Nigerian art student sets new Guinness World Painting Record
Chancellor Ahaghotu, a sophomore at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, has made history by shattering a decade-old record for the longest painting marathon. This remarkable achievement was officially acknowledged by the Guinness World Records, as they shared the news on their social media platforms and website.
Ahaghotu’s dedication to breaking the previous record, set at 60 hours by Roland Palmaerts from Belgium/Canada in 2013, was fueled by his ambition to establish himself as a recognized artist. Prior to commencing his record attempt, Ahaghotu expressed his aspirations, stating, “I came to the United States to pursue my dreams and build up my career as a recognized artist. Breaking the record will boost my recognition as an artist both in my school and the world at large.”
The rules stipulated by Guinness World Records for this painting marathon allowed the artist to either work on one extensive piece or create multiple paintings. However, all artworks had to depict recognizable images, with abstract paintings deemed impermissible.
Over a span of four days, Ahaghotu demonstrated unwavering commitment, producing an impressive total of 106 pieces showcasing a diverse range of subjects, including celebrities, food items, plants, animals, and more. Notably, during the 60th hour when he surpassed the previous record, Ahaghotu painted a broken record player.
Explaining his creative process, Ahaghotu shared, “One thing I love about the paintings I created is that they were representing my different moods and how I was feeling when I created them.”
The challenges inherent in such a marathon were evident, with Ahaghotu acknowledging fatigue around the 88-hour mark. However, driven by his determination to reach the 100-hour milestone, he pressed on without entertaining the thought of prematurely ending the record attempt.
The artist’s initial plan was to create one painting per hour, and to facilitate this, he prepared 100 canvases with sketches before embarking on the record attempt. Surprisingly, Ahaghotu completed all planned paintings with a few hours to spare, prompting him to improvise and create a series of impromptu still lifes. The marathon concluded with a poignant painting depicting an exhausted person.
Reflecting on the accomplishment, Ahaghotu expressed joy and satisfaction, stating, “There was joy and celebration when I completed the 100 hours. It was a new experience for me, and I’m so glad I completed the 100 hours. This [record] helps me feel a very high level of personal achievement, build up my career as a reputable artist, and pay service to my school and country.”