona Awujale of Ijebuland, Nigeria

• Director of U.A.C., Chief Mesayete, Lagos

• Chief Alphonso, Director Portland Cement, Lagos

• His Royal Highness Oba Adeyemi Are-Jedege Ologidi of Ogidi land

• Yeyelosun, Osogbo, Nigeria

• Chief Olujumu of Ijumu, Kogi, Nigeria

• Baale of Oke-Itunu Mokola, Nigeria

• H.R.H. Oba Micheal Folorunsho Olobayo Obaro of Kabba.

• Chief Jens Victor Balogun of Ogidiland

• Dr. John Yakubu, Commissioner of Justice, Oyo State, Nigeria

• The Solicitor-General, Ministry of Justice, Secretariat, Ibadan

• Elder O. A. Folarin, Ibadan

• Chief Erulu Elizabeth Oloruntoba

• British Cultural Centre in Kaduna, Nigeria

• American Cultural Centre in Lagos, Nigeria

• Teacher's College for Women, Kabba, Kogi State, Nigeria

• Institute of Traditional African Studies,  Ibadan, Nigeria

• British Cultural Centre, Ibadan

• British Cultural Centre, Kano, Nigeria

• Georgetown University, U.S.A.

• Harvard University, U.S.A.

• Weekend Third Eye Publication

Publications (selected)

• King Marakapa's Dream with Michael Paplow at University of California, Los Angeles, 1970

• Ghosts Led Him to Art, Gainesville Sun Daily, U.S.A., 1973

• Air Afrique Magazine, 1974

• Oloruntoba Due For America, Daily Sketch, March 23 1974

• Life Magazine, Cultural Congress, Nov. 25, 1991

• Morrouf the Cobbler, drama, Caravan of Dream's Forest, Texas, 1993

• The Healer with a Brush, Sunday Tribune, Dec. 30, 1995

• Weekend Third Eye, Dec. 2, 1995

• Vogue Magazine, British Edition, Sept. 1995

• The Wichita Eagle, Kansas, March 8, 2000
  
  
• The New York Times, Paintings by Oloruntoba, March 24, 2002

• The New York Times: Exploring Spirit, Human and Animal by William Zimmer, April 7, 2002
• Ridgefield, New Canaan, Darien, Wilton, Redding, Weston, Lewisboro, Connecticut Newspapers, Spirited Canvas, March 28, 2002

Honorary Titles

• Otunba of Ogidiland by His Royal Highness Oba Adeyemi Aare, Jedege 1, 1996

• Justice of Peace by Oyo State Administrator Col. Ahmed Usman, 1998

National Service

• Representative at a European Exhibition in Belgium as one of Nigeria's Outstanding Artists, 1983.  Sponsored by Executive President Alhaji Sheu Shagari.
  
  
• Chosen as outstanding artist and Nigerian to welcome United States President George W. Bush during his visit to Nigeria, July 2003.

Clubs and Associations

• President, St. John Ambulance Brigade in Oyo State

• Patron, Executive Ladies Club Mokola, Ibadan, Nigeria

• Polo Club, Ibadan

• Patron to arts and drama societies, Nigeria, 1966-85

• Chairman, Ibadan Unit O.D.U., Ogidi Kogi State, Nigeria

• Chairman of Rotary Club, Lagos, Nigeria

Interests

Painting, herbal medicine, traveling, polo, singing, flute, dancing, film making, carpentry.