TIME: Heroes Of The Environment 2009

This is a Portrait of human rights activist Nnimmo Bassey for Time magazine's ‘Heroes of The  Environment 2009’.  Bassey is head of Environmental Rights Action in his home country of Nigeria and  has been recognised for his continuing fight for a safe environment for the people of the oil producing Niger Delta. Namely a fight against the oil companies, namely Shell.

Oil flares are dotted around the delta area, used to burn off the oils’ natural flammable gasses and along
with the oil come the added bonusses of explosions, leaks, and general environmental devastation.
I mixed up a few techniques for the piece, hand painting and airbrushing most of the background for a
dirtier, scummy graffiti feel and rendered Nnimmo in a more rounded, cleaner digital finish. I also wanted to show Nnimmo’s
pride in his culture through his delicately embroidered and printed traditional shirt.