A Nigerian artist has expressed confidence that he will set a new Guinness World Record for the largest drawing created using only his mouth. The individual explained the physical toll this endeavor has taken on his mouth, knee, and shoulder since he began the project.
In an exclusive interview with BBC Pidgin, the artist shared his motivation for attempting the record and delivered a message to fellow artists. Nuel Joffrey is currently undertaking the attempt in Aba, Abia State, where he is working on a large-scale drawing using his mouth to hold the drawing tool.
Artist Details Physical Challenges
In a video shared by BBC Pidgin, Joffrey discussed the body pain he has started to experience as a result of the unconventional technique. He reported aches in various parts of his body, as well as blisters on his knees and shoulders. He also noted that he is often exposed to harsh weather conditions during the attempt.
“When the sun is shining, it's beating me. When the rain is falling, it's beating me and so far, I'm beginning to have skin reactions. My teeth are aching me, the incisors are aching, I have blisters on my knees and elbows,” Joffrey said in the video.
Reason Behind the Record Attempt
Explaining why he wants to set the Guinness World Record for the largest drawing by mouth, Joffrey stated: “What I'm doing here is, I'm trying to break Guinness World Record for largest drawing by mouth by an individual. I'm trying to break this record because I want to change the narrative that people have about artists. Everyone thinks that being an artist is about drawing portraits, but no. I want to change it. To be an artist, you can do plenty other things.”
He also mentioned a previous attempt that did not succeed: “I tried to break Guinness World Record last year, 2025, most faces painted in one hour; that one did not succeed. I’m sure I'll win this one. I know it'll open the eyes of creatives that are in Aba, Abia State. They'll know they can go anywhere, even cities people look down on, and become anything you want to become.”
Social Media Statement
In a post on his Instagram page, @officialnuelgeoffrey elaborated on his motivation: “The objective for attempting the Largest Drawing by Mouth by an Individual was not just to put Aba on the Guinness Book of Records but to also prove to myself that I can do anything if my focus is single (with corresponding action). We didn’t do publicity for this project because we were trying to cut cost since I am singlehandedly funding it. I will share my experiences as well as the side effects of attempting this record in my subsequent posts. Till then, enjoy the last slide.”
The artist's attempt has drawn attention to the creative community in Aba and aims to inspire other artists to pursue ambitious goals despite limited resources.
