Meet Kanyeyachukwu, the Young Artist On the Autism Spectrum

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by Alexandra Mansilla

Meet Kanyeyachukwu, the Young Artist On the Autism Spectrum

1 Apr 2024

Kanyeyachukwu Tagbo Okeke is almost 15 years old and he is on autism spectrum. But there's more to Kanye than just that. He is an artist who, through his artwork, consistently offers hope to other children and adults on the autism spectrum.

From April 1st to 5th, Kanye will have an exhibition at the H Dubai, the first autism-certified hotel in Dubai, where he is going to showcase 20 captivating artworks. The exhibition is titled “Spectrum Splendor: A Young Artist's Journey” and aims to inspire and promote inclusion through art.

We had the opportunity to speak with Kanye's parents, Dr. Silvia Tagbo-Okeke and Tagbo Okeke, to learn more about his journey.

Source: kanyeyachukwu.com

— When did you first become aware that Kanye is on the autism spectrum?

— We became aware that something was not as expected with Kanye at the age of two, and we got a full diagnosis at the age of four. We support Kanye in the best way possible. Enrolled him in several vocational activities and ensured he got support from his school and therapists. We hold regular IEP meetings with school and management staff regularly, and Kanye plays basketball regularly and rides his bicycle thrice a week for an hour with his dad. He goes out regularly to the mall, the movie theatre, church, and restaurants, and we ensure he partakes in any activity his brothers engage in. He goes for regular checkups and also has music lessons where he practices playing the keyboards and drums.

— What level of the autism spectrum is he on?

— He is on the medium level of the autism spectrum. He has difficulty maintaining eye contact, and limited verbal skills. He can live independently when he is in familiar environments but needs a shadow to sit with him in school. He also exhibits frequent repetitive behaviours and suffers from OCD.

— What challenges does he face?

— Limited speech and verbal skills, very restricted interests and social skills.

— When did he start drawing?

— From the ages of two to four, Kanyeyachukwu would scribble on the walls and on pieces of paper. Then, at the age of five, he began painting on canvas.

— What did he draw?

— Mostly non-figurative abstract.

— Could you explain the meaning behind this picture?

— It is a family portrait. In the picture, you can see his family: dad, mum, older brother Ozzy, older sister Uzo and baby brother Gamaliel.

Source: kanyeyachukwu.com

— And this one? What did you want to express with it?

— It is called “Drowning (help me)”. He often expresses reluctance to get into the pool at all. Kanyeyachukwu is also very afraid of going into the deep end of the pool as he is afraid of drowning.

Source: kanyeyachukwu.com

— Who first recognised your talent as an artist?

— Kanyeyachukwu’s art teacher, Ms. Kokab Farukkh, in Abuja.

— When was it? And how was it?

— When he was five years old. A friend came to the house and saw Kanyeyachukwu’s scribblings on paper and asked us who did it. We told her, and she said, “These are really good. Why don't you put him in an art class?” We took him to several art classes, and they all expressed their frustration working with him, but we kept going from one school to another, especially as the scribbling on paper and on the walls of the house was becoming too much. Luckily, we got introduced to the teacher, and enrolled him in Ms. Kokab’s class. On his first day, she called us and said, “You brought a genius to me.” The rest is history.

— Could you briefly describe Kanye’s artworks using just a few words?

— Kanye paints how he feels. Each work has a piece of Kanyeyachukwu in it. As he says, “I want to paint all the time.”

— Which pieces will Kanye showcase in the exhibition "Spectrum Splendor: A Young Artist's Journey"? Why did you select these particular works?

— Kanye will showcase 20 of his works. These pieces were selected to showcase his journey as an artist from 2018 to the present, and quite a few are more recent pieces.

— What is the most significant work that Kanye will present at the exhibition?

— ”The Path and Ijele”. Its creation process by Kanyeyachukwu is quite extraordinary.

— Could you please describe the process of its creation?

— Kanyeyachukwu created this painting at the age of 10 using a palette knife and oil paints. This technique is far advanced for his age, and he taught himself.

— The exhibition is called "Spectrum Splendor: A Young Artist's Journey“. How can you describe your journey in a few words? They can be very random!

— “Impossibility is a myth.” That is what Kanyeyachukwu’s journey tells us about.

— Do you believe that art has a healing quality?

— Definitely. And Kanyeyachukwu is a living testament to the calming and healing effect of art.

— What effect has art made on Kanyeyachukwu? If we compare him before doing art and now.

When Kanyeyachukwu paints, you can see the joy in him. He can't focus for a long but when it comes to painting, Kanye can focus for hours. That is extraordinary for a child on the spectrum.

— What are your aspirations and dreams for the future?

— To continue to inspire and impact neurodivergent children and adults all over the world and still working with Kanye in his verbal and social skills as well as every way possible, in order to achieve some level of independence for himself.

Source: kanyeyachukwu.com

— The H Dubai, where the exhibition is held, has the status of the first autism-certified hotel in Dubai. The hotel ensures that individuals on the autism spectrum feel welcomed and supported during their stay. Can you please describe what exactly the hotel offers to people on the autism spectrum?

— The H Hotel offers love, inclusion and empathy, which is very important for kids like Kanyeyachukwu’s well-being. All the staff we have met so far show signs of understanding how autism affects children, and they give the required equal dose of space and attention when interacting with Kanye.

— How do you think your exhibition can help people on the autism spectrum?

— When Kanyeyachukwu was diagnosed with ASD, the doctor who examined him said to me, “Ma’am, you would need to prepare yourself mentally as this child would need care for the rest of his life and probably not achieve anything at all”. That was the saddest day in my life, I think. I think all I had was to seek solace in prayers as we are devout Christians. My husband and I kept doing all we could for Kanye to see that he was able to thrive.

Discovering Kanye's gift for art is a blessing from God and a reminder that every child has a gift regardless of their mental or physical condition. Like every other child, their gifts need to be nurtured, which requires lots of love, care, patience, and attention.

This is one of the reasons why we Showcase Kanye's art work, it is meant to give caregivers and parents hope and reassurance that their child or ward who is on the spectrum has a gift like every other child and sometimes a very powerful one. That gift they can discover too through love, extra care and attention and celebrating every win and progress, no matter how little, no matter if no one else notices it but you the parent.

Source: kanyeyachukwu.com

by Alexandra Mansilla