Blaise Vernyuy : Artist Resume
Born in 1993 in the Anglophone Northwest region of Cameroon to teenage parents, Vernyuy lost his mother at a very young age. He grew up in neglect and poverty, shuffled between extended family members. He recalls walking miles to go to school, often barefoot, and – despite excelling - being beaten by his teachers because his father didn’t pay the tuition fees.
For as long as he can remember, Vernyuy found solace in drawing, using whatever surface was available—mainly the blank pages of his schoolbooks and notebooks, and even the backs of his report cards. Watching forms appear on the blackboard under his teacher’s hand (‘A for Apple,’ a fruit he didn’t even know existed) felt like magic.
From age 12 and living now in town, Vernyuy volunteered with graphic designers during school holidays to be around people doing creative work. There, he discovered paint and color. His formal education followed a science-focused trajectory, and once he got his A-Levels, he started teaching math to make a living — all while painting and seekingopportunities to showcase his work in restaurants where expats gathered.
Vernyuy’s artistic journey took a significant turn in 2011 when he met Paolo Lemos, a Brazilian arts professor and missionary. Realizing the young man’s potential as an artist, Lemos offered him proper training for free, while persuading him to choose art over a career in mathematics. During an intensive four-year period, Lemos taught Vernyuy art history, drawing, and sculpture – specifically using the cement casting method.
Vernyuy then returned to painting, often working on construction sites to afford art materials. As his work began to gain recognition, he was encouraged to bring his paintings to the capital, Yaoundé, for greater exposure. In 2017, a chance encounter there led to an invitation to exhibit at the American Embassy – the ensuing collaboration was so successful that it allowed him to fulfill his dream: furthering his education by enrolling in a Visual Arts and Art History BA program. He graduated in 2020 from the University of Bamenda as the top student.
Deeply affected by the ongoing Anglophone Crisis (also known as the Ambazonia War) in his home region, he moved in early 2021 from Bamenda to the quieter town of Limbe, where he now lives with his wife and two daughters.
Artistic Process
Vernyuy’s work is deeply influenced by the challenges he overcame growing up and is centered on resilience. “Resilience means being able to keep going even when it’s tough, fighting for change, valuing the things that truly matter in life.” he explains. He sees resilience in every human story - as he puts it, “Life itself is not comfortable; it throws you left and right, requiring people to harness their will to persevere.” His scenes and portraits are not just expressions of resilience; they also serve as powerful reminders to never give up in the face of adversity. They play at times an advocacy role, and always carry a motivational purpose.
Vernyuy paints vibrant, meticulous compositions with acrylic on canvas. Individuals, alone or in a group, dominate the space, while the remaining areas are filled with masks and geometric patterns. The intricate details, rich color palette, and dynamic lines invite the viewer’s gaze to wander across the canvas, absorbing every element before settling on a focal point. Inspired by Pablo Picasso, Piet Mondrian and Gustav Klimt, Vernyuy has developed a distinctive style he calls “Afro-Abstract Figurative” – a fusion of human figures and abstract motifs that reflects the rich cultural and artistic heritage of the African continent.
Early on, Vernyuy decided not to be a realist painter, preferring not to represent the human figure as a camera would. Seeking to ‘twist and bend’ forms to create something beyond the ordinary, he first developed his characters by attaching bodies to masks from various African regions. However, he soon realized that if he painted an actual mask, viewers wouldn’t be able to distinguish it from his human figures. To solve this, he stylized the human face, transforming the eye into a circle, the mouth into an oval, and simplifying features. This approach not only allows him to represent concepts rather than specific individuals but also gives his characters a universal appeal, enabling people from all continents to connect with and understand the stories he seeks to convey.
Vernyuy views the background as a space meant to be ‘animated’—enriching the narrative and drawing the viewer’s eye deeper into the composition. He achieves this by filling it with small masks and geometric patterns, transforming it from a static backdrop into an active, evolving space. The geometric patterns draw inspiration from the vibrant regalia of the Northwest region and other parts of Africa…. the Toghu, the elaborate costumes of Yoruba performances, Ndebele beadwork, Bwa masks from Burkina Faso, wax print fabrics, etc. The masks, in various sizes and shapes, represent the ancestors. In African culture, ancestors do not rest; their spirits remain ever-present, watching over the living. There are sacred places in villages and cities where people go to pray to them. Vernyuy seeks to highlight this reality in his art. By incorporating masks into the background, he creates these sacred spaces, placing his characters under the protection of those who came before them.
Vernyuy’s work has been exhibited in Cameroon, Nigeria, and the USA. It is featured in numerous collections in these countries and beyond.
Art Education
2017 - 2020 : BA in Visual Arts and Art History, with First-Class Honors, University of Bamenda, Cameroon
2012 -2015 : Private training with Brazilian art professor Paulo Lemos (pencil drawing, painting fundamentals, clay modeling, cement casting, etc.), Bamenda, Cameroon
Exhibitions
Solo exhibitions
2024
Ordinary Days, Extraordinary Lives, African Art Beats, Washington, DC, USA
2023
Uprising, Alexis Galleries, Lagos, Nigeria
2022
Solo Show, Residence of the Ambassador of Canada
2021
Afrocentric Happiness, Residence of the Ambassador of Canada, Yaoundé, Cameroon
2017
Conserving our culture, Institut Français du
Cameroun, Yaoundé
Collective exhibitions
2024
The Last Pictures Show, Gondwana Art Collective, Douala, Cameroon
A Collective Art Show, Gondwana Art Collective, Douala, Cameroon
2023
The Last Pictures Show, Gondwana Art Collective, Douala, Cameroon
Wata no get Enemy, Douala Art Fair, Douala, Cameroon
Duo show, Alexis Galleries, Lagos, Nigeria
2022
Connecting Africa, Alexis Galleries, Lagos, Nigeria
The Last Pictures Show, Gondwana Art Collective, Douala, Cameroon
2021
The Last Pictures Show, Gondwana Art Collective, Douala, Cameroon
2019
Mboko Arts Village, Douala, Cameroon
Annual Art Show, American Embassy/ASOY, Yaoundé, Cameroon
Pencil drawings. Bamenda, Cameroon