Fragrance of ‘junk art’ from Owoyemi’s soft metal sculptures

'Oliver Twist Going Organism' (2019, soft metal , 30/20 inches), from Taiwo Owoyemi's Repousee Assemblage Sculpture technique. Pic: c/o the artist.

THE relativity of art, in creation and appreciation, has proven to be resilient against conservatism, from modern to contem- porary periods. Escalating that relativity and dynamics of art is Taiwo Owoyemi, whose art of repurposed texture also takes dual genres. 

From canvases of Egharevba, Akpang, art predicts future

'My Own World' (water colour on paper 67cm x 84cm), by Sukanthy Egharevba. Pic: c/o Sukanthy Egharevba.

COMING out of the Covid-19 lockdown of last year, Calabar-based artists, Sukanthy Egharevba and Clem Akpang FRSA, generated paintings and mixed media works that alert creative professionals about the future. The new pieces and others produced earlier formed the bulk of the display at the artists' exhibition titled Creolization, which took off at Calabar Sports Club, from April 12-18, 2021.

How Nigerian Sculptors captured 'Public Art and Our City Scape'

Prince Yemisi Shyllon (middle), receiving his certificate of BoT, ScAN from Adeola Balogun, Programmes Coordinator; Olojo Kosoko, Chairman, SNA, Lagos' Mutiu Yusuf, Asst Gen Sec, SNA, Lagos Chapter; and Andrew Akinbodewa, Fin Sec, ScAN.

Sculptors Association of Nigeria (ScAN) had its inauguration of Board of Trustees on April 16, 2021 and National Conference (Apr. 21-22. The two events were conducted on dual platforms of Physical and virtual. The conference, which focused public space art made some recommendations in saving the creative industry's responsibility as regards the environment.

For illicit holder, original owner of looted art, legal windows broaden

Iyoba or Queen Mother, a Benin origin sculpture (ivory pendant, 16th century) acquired by The Met Museum, New York. Pic: The Met.

Twice, in less than one year, separate courts  in U.S. have affirmed the powers of countries to assert ownership and control of suspected illicitly acquured art. Also, in Europe, a post-war chatter set up to track and recover collections looted by the Nazi is still effective till date. 

Unmasking colours, strokes behind 'Synonyms Of Faces'

Babatunde Adeogun's 'Eve Guilt' (oil on canvas, 1010 x 101

As much as depicting facial expressions in painting is as old as art, exposing the inner senses behind the faces make three artists converge. Seye Morakimyo, Udoakang Promise Peter and Babatunde Adeogun, individualy, probes into the power of people’s facial expressions.

Art of Ezeigwe, Allison in 'Transcendence' to mastery journey

Christian Allison's 'Expression' (pastel and charcoal on canvas (122cm x 91 cm).

Tomorrow, Sunday, April 11, 2020, Ikechukwu Ezeigwe and Christian Allison have a date with Lagos art lovers. The artists will show the quality that won each of them Over All Best at Next of Kin art competition in 2019 and 2020 respectively.

With 'Fourtune' artists, textures of canvas go timeless

From Olajide Salako, a painting titled The Goal Getters I - Dambe series, (acrylic on canvas, dated 2020-21, 44 x 71 inches).

THE resilience of fine art, specifically, painting on canvas, keeps pulsating as four artists, regrouped on a fresh platform.   

Olufemi Oyewole, Oluwafunke Oladimeji, Olajide Salako and Raji Mohamed are the artists whose group exhibition titled Fourtune opens tomorrow, Friday, April 10 at Mydrim Gallery, Ikoyi, Lagos. The artists’ Fourtune is a platform generated from the previous gatherings that featured quite many other diverse artists. 

Lagos premiere of 'White Cube' film celebrates Congolese’ land buy back

CATPC members (from left) Olele Mulela Mabamba, Huguette Kilembi, Mbuku Kimpala, Jeremie Mabiala, Jean Kawata, Irene Kanga, Ced’art Tamasala and Matthieu Kasiama (still from White Cube, Renzo Martens).

 

IN continuation of its world tour, White Cube will stop over for the Lagos film premiere slated for Saturday, the April 10, 2021. Being organised by African Artists’ Foundation (AAF) in partnership with Alliance Française de Lagos, the premiere holds at Mike Adenuga Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos.

UAE's Sharjah Film Platform opens entries for 2021 festival

Screening of Director Nadira Amrani speaking about her under-production venture Hajja (2021). Pic: c/o SAF.

Sharjah Art Foundation, in UAE, invites filmmakers to submit entries for the its 4th Sharjah Film Platform. Designed for emerging and established filmmakers, from across the world, the SFP has started receiving entries, which close 10 May 2021 for the fourth edition of the Foundation’s annual film festival.

Amadi's poetic journey through shadow of 'Ayatollah Khameni'

Ifeanyi Amadi. Pic: c/o Ifeanyi Amadi,

AFTER getting inspiration of resistance from the 1979 Iranian Revolution, Ifeanyi Amadi has some thoughts to share. From being a student at University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria, in post-Iranian revolution, to his passion in patriotism towards change for his country, Amadi seemed to have something in common with the late Ayatollah of Iran and other icons of revolt across the world.

In 'Talking Canvases', Oyedemi uncovers new language of art

A paining titled 'Dauntless' (oil on canvas, 1110x100 cm, dated 2019), from Dr John Oyedemi's Talking Canvases. Pic: c/o Alexis.

TITLED Talking Canvases, Dr John Oyedemi's solo exhibition, which opens from tomorrow, Saturday March 27, showing till April 3, 2021 at Alexis Galleries, Akin Okugbade Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, generates quite some depth of conceptualisation, so suggests reviews by the artist's colleagues.

How Yoruba meaning linked ancient Arab patriarch, Ya’rub, other Nile tribes

Alaafin of Oyo, Lamidi Adeyemi III (a descendant of Oranmiyan from the royal lineage of Oduduwa) being honoured with traditional rite by Iya-laje of Oyo, Chief Mrs Comfort Titilayo Orija-Adesoye during the 50th anniversary of Alaafin, January 2021, in Oyo. Pic: by Oranyan Heritage Foundation.

FROM volumes of scholarly researches written by Africans and non-Africans, there is no doubt that the ancestry of the Yoruba people had link to either an ancient Nile tribe or that of the Middle East. 

Words similarities of Yoruba with either variant of colloquial or modern Arabic languages are some of the contents that link ancient Nile and Middle East with the southwest Nigerian people as well as their 'cousins' along some countries in West Africa. More of interest is the fact that the name, Yoruba, either in writing or pronunciation, have been found to share some commonalities with phrases or words of Arabic origins. Such examples include 'Ya-aruba',  'Ya'rub', Yauba, 'Yuuba' among others that confirm the Yoruba people's Nile and Middle East links. 

Celebrating Women‘s Day 2021 with artists of 'Destiny II' in Lagos

 

 'Africa Culture III', by Ayoola Onovo, (acrylic and watercolour on water colour paper. 2021). Pic: c/o Alexis Galleries.

WHEN nine female artists converge for International Women’s Day (IWD) 2021, in Lagos, quite a mix of fledging and hidden contemporary energies will be on display.