Ben Osawe (b. 1931-2007, Delta State) is one of Nigeria´s most outstanding sculptors. Like several of his Nigerian contemporaries, Osawe brought traditional Nigerian influences together with the formal language of European classical modernism; his motifs came from his African surroundings, while his style is more European.

He was first introduced to art by his father, who was a sculptor and served as a carver to the court of the Kingdom of Benin.

Osawe moved to London in his twenties for his formal art education. By the 1960s, Osawe had exhibited extensively throughout Europe. In 1965, he was selected to represent Nigeria as one of five Commonwealth artists in the Commonwealth Exhibition in Glasgow. After ten years in London, Osawe returned to Nigeria in 1966, working as an artist in Lagos until settling in Benin City in 1979. During his years in Lagos, Osawe exhibited with the Mbari Centre in Ibadan and the Mainland Hotel, Lagos. Common themes in Osawe’s work include heads, masks, and abstract sculptural busts, which reflected his interest in combining African narratives within the context of modernist art practice.

Osawe’s works have been shown in many exhibitions in Europe, Africa and the USA. His sculptures can be seen in many public exhibitions and museums, including the National Gallery of Modern Art in Lagos.