Omar Diaw Chimere

Senegal, 1988

BiographyOmar Diaw Chimere is a graffiti artist, illustrator, painter, designer, and teacher. Identifying as a pan-African artist, Omar seeks to use his art to celebrate black culture. Omar’s artistic studies began at the age of eight, when he began sketching and drawing, believing that everything which crossed his mind and eye could be translated to canvas or paper. Of his artistic journey Omar states, “all [my] life has been spiritual gymnastics to reach the heights of art through drawing and painting.”

As he began to paint more seriously after 2006, he found himself drawn to a mixed technique. He also saw the unique power of the large-scale graffiti work in addition to painting. Omar soon joined a group of graffiti artists called the RBS crew and participated in many acclaimed graffiti festivals in Senegal including Festi Graff, Art Mur, and Graff et Sante’. Omar’s techniques are frequently distinguished as “wildstyle”, “bloc letter” and “bubble” among graffiti art critics and journalists.

Today, Omar lives in Guinea and spends much of his artistic practice teaching young people about the principals of street art. He leads one of the premier groups of graffiti artists in Guinea, Guinee Ghetto Graff. He uses his artistic talent to transform the aesthetics of neighborhoods in Conkray, as well as other parts of the country. He was the co-organizer of the premier festival for graffiti art in Guinea, Lassiry Graffiti. Combining realism and clear, quick messaging, Omar recognizes the importance of large-scale murals in positively impacting public thinking. He creates works ranging from the celebration of Panafrican heroes to the building of awareness for tropical diseases and COVID-19.

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