Friday 9 September 2011

Tayo Aderinokun

In search of masters at Day Waterman
BY TAJUDEEN SOWOLE

STUDENTS of Day Waterman College, Abeokuta, Ogun State, whose works were on display at the school’s maiden art show titled Our Genesis, organised by Mydrim Gallery, Ikoyi, Lagos, may end up pursuing other career, but their works have definitely pass on vital messages. 
  The works of these teenagers show there is a bright future for visual art; given the background of these young ones, the signal being sent here is that art connoisseurs and collectors of the future are already emerging with eye for masterpieces.
  For Tamara Chukwuka-Dibie and Olaide Olutayo, currently in Basic 9 (JSS-3), but painted the butterfly patterns while in Basic 8 (JSS-2), it was too early to decide their choice of career for the future. However, the passion for art, the school’s art instructor, Paul Iroye says, is one of the core subjects of the school.
  That sounds more like a departure from the past, when parents, particularly the elites, would always distant their wards from the subject.
  “In fact, being a school for children of the upper-class, is the more reason we are giving balance education, because their parents are widely traveled and know the value of art,” Iroye stresses.
  The works on display, which spread across the two floors of the gallery, ranged from paintings to paper and beads mosaic rendered in diverse forms as well as butterfly patterns with focus on specific parts of the insect based on each artist’s choice.
  For example, Oreoluwa Rotibi’s mosaic beads of butterfly could pass for a miniature piece at an adult show. Same goes for Victor Archibong’s beads work of a bird and Ifeoma Kalu’s mask painting.

And it’s not just about fine art but Arts generally, Iroye states, “this is just a flag off of what we hope will be an art week in such areas as poetry, music and other aspects of culture.”
  The Vice Principal, Abiola Lamikanra also stresses that parents are pleased with the school’s balance curriculum and art is a natural discipline. He adds that the school hopes to make the week a yearly event.
 And if anyone is in doubt of the talents of these future masters and how it can impact on future art landscape, one Nigeria’s leading art collectors and promoter of the school, Tayo Aderinokun observes that “the creativity of these children would be more amazing in 10 years time.”
  Director of administration, Ayo Njideka argues that because art is capable of taking the young ones away from vices, every parent would want to be associated with it. And for the parents, there is no cause for alarm because our students are doing very well in other subjects.
  The school has for two consecutive years come tops in schools’ painting competition in Ogun State.





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