Interview
Chancellor Ahaghotu
Chancellor Ahaghotu is a Nigerian Artist. He merges figurative painting with kinetic sculpture, crafting mechanical timepieces. Through experimentation, mechanical precision, and found materials, his work transforms portraiture into living mechanisms. Chancellor is the current holder of the Guinness World Records for longest painting marathon, in which he painted 100 consecutive hours.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I grew up in Nigeria and was always drawn to drawing things and people I see, even though art wasn’t initially encouraged as a career path. For a long time I felt pulled between expectation and passion, until I made the decision to fully commit to art. In 2022, I moved to the U.S. to study at SCAD, where my practice really took shape. After pushing my limits; most notably breaking the Guinness World Record for the longest painting marathon, my work evolved into combining painting with functional, gravity-powered clock mechanisms, using time as both a material and a subject.”
What does your work aim to say? Does it comment on any current social or political issues?
“My work isn’t committed to specific social or political agendas. Instead, it focuses on individuality and shared human experience. I believe in one race; the human race, and I use time as a central concept because it holds power over everyone equally. By integrating time into my work, I’m speaking to something universal: pressure, persistence, change, and the fact that no matter where we come from, we all exist within the same passing of time.”
Do you plan your work in advance, or is it improvisation?
“It’s a balance of both. Because my work is technically complex, I plan it carefully in advance, especially the structure and mechanics. But within that framework, there’s a lot of room for improvisation. The complexity itself invites unexpected decisions, so the final work often evolves as I’m making it.”
Are there any art world trends are you following?
“I don’t really follow trends. I create from inspiration rather than from what’s currently circulating in the art world. My focus is on building a language that feels honest, even if it exists outside of trends.”
What process, materials and techniques do you use to create your artwork?
“I combine painting with mechanical elements. I work with paint and for the mechanics, I primarily use wood, creating gravity-powered clock mechanisms that become part of the artwork. I also incorporate found materials especially as the gravity pull of the mechanics. My process involves planning the structure first, then allowing the painting and movement to develop naturally as I work, using time as both a material and an idea.”
What does your art mean to you?
“To me, art means creation itself, and the meaning that exists within the act of creating. It’s about making something real and allowing meaning to emerge through that process.”
What’s your favourite artwork and why?
“My favorite artwork is usually the one I’m working on at the moment. Each piece represents where I am mentally and creatively at that time, so it feels like the most honest reflection of my thinking and growth.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“I’m still early in my career, but some of my most noteworthy moments have come from presenting my work in academic exhibitions, e.g. SCAD Fine Art Showcase Atlanta, AXA art prize New York. These experiences helped introduce my work to wider audiences and marked important steps in the development of my practice.”
