Twins Seven-Seven, Winged Lion

Though he had been an artist before, Twins first began creating art for a market of collectors after meeting cultural scholars Georgina and Ulli Beier in the mid-1960s. The Beiers conducted workshops in Osogbo, Nigeria, and nurtured the visions of many African artists, including Twins.

Twins would return to minutely detailed mythical creatures like this winged lion throughout his career. He began by drawing bold forms with thick lines, then filled in the forms with fine, colorful patterns, a practice rooted in the centuries-old traditions of Yoruba culture.