Dr Hassan Aliyu, FRSA

Dr Hassan Aliyu, FRSA is a leading British-Nigerian artist, curator and President of the Nigerian Art Society UK. Renowned for his collaged paintings that interrogate racism, inequality and the legacies of colonialism, his practice draws on recyclable materials and layered narratives to examine the continuing impact of global power structures on the Global South. A graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and holder of a Professional Doctorate in Fine Art from the University of East London, Aliyu’s research and creative work foreground the historical and economic forces shaping contemporary African realities. His work has been praised for its dynamism and lyricism, with curator Mark Bills noting its capacity to “fascinate and provoke.”

As curator, Aliyu has delivered influential exhibitions across the UK, Europe and Africa, including Legacies of Biafra (2018–2025), The Carnivalesque (London, 2025), projects for 1–54 African Art Fair, the 15th Havana Biennial (2024), and Waves of Change (London, 2024). He co-curated The Bigger Picture on Civil Rights–era artist Ben F. Jones and produced the accompanying biopic, and he curated Threaded Memories Through the African Diaspora at the Africa Centre Gallery in 2025.

Aliyu is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and serves as Company Secretary on the board of 198 Contemporary Arts & Learning, London.