In this conversation, we meet Eva Obodo, a visual artist from Nsukka, Nigeria, whose work spans painting, sculpture, and mixed media. From his earliest memories, Obodo has been captivated by the act of creating. As a child, he drew pictures in the sand at school—ephemeral sketches that vanished with the wind—teaching him the beauty of impermanence and the importance of process over permanence. At home, his parents encouraged his creativity, even allowing him to draw on his bedroom walls, showing him from a young age that art was valued and that self-expression mattered. Obodo’s practice today is deeply connected to these formative experiences. He works with fibre and charcoal, transforming discarded and everyday materials into relief paintings and free-standing sculptures. Using techniques of wrapping, tying, and bundling, he constructs vibrant, tactile visual narratives. His charcoal pieces reflect on Nigeria’s natural resources and the impacts of development, while his fibre works, often composed of tightly wound nylon threads, create colourful metaphors for the intricate connections between individuals, communities, and global economic networks. In our conversation, Eva shares his philosophy that art should emerge from one’s immediate environment, telling stories rooted in personal and communal histories. He explains how a piece of coal became the foundation for a work reflecting the coal mine where his father worked—a material that carries both memory and meaning. Beyond his artistic practice, Obodo is a passionate advocate for the arts in education, emphasizing that engaging with art cultivates transferable skills, nurtures critical thinking, and encourages creative problem-solving—lessons that extend far beyond the studio. Through this interview, we explore how Eva Obodo intertwines memory, material, and society, offering a compelling glimpse into the mind of an artist who transforms everyday substances into powerful reflections on life, work, and community. https://afikaris.com/artists/115-eva-obodo/