Griot | Designer | Curator & Publisher
The unBROKEN Thread — 8,000 Years in one thread, and still UnBROKEN...
Oriiz is a griot, designer, curator, and publisher
dedicated to bridging African heritage, fine living, and contemporary storytelling. His global perspective, honed by over three decades of experience in design, publishing, and culture curation across the UK, Canada, and Nigeria, is a testament to the breadth and depth of his knowledge. He has established himself as a distinctive voice at the intersection of art, history, and identity. Through his work, Oriiz positions art and orature as living archives of identity, memory, and belonging. Read more…
He currently holds the esteemed position of Chief Editor at The Crimson Creative Group,
where he creates and leads projects that bring African history, art, and heritage into international focus. A seminal achievement in my career is creating and editing The Benin Monarchy: An Anthology of Benin History (The Benin Red Book), a defining 7.2-kilogram volume chronicling one of Africa’s most enduring dynasties.
Beyond print, his projects include curating The Intersecting Worlds of Climate Change, the Mangroves, and Art, an exhibition that paired his photography with the paintings of Dr Ed DeBebs to highlight the fragile balance between culture and environment.
Oriiz’s professional journey began in fashion design before expanding into graphic design, brand/campaign management, auto interior design, and publishing. This evolution led him to edit and publish Masterpiece: The Art of Fine Living, a magazine devoted to the finer things of life—from fine wines and watches, to haute couture and design—cultivating a perspective that blends sophistication with substance.
He is currently developing A Window into the Soul of a People: 8,000 Years of Art in Nigeria, a sweeping exploration of Nigeria’s artistic heritage that connects millennia of creativity to present-day narratives. This project extends into The UnBROKEN Thread series of essays on orature.africa, a digital platform where Oriiz continues the griot’s work of linking memory, imagination, and identity in ways that resonate with global audiences. Across every medium—from historical anthologies and digital storytelling to exhibitions like The Intersecting Worlds of Climate Change, the Mangroves, and Art—Oriiz stands as a griot, weaving narratives of orature and heritage that reclaim Africa’s past as vivid, present, and globally relevant.
Oriiz's professional journey began in
fashion design before expanding into graphic design, brand/campaign management, auto interior design, and publishing. This evolution led him to edit and publish Masterpiece: The Art of Fine Living, a magazine devoted to the finer things of life—from fine wines and watches, to haute couture and design—cultivating a perspective that blends sophistication with substance.
He is currently developing A Window into the Soul of a People: 8,000 Years of Art in Nigeria, a sweeping exploration of Nigeria’s artistic heritage that connects millennia of creativity to present-day narratives. This project extends into The UnBROKEN Thread series of essays on orature.africa, a digital platform where Oriiz continues the griot’s work of linking memory, imagination, and identity in ways that resonate with global audiences. Across every medium—from historical anthologies and digital storytelling to exhibitions like The Intersecting Worlds of Climate Change, the Mangroves, and Art—Oriiz stands as a griot, weaving narratives of orature and heritage that reclaim Africa’s past as vivid, present, and globally relevant.
He is currently developing A Window into the Soul of a People: 8,000 Years of Art in Nigeria
a sweeping exploration of Nigeria’s artistic heritage that connects millennia of creativity to present-day narratives. This project extends into The UnBROKEN Thread series of essays on orature.africa, a digital platform where Oriiz continues the griot’s work of linking memory, imagination, and identity in ways that resonate with global audiences. Across every medium—from historical anthologies and digital storytelling to exhibitions like The Intersecting Worlds of Climate Change, the Mangroves, and Art—Oriiz stands as a griot, weaving narratives of orature and heritage that reclaim Africa’s past as vivid, present, and globally relevant.
