Introduction

Anthony Azekwoh is a contemporary artist and storyteller who blends African folklore and mythology with digital art. In March 2021, he embraced NFTs as a new chapter in his artistic journey, integrating crypto art into his practice to secure provenance for his digital work and connect with a wider global audience. His mythic, Afrofuturist figures and emotional storytelling quickly captured worldwide attention, helping him gross over $200,000 in NFT sales and earning him a reputation as “one of the most visible digital artists on the continent”. The tone of Anthony’s NFT collections is deeply artistic and emotional – every piece carries a story, a piece of his identity, and a sense of visual poetry. Rather than just images on a screen, these NFTs are extensions of Anthony’s soul: bold, imaginative, and authentic.

The NFT Story

From the beginning, Anthony’s creative journey has been about storytelling. He started out as a writer and taught himself to draw as a teenager, finding new ways to express the tales in his head. This narrative drive made his transition into NFTs a natural evolution. By late 2020, as digital art NFTs began booming, Anthony was intrigued by the possibility of selling his art on the blockchain. After some initial doubt, he gave it a shot – and when his very first NFT collection sold out, “there was no looking back”. NFTs proved transformative for him: they showed Anthony that his work was worth far more than what traditional commissions had offered, essentially “freeing” him to pursue art on his own terms.

“Storytelling is storytelling at the end of the day,” Anthony says, emphasizing that each medium – whether writing, painting, or NFTs – is just a vessel for his imagination. In the NFT space, he found a medium that amplified his voice and vision globally. “My digital art, ‘Red Man,’ sold for $25,000 in the auction... My art was finally connecting with people around the world through NFTs… I wasn’t just being seen, I was being valued globally,” he recalls. Through these blockchain-based artworks, Anthony could reach collectors on the other side of the world who resonated with the emotion and mythology in his pieces. NFTs also created a community around his art – people who collected not just for investment, but to own a piece of the stories he was telling. This new paradigm validated the integrity of his work and reinforced his commitment to authenticity. “Being able to create the truth of who you are is very important to me… I’m trying to convey those emotions in my work,” Anthony explains. In other words, the NFT medium may be digital and modern, but the heart behind it remains the same: honest storytelling and human connection.

Importantly, entering the NFT space also taught Anthony how to present his art as a coherent brand and narrative. By viewing himself and his art as a unified brand rather than just posts on the internet, he built an international following even before NFTs came around. This meant that once he started minting NFTs, his audience was ready – they recognized the distinctive voice in his work. Each NFT drop became not just a sale, but a chapter in his ongoing story. Anthony’s collections often explore personal and cultural themes with a visual language that is both surreal and deeply rooted in African heritage. This unique voice set him apart in the digital art world. “I was telling African stories the way I saw them in my head: bold, spiritual, surreal,” he says of that breakthrough moment NFTs gave those stories a new life, allowing them to be owned, collected, and treasured by people across the globe. By embracing this technology, Anthony has woven technology and tradition together – using cutting-edge tools to continue the age-old tradition of storytelling.

Selected Art

Among Anthony’s NFT works, two key pieces stand out for their impact and emotional depth. These pieces not only achieved significant success as digital art drops, but also represent profound symbols in Anthony’s artistic journey and identity.

The Red Man


“The Red Man” is the iconic painting that changed Anthony Azekwoh’s life. It began as a personal experiment in June 2020 – a digital portrait that Anthony painted for himself, free of any rules or expectations. The result was a powerful figure shrouded in hues of red, with a stoic gaze that immediately captivates the viewer. Anthony later described this piece as something that felt “fully mine: bold, raw, and different”. When he first posted The Red Man online, it struck a chord around the world and “blew up,” amassing over 220,000 likes on social media and sparking a frenzy of demand. In that moment, art transformed from just expression to “THE mission” for Anthony – as he saw thousands connect with the raw emotion of the work and realized the true potential of his voice. He sold nearly 700 physical prints of The Red Man to fans across the globe, earning his first million naira in art sales and proving that following his own vision could resonate on a massive scale.

In the NFT realm, The Red Man became even more legendary. Anthony tokenized this painting as a 1-of-1 NFT in his Deathless series on SuperRare, where it was auctioned for about 5.5 ETH (approximately $25,000). Collectors saw in The Red Man what so many others did – a piece of digital art that carries very human depth. The artwork depicts a figure who is unyielding in the face of adversity, eyes pale and distant as if seeing beyond this world. Emotionally and symbolically, The Red Man represents perseverance and authenticity. It’s often noted that Anthony’s characters appear unmoved and resilient, conveying the message that “this thing you’re doing is hard, but you yourself, you’re harder”. Indeed, the Red Man’s calm, resolute stance amid the vivid red backdrop embodies that ethos of inner strength. For Anthony, this piece is the essence of his storytelling: it’s raw and personal, yet universally relatable. The Red Man invites viewers into a mythic narrative – one can imagine an entire legend behind that wise, weathered face. As an NFT, it allows a collector to own the origin story of Anthony’s rise. This painting-turned-NFT remains a cornerstone of Anthony’s brand, a reminder that staying true to one’s art can ignite something extraordinary.

Children of the Sun

When the Sun grew restless of simply burning, legend says he slipped beneath the horizon to walk among us—and fathered a line of radiant, star-born storytellers. Children of the Sun is that myth made visible: a constellation of 25 new digital paintings, each one a luminous fragment of life, memory, and cosmic wonder. Three years in gestation, the project began as a wandering idea in 2022 and finally erupted—fully formed—in April 2025, after seasons of love, loss, and growth had given it weight and purpose.

Every canvas is hand-painted on screen, then etched permanently into the blockchain as an ERC-721 token on Transient Labs. The collection was released in a deliberately intimate format: 25 artworks × 255 editions = 125 total pieces, priced at an accessible $25 each. All 125 minted out on launch day, proof that stories told in honest light still find eager keepers.

Together, the works read like a stellar family album. One painting invokes Sirius, the Hero, ablaze with silent courage; another presents 61 Cygni, “The Sisters,” twin flames bound since the dawn of creation. Each piece bears the name and temperament of a real star, mapping the emotional spectrum of Black identity—from soft ember to supernova.

Yet beyond astronomy lies autobiography. These images channel my own journey—learning to blaze without burning out, to light others while guarding my core. In their reds, golds, and deep-space blues you’ll find the pulse of Lagos nights, the ache of distance, and the vow that—like our celestial parent—we rise again tomorrow. Owning a Children of the Sun edition is not merely holding a JPEG; it is carrying a shard of that vow.

Explore the full constellation on Transient Labs or browse collector resales on secondary markets—no fanfare needed. The artworks themselves will guide you home.

Yasuke – 彌助


If The Red Man was about finding Anthony’s own voice, “Yasuke” is about shining light on a legendary African story. Yasuke was a real 16th-century figure – the first African (and first non-Japanese) to ever hold the rank of samurai in Japan. His tale is one of an outsider who defied all odds to become a warrior in a foreign land. Anthony discovered Yasuke’s story around 2020, and it captivated him. In the midst of creative burnout after The Red Man’s success, Anthony felt re-inspired by Yasuke’s journey. “I’d heard this story about Yasuke, the African samurai… it stayed in my head for weeks. So I painted Yasuke in September 2020… No pressure. No overthinking. No expectations,” he recounts. The resulting artwork is nothing short of striking: Yasuke is depicted as a formidable Black samurai, clad in traditional armor with dual katanas, set against a sun-like red circle. The painting merges African identity with Japanese warrior ethos, creating a visual homage to cross-cultural heroism. Just like The Red Man, Yasuke “blew up” when Anthony shared it – the prints “sold like wildfire,” and it proved that the key to meaningful art was “making what I like, and want to see,” rather than trying to chase trends. This reaffirmed Anthony’s belief that authenticity resonates most with people.

In emotional terms, Yasuke represents breaking boundaries and reclaiming hidden histories. It carries the weight of an almost-forgotten true story, now revived through vibrant digital art. Anthony’s portrayal of Yasuke is fierce but dignified – you can sense the courage and loneliness of a man who was unlike any of those around him. This resonates with Anthony’s broader mission to condense the African experience into universal stories that anyone can feel and appreciate. By bringing Yasuke to life on canvas and then on the blockchain, Anthony bridges continents and centuries, celebrating a hero who transcends culture. In 2022, Yasuke was released as a limited NFT collection of 100 editions, allowing many collectors to own a piece of this inspiring narrative (the series launched on OpenSea in September 2022). The drop was met with enthusiasm, as fans could finally “collect the legend” in digital form. Owning a Yasuke NFT is not just about having a piece of art – it’s about holding a symbol of hope, diversity, and courage in one’s wallet. The impact of this piece went even further: Yasuke became one of Anthony’s signature works, so much so that it was featured in a collaboration with video game studio Psyonix – they released exclusive in-game decals and cosmetics based on Yasuke for the popular game Rocket League. This crossover moment brought Anthony’s mythic art to an even broader audience, underscoring how powerful the Yasuke imagery had become. For Anthony, Yasuke is an emotional centerpiece – a tribute to a story that mirrors his own ethos of resilience and forging one’s identity against the odds.

Marketplace Links

Anthony Azekwoh’s NFT art is available on several major marketplaces, where collectors can view and purchase his work:

  • SuperRare: The primary home of Anthony’s 1/1 exclusive NFT artworks and highest-value auctions (e.g. The Red Man was sold here). Browse Anthony’s SuperRare gallery to see unique, one-of-a-kind pieces in his portfolio.

  • OpenSea: The platform for Anthony’s limited editions and open edition drops. Notably, the Yasuke 彌助 series (100 editions) was launched on OpenSea, along with other general editions released in 2023. This is a great place to explore multiple pieces and editions that Anthony has made available to a wider audience.

  • Nifty Gateway: A curated marketplace where some of Anthony’s NFT collections and edition drops have been featured. Nifty Gateway hosts his work in a more curated setting, often as part of special drops or collaborations, giving both new and seasoned collectors a chance to own his art.

  • Foundation: Anthony’s profile on Foundation showcases a variety of his creations in the NFT format. Here you’ll find a mix of works that span his range – from experimental pieces to well-known artworks – all unified by his storytelling vision. (On Foundation, Anthony is introduced as an artist who “blends folklore, mythology, and digital/traditional art, exploring transformation globally,” a testament to the consistent voice across his brand.)

Each of these platforms provides a window into Anthony Azekwoh’s creative universe. Whether it’s a one-of-one digital painting imbued with spiritual symbolism or an editioned piece that hundreds can collect, the through-line is Anthony’s emotive, imaginative style. No matter the marketplace, Anthony’s NFTs carry the same soul as his traditional art – inviting you to not just observe, but truly feel the story each piece is telling. By exploring these collections, you become part of the narrative, continuing the cycle of art and storytelling that Anthony has devoted himself to. And while there’s no flashy call-to-action necessary, the works themselves extend a quiet invitation: step into this world of myth and emotion, and find the piece that speaks to you.