Artist's Profile
Imal Silva (born 16th January 1971) is multidisciplinary artist, creative entrepreneur, adjunct lecturer and creative policy expert.
Imal is an alumnus of the Royal College of Art, United Kingdom.
He is an artist at his core and over the years has explored the concept of sustainability and human development.
In recent times, his work has extended to more philosophical conversations of life, meaning and purpose.
The approach to his art is mostly abstract and contemporary in nature. The works are expressed through acrylic and oil on canvas as well and mixed media works.
His present body of work comprises largely of pour and drip techniques as well as acrylic impasto techniques on canvas.
The multicultural background in his life has had a significant influence on his artistic thought, visual language, and work.
Born in Sri Lanka, and living most of his teenage and adult life in Nigeria, his life and work reflect the increasing reality of a larger demographic of migrants and persons of multicultural backgrounds.
In Imal’s words, ‘I have always had an ongoing conversation through art about my life, my interaction with society, and how we all can prioritize our common future. The concepts of nature and nurture are central to understanding human behavior and interaction and to creating a more equitable society.
Imal is an adjunct lecturer at the University of Abuja on the creative economy and a serial speaker on visual art and the business of art.
He has participated in several exhibitions and workshops in Ibadan, Lagos, and Abuja in Nigeria. He has also served twice as a judge in the Annual National Art Competition, titled Life in My City (www.lifeinmycityartsfestival.org) organized by the French Institute in Nigeria.
Imal is an Alumni of Bruce Onobrakpeya Foundation’s Harmattan Workshops where he specialized in painting. One of Nigeria’s foremost art training programs (www.bofoundng.com).
He believes that the arts are strategic to public engagement and promoting values of sustainability, and has enabled several creatives, through projects in communities where he lived. He encourages creatives to use their creativity to engage in social and developmental issues.
Imal Silva also serves on the boards of several enterprises in different sectors where he plans, directs, and executes the marketing and business development strategy. He consistently advocates for corporate support and funding of art-related projects and programs in these various institutions either in the form of CSR or as business-related activities.
Treasures4life AGH (www.treasures4lifeagh.com).
The company is a business solutions provider for the creative industry. It has organized and promoted many art events and workshops and promoted several visual and performing artists in Nigeria.
He is a co-investor in Healthcare at Taprobane Medical Centers, in Nigeria. Co-managed by his wife Dr. Abimbola Silva (www.taprobanemed.com) the hospital has an Art for Health Unit that is developing a program to use the arts for health interventions.
One to improve health-related outcomes as well secondly, to create and disseminate content to promote a healthier lifestyle.
Imal also serves on the advisory board of National Arts in Health Week in Nigeria. Promoting the use of the arts in health intervention projects in Nigeria (www.nahwng.org).
He has also invested in SILADE Agro Clubs, an agro solutions provider with an emphasis market development, financial sourcing as well as urban farming and agro tourism.
He also serves on the advisory board of Art for a Reason, an Art Media Company (www.art4areason.com), and their Art Residency (@talkresidency) where he facilitates the Business of Art modules.
He started practicing his arts during his undergraduate years at the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Ibadan (www.ui.edu.ng) in Nigeria. He states often that art played a large role in helping him earn the needed income to substitute the cost of his education.
Imal later earned an Entrepreneurship scholarship to the Enterprise Development Centre (www.edc.edu.ng), of Lagos Business School (www.lbs.edu.ng, LBS) for his work on business and community development in the creative sector in Nigeria.
He is also a graduate of the Management (Specialty Agribusiness) at LBS, and is now a visiting lecturer at the LBS and the University of Abuja (www.uniabuja.edu.ng)
Treasures4life AGH has now partnered with Terra Kulture and Businessday Media Foundation to host the largest Summit for Women Creatives in Nigeria.
Imal also manages an online community of creatives comprising visual and performing artists, curators, writers, art academics, directors, producers, musicians, actors as well arts enthusiasts and patrons.
He is a co-founder of Initiative for Sustainable Development, ISD (initiativeforsustainabledevelopment.wordpress.com), and conducts various initiatives to promote global goals through his art and various community projects.