Okafor's Installation probity of urbanisation hits Lagos

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A section of Amarachi Olafor's installation The  Colour of Our Hearts is the. Colour of Our City, showing at CCA, Lagos. Pic; c/o CCS.

IN the week of many commercial  art events opening across Lagos,  installation work of Amarachi Okafor looked the other way by bringing a critical appreciation flavour.

Coastal Epe in 'Greener Pastures' of Alonge, Otori, others

'Herculean Passage' by Bolaji Alonge.

THREE years after Bolaji Alonge had a solo of captivating photography  exhibition titled Urban Culture - Historical Continuity, the photo artist is back, extending his lens deep into rural Lagos.

Lagos gathering advises govt to protect artists

Signed by Dr. Kunle Adeyemi, Programme coordinator and dated September 14, 2021,

Hysteria' of John Ogbets's recycled media art at Signature Beyond

'Fulfilment' (mixed media on plywood, 116 X 178cm dated 2020), by John Ogbeta.

BOLD, elaborate facial features style of John Ogbeta make courageous artistic entry into the realm of mental health. 

At Alexis, Mohammed goes 'Beauty and Illusion' in paintings

'Eko for Show (42 X 42 inch) by Raji Mohammed.

RAJi Mohammed opens his new solo exhibition titled  Beauty and Illusion, on Saturday 11-18, September 2021, at Alexis Galleries, No 282, Akin Olugbade Street, Off Idowu Martins, Victoria Island, Lagos State. The exhibition is also on virtual platforms of the  gallery's social media handles such as Instagram- alexisgalleries, Facebook-  Thehomestores & Alexisgalleries. 

ART X Prize 2021 finalists announced

CHIGOZIE Obi, Chukwudi Onwumere, Mobolaji Ogunrosoye, Nyancho NwaNri, and, Omoregie Osakpolor are five  ART X Prize 2021 Finalists. 

Recycling researcher, Adeyemi unearths 'Waste Panorama'

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Festus Iranlade Adeyemi's 'Peofile' (used carton, deconstructed polystyrene, newspaper, punched papers on foam board. Size: 85 X 60cm).

IN his artistic curiosity, which accumulates into research, Festus  Iranlade Adeyemi  takes visual culture view into a parent material known as polystyrene. 

The research, articulated via his solo art exhibition titled Waste Panorama, showing from September 14- 24, 2021 at Martin Hall Gallery, Loughborough University, U.K, drags into the critical net, polystyrene's derivatives such as plastics, serviette-tissue, used receipts, cartons, newspapers, and sacks, applied in what the artist described as "colours for creative construction."  Iranlade Adeyemi is on academic sojourn with focus  on Recycling Exhibiton (PhD Candidate) at School of Design and Creative Arts, Loughborough University, UK.

Excerpts from Adeyemi's works of recycled media; ‘Lockdown Couple’ (2020,  deconstructed polystyrene, serviette papers, newspapers, carton, receipts, tea papers, texts, and collages on canvas. SIZE- 81 X 39.5cm. 

Using repurposed waste to discourage Lagos couples from breaking the Covid -19 lockdown rules. And reflecting on the negative global effects of the pandemic.

‘Plastics World’ (2021) Media: Melted Polystyrene, Upcycled Plastics, Serviette papers, general waste, and collages on printed world map. Size: 138 X 102cm. 

The work reflects on the negative devastating effects of plastics and single used waste items in our society. This is pronounced in the developing space like Lagos Nigeria. It blocked our gutters and drainages, and traffic gridlocks are traceable to careless waste dumping. This result In flooding and pollution of our environment. In Lagos, mosquitoes and rodents breed in such gutters causing malaria, typhoid and cholera. Children and people with reduced immunity are dying daily through this attitude. The work is campaigning for waste to be reused and recycled creatively to reduce the single used items from harming the society.

‘NOK Conversation’ (2020) Media: Deconstructed Polystyrene, Serviette papers, texts about the images, and general collages. I researched on one of the Nigeria’s cultural heritages; NOK culture (1500 BC -500AD) Using waste to document the exploits of our great grandparents creativity The European historians were able to believe through our heritages like NOK that we have history and black people were creatively engaged before they came to Africa. The use of waste to document NOK is to support the documentation of Nigeria cultural heritages with the value inherent in the waste.

‘Profile’ Media: Used Carton, Deconstructed polystyrene, Newspaper, punched papers on foam board. Size: 85 X 60cm. The works reflects on the present uncertain future of the average Nigerian youths. They are in a beautiful and great land, but lack the direction to honestly lunch-out  to succeed in a seemingly confused environment. The holes used to construct the profile is a signifies a wounded personality in a land full of opportunities. The designs around him fortunately represent hope for the expected future. Just hoping that it will not tarry for a long time.

Who is Festus Iranlade Adeyemi? "I am a research candidate in the School of Design and Creative Arts, Loughborough University, UK. A Chief Lecturer (Study leave) at the Department of Fine and Applied Arts, Federal College of  Education TECHNICAL Akoka-Yaba, Lagos. My Master Degree is from the Coventry University, UK- (2014). As an academic, I have presented and published research papers in the reputable Journals, attended several Conferences and Published a book- ‘Critical Issues in Nigeria’s Arts Education. 

In 2015, I staged a solo research exhibition tagged ‘Between the Lines’ The show interrogated transportation challenges in Lagos State and seek to be part of the solution about the traffic gridlocks in the ‘State of Excellence’. Besides, I have exhibited my arts in several group shows in Nigeria including Coventry University in the UK. 

"My Arts speak about the environments, ecology, waste recycling, and the plight of the people in the developing landscapes. It seeks to be part of the solutions to the encountered challenges especially in Lagos. 

"I enjoy drawing, painting, exploring, teaching, writing and meeting people. I am inspired by the repurposed arts of El Anatsui (B. 1944) and the transformative arts of Joseph Beuys. (1921-1986)  My two Supervisors in Loughborough University are the great driving force in the evolvement of my campaign arts to reuse, recycle, and repurpose waste and single-used items to avoid pollution in the eco-system."

Yusuf Grillo as 'Igi Araba' of Nigerian modern art

'My Taiye' (stained glass, 2003-2009,  192.5x116.5cm), by Yusuf Grillo. Pic: sources from  Arthouse auction catalogue of November 2016.

DESPITE having one of his public space art defaced, in his lifetime, Yusuf Grillo still loomed as the 'Igi Araba' of modern Nigerian art.

Rachel Oniga as victim of inadequate career documentation?

AS Nollywood actress, Rachel Oniga (May 23, 1957-July 30, 2021) was buried last week, her career, which, coincidentally, shared the same birth period with the digital generation of Nigerian film industry, is worth a critical reflection.

The family of the late actress had, few weeks ago, announced August 27 as burial date.

Yusuf Grillo (1934-2021)

 

Yusuf Grillo.

One of Nigeria's modernists, Adebayo Yusuf Grillo, has passed on.  

For Wheatbaker's 10th anniversary, Famuyiwa, Kalu capture 'Vantage Point' Lagos.

'Metamorphosis' by Bernard Kalu. Pic: c/o of SMO.

OYEBOLA Famuyiwa and Bernard Kalu join Wheatbaker in celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the hotel. 

With recycled media art, 'we can breathe'

From Samuel Uzoma, 'Exuberance' (waste fabric collage on canvas, 154 x 206 cm), dated 2021. Pic: c/o Thought Pyramid.

THE increasing aura of contemporaneity from art of non-traditional media, unavoidably, has been radiating gradual change i1st century collection space. It takes courage and boldness of a credible gallery to strengthen the shift and keep pushing alternative form of art, specifically of recycled and upcycled media, into the art appreciation circuits.

Tafeta takes Plaisir, Olatunji to The Armory Show

From Marielle Plaisir..Pic: c/o Tfeta Gallery.

AT the 2021 The Armory Show Presents section, London U.K-based gallery, Tafeta will present works by artists Marielle Plaisir and Babajide Olatunji  The Armory Show will be held at  New York's Javits Center from September 9 - 12, 2021.