Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy
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| Born | 2 May 1952 |
| Died | 17 December 2012 (aged 60) Hacheston, Suffolk
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| Known for | Painting |
Chinwe Ifeoma Chukwuogo-Roy was a talented artist. She was born in Awka, Nigeria, on May 2, 1952. She spent much of her early life near the Cameroon border. Later, she moved back to Awka. In 1975, she moved to Britain.
Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy created paintings, prints, and sculptures. Her art often showed people, everyday objects, and landscapes. She became famous around the world in 2002. This was because she was one of only two Nigerian artists to paint an official portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. For her amazing work in art, she was given an award called the MBE in 2009. She passed away on December 17, 2012.
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Early Life and Education
Chinwe Chukwuogo was born in Ondo State, Nigeria. Her family later moved to Ikom in Cross Rivers State. Her father had large cocoa farms there. Chinwe had six brothers and sisters.
When she was a teenager, she had to leave her home because of the Biafran War. After the war, she returned to her family home in Awka, Anambra State. In 1975, she moved to Britain. She studied at East Ham College. Then, she earned a degree in Graphic Design from Hornsey College of Art in 1978. This college is now part of Middlesex University.
Her Art Career
Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy started painting professionally in 1988. She painted a portrait of Emeka Anyaoku, who was a leader of the Commonwealth. Queen Elizabeth II herself showed this painting to the public in 1999.
Painting the Queen
Chinwe became very famous for painting the official portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. This painting was for the Queen's Golden Jubilee. The Golden Jubilee celebrated 50 years of the Queen's rule. The The Commonwealth Secretariat in London asked her to create this special artwork.
The full-length portrait was shown at Marlborough House in London. This happened on Commonwealth Day in 2002. Don McKinnon, a former Commonwealth leader, unveiled the painting. It now hangs next to the portrait of Emeka Anyaoku.
Other Important Works
Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy also painted other important people. These included the athlete Kriss Akabusi and the Lord Mayor of Norwich. The famous footballer Martin Keown asked her to paint Arsenal's Highbury Stadium in London.
In 2003, Chinwe represented the United Kingdom in Paris. She advised the European Council on African art. In December of that year, she also helped organize the "Celebrate" Exhibition. This show was for the Commonwealth leaders meeting in Abuja.
Exhibitions and Collections
Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy's art was shown all over Britain and in other countries. She had many solo exhibitions. These included shows at Christchurch Mansions in Ipswich and the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts in Norwich. Her work was also displayed at UNESCO in Paris.
Since 2006, some of her art has been on permanent display. You can see it at the University of London's School of Advanced Study. She was also a founding member of the Sudbourne Printmakers. This group included several top artists from Suffolk.
Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy passed away in December 2012. She had been ill with cancer for a long time. She died at her home in Hacheston, Suffolk.
Art Style and Ideas
Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy created paintings, prints, and sculptures. Her art mostly showed real-life subjects. She focused on portraits, still-life scenes, landscapes, and stories. Her portraits looked very natural and often felt happy or celebratory.
However, she also made many artworks that showed deeper feelings. These could be feelings of sadness, fear, or hope. Two famous examples are her Migrants series and her African Slave Trade series. These works explored difficult but important topics.
Awards and Recognition
Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy received many awards. She was often featured in international news. This was for her art and for her work helping young people. A book about her, called Chinwe Roy – Artist, is studied by children in the UK. It is part of their school curriculum.
In 2003, the University of East Anglia gave her a special award. It was an Honorary Doctorate of Letters. In 2008, she was invited to speak at the Cambridge Union.
In 2010, Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy was made a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE). This honor recognized her important contributions to art.
Where Her Art Is Kept
Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy's art is in many public and private collections. These include the art collection of Queen Elizabeth II. Her work is also owned by former President of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo. Geoffrey Watling, the president of Norwich City F.C., also has her art.
Her work can be found in collections in many countries. These include Antigua, Argentina, Australia, France, Grenada, Ireland, Kenya, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Personal Life
Chinwe married Roderick Roy in 1980. They had two sons, Rogan and Alasdair, and a daughter, Nwiru. They also had a grandson. Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy was a big fan of the Arsenal F.C. football team.
Throughout her life, Chinwe had a health condition called myasthenia gravis. This is an autoimmune disease that can make muscles weak. Despite this, she still managed to travel a lot for her art.
Images for kids
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1994 Self-portrait
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Water Moon Monotype by Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy, 2005
