Fola David
Second skin: the dual life of Fola David Multi-hyphenate talent Fola David is a doctor, hyperreal artist, speed painter and a humanitarian. Here the Lagos-based twenty-something reveals to Mark Edwards how he makes time for each role and how each can inspire the other
A
defemi Gbadamosi, better
takes him less than five minutes to
known as Fola David, is
create one of his instantly recog-
a modern-day Nigerian
nisable high-speed portraits – an
super-hero: doctor by day, artist
achievement made all the more
by night. The 27-year-old is much
remarkable by the fact he paints
in demand in both guises and while
each work upside down, righting the
that leaves him little time to rest, he
canvas only when he has finished for
wouldn’t have it any other way.
the big reveal. It’s quite something to
TALENT (right) Dr Fola David and (left) one of his hyperreal portraits
Jesus and since then celebrities from Nigeria and beyond musicians such
“Living life as a medical doctor
witness and his speed-painting has
and artist has been quite exciting
become a popular piece of perfor-
as Patoranking and Trey Songz to
and yes it has its tough periods,” he
mance art on the Lagos club scene.
Enitan Ogunwusi have booked him
says. “Most days I lose sleep for a long
His debut show – which saw him
to entertain their crowds or capture
stretch just to fit it all in.”
first use the stage name Fola David,
their image in a speed-painting
With time, it seems, in such short
an amalgam of his names Folarin
portrait.
supply, perhaps it helps that when it
and David that “turned out quite
comes to one branch of his art, Fola
nice”, he says – was seven years ago.
celebrities both local and interna-
David works fast, superhero fast. It
He began by painting a portrait of
tional,” he says. “I have also graced
Yoruban King Ooni of Ife Adeyeye
“I have worked with countless
FLYafrica
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