After an intensive 100-hour painting marathon, Nigerian art student Chancellor Ahaghotu has shattered a decade-old record for the longest painting session.
The Guinness World Records (GWR) confirmed this remarkable achievement in a recent statement. Ahaghotu, currently a sophomore at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, far exceeded the previous 60-hour record, established by Roland Palmaerts (Belgium/Canada) in 2013.
For this particular record, the participant can opt to work on a singular large painting or create multiple pieces. However, the paintings must showcase recognizable images, with abstract paintings deemed impermissible. Chancellor diligently worked for four consecutive days, producing an impressive total of 106 pieces depicting various subjects, including celebrities, food items, plants, animals, and more.
At the 60th hour, surpassing the previous record, Ahaghotu painted a broken record player.
“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,” Chancellor stated.
Going by the rules in all ‘longest marathon’ records, the participant can take a five-minute rest break for every continuous hour of activity. These rest breaks can be accumulated if not taken. This provided Chancellor with the opportunity to attend to basic needs like using the bathroom, eating, or sleeping.
Reaching the 88-hour mark, Chancellor faced the challenge of fatigue. However, driven by his commitment to achieving the 100-hour milestone, he persevered and chose not to consider prematurely ending the record attempt.
Initially planning to create one painting per hour, Ahaghotu had prepared 100 canvases with sketches before commencing the record attempt. Surprisingly, he completed them all with a few hours to spare, leading him to produce a series of still lifes spontaneously. The painting marathon concluded with a piece depicting an exhausted person.
“There was joy and celebration when I completed the 100 hours,” Chancellor said. “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 a service to my school and country.”
Former Nigerian federal lawmaker Shehu Sani also applauded the global feat, stating, “Nigerians are taking over Guinness World Record.”
