Chief Z.O. OLORUNTOBA

CHIEF Z. O. OLORUNTOBA 1919 - 2014 Chief Zacheus Olowonubi Oloruntoba passed away in Marietta, Georgia, on Thursday, March 13, according to his son, Patrick, and daughter, Abiola. Cause of death was a stroke. Chief Oloruntoba was born in Ogidi, Nigeria, October 1, 1919. He is a prominent African artist who is known for his colorful herbal-dyed, cotton-cord tapestries depicting African life. He showed in Lagos, Nigeria and in London. His U.S. representative, Dorothy Rogers of Dorothy Rogers Fine Art, Santa Fe, staged many one-man exhibits including 1999 and 2000 at The Wichita Center for the Arts, Kansas. Rogers curated a major exhibit for The Bruce Museum, Greenwich, Conn. in 2002. This exhibit was reviewed by William Zimmer and featured in The New York Times, Sunday, April 7, 2002. The Museum of Modern Art, New York, chose a work from this exhibit for their permanent collection. Oloruntoba is also in the collections of Queen Elizabeth II and David Rockefeller. Oloruntoba was among the first folk art artists to exhibit at the International Folk Art Market sponsored by the Folk Art Museum, Santa Fe, 2004 and 2005. The artist had yearly exhibits at Rogers' gallery, Santa Fe, 2003 to 2011. The lively openings featured Chief and African drummers, all in full regalia. Chief Oloruntoba will be buried in Ogidi, Nigeria. Arrangements are incomplete at this time.