Philip Patrick Ihechu, known as Philheal, is a self-taught Nigerian multidisciplinary artist based in Chicago who works across illustration, animation and 3D art. His storytelling draws on African spirituality, mythology and pre-colonial history to create fantasy worlds that bridge tradition and the spiritual realm. Influenced by comic books, manga and animation, he treats each piece as a narrative moment, a still frame from a larger, unfolding story.
Before turning to art, Ihechu studied human anatomy, earning a Bachelor of Science from Bowen University in Iwo, Osun, Nigeria. He co-authored a 2020 study in the European Journal of Anatomy on how a lime peel extract reduced tramadol-induced testicular damage in a rat model. He began minting his work on the blockchain in 2021.
