By Tajudeen Sowole
In Peju Alatise’s exhibition
titled Material Witness, exuberant
aesthetics compete with the artist’s equity-focused theme.
LATELY,
conceptual artistry has become subject of debate in most art discourse. Some critics
believe most Nigerian artists are weak or are incapable of engaging conceptual themes
and forms in their work. Such critics however, would have been
elated or pacified seeing Alatise’s Material
Witness.
In fact, the installation, sculpture
and painting exhibition, originally scheduled to run for one week at Nike Art
Gallery, Lekki, Lagos was extended for another five days, based on what the
gallery management described as “popular demand.”
With the show, Peju affirms her presence in the league of
artists, who always attempt to balance the scale between aesthetic offering and
thematic engagement.
However, the aesthetics prowess of this
show could appear to have dwarfed the theme, despite the artist’s copious text
that supports the theme.
In most cases, some artists, perhaps sub-consciously or otherwise,
are usually torn between focusing on aesthetic and thematic values.
For example, if display of prowess in
mixed media and uncommon materials were to be Chris Ofili’s goal in the work, Virgin Mary (oil, paper collage,
polyester resin and elephant dung), controversy over his choice of theme
wouldn’t have arisen.
Perhaps, his critics would not have bothered
if he were to use elephants dung on his mother’s satirical portraiture. But for
Mary, mother of Jesus, it sparked anger and mixed feelings.
FOR
Alatise, it is not about controversy, however, her consistent expression in
deep conceptual works, enlivened the air inside the spacious Nike Art Gallery.
From a sci-fi four-figure sculptural
metal standing just at the entrance of the gallery, to the huge sizes of relief
and mixed media paintings, aesthetics in Alatise’s rendition triumphed over conceptuality.
On the theme, Peju noted that
human influence might be a factor in the process of justice or prosecution, but
inanimate objects, “are stronger evidence, if they can speak.”
According to her, to establish
justice will be easier, “only if that shirt worn to commit a crime could
speak.”
She segmented the exhibition into three
parts of Social/Political/Religious Commentary; Idealistic versus Realistic; and
Elements of Material Nature.
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From Peju Alatise’s Material Witness, a four-sculpture titled That Thing Within |
Supporting the impression that the
aesthetic value of Material Witness
outweighs the theme, are the works under Idealistic
Versus Realistic and Elements of
Material Nature.
For example, in the four-piece Erin Ijesha (The Day the Vessel Fall), Like the Labalaba (Butterfly), Orun Lo m’eni tomola and Alagbada Ina, the material used, sheer
size and the creative content could deeply engage the viewer with little or no
consideration for the theme.
Also, the sci-fi piece That Thing Within fascinates more for
the extraterrestrial look of the four figures, which could attract designers of
George Lucas’ Star Wars movie
episodes.
Painting, as Alatise’s strongest medium
of expression becomes more explicit in such works as Oblivion, Silver Lining, The Beginning of Ascension, Ascension and Beautiful Minds.
Thematically, Material Witness struggles to come alive in the installation Freedom is Like a Sailboat, So is Slavery.
And it could be a mental slavery, so suggests the artist’s thoughts, explained
in the attached explanatory note. Whatever
it is, she argues that “Now is the time to fight it all.”
Given the one side of a story, and
stereotyped narratives, which teenage marriage has generated, particularly in
Nigeria, since 2009 when a high profile case turned controversial, one thought
Alatise’s collage-embossed sculptural titled Nine Year Old Bride would offer a balance. No! Not yet. In fact,
another piece, 9 Year-Old Bride, Where is
Her Mother? mounted at the extreme end of the gallery – exposed the
artist’s strong objection to teenage marriage. The two exhibits were among the
imposing works of all the displays.
Further reflecting the artist’s thought
is a 42-yard fabric used for one of these works, as well as the energy unleashed
on the painting.
Like her “feminists” counterparts and
other critics who stick to the expression ‘child,’ rather than teenage
marriage, Alatise also insists that every woman has to be extra-alert to
survive the mental oppression meted out to the softer gender. She states in the
attached text ““I
live in a ‘third-world-country,’ where every woman would be feminist to
survive. Asking to be treated with respect here is feminist. Demanding
consideration is being feminist. Yes I’m feminist!”
Alatise’s argument and the
one side of a story by other feminists, on the issue of teenage marriage, is so
conspicuous as they are yet to dissipate as much energy on the effect of single
parenting – which usually comes from pregnancy out of wedlock – on the decadence
in the society, globally.
![]() |
Material Elements of Nature by Alatise |
If we have to argue within the context of UN definition, which says anyone under 18 is a child, then indeed, there are child marriages. However, the complexity of culture and religion makes the UN definition relative.
Irrespective of which side of the
argument gets the louder voice, the final verdict, perhaps, goes beyond the
physical realm. This thought leads to another piece of Alatise titled Judgment Day, an assembly of 58 caryatid-like
figures. The work reminds one of Whitney Houston’s songs, ‘if tomorrow is judgment day… and am standing on the frontline... and
the Lord asks me what I did with my life…’
Although Alatise is not inspired by the late diva’s 1998 album, My Love is Your Love, the similarity
here is about sharing affection, and being considerate of the other person’s
feeling. Lack of love, among Nigerians, Alatise notes in the accompanied note,
is a major cause of corruption, despite the claims of being a “very religious
nation.”
WHILE it is commendable that Nike
Gallery extended the show for another five days, it’s quite disturbing that
such exhibition would not get a gallery to display it for as long as one month
or more.
And when the artist disclosed, “I have
been working on this show for the past three years without selling works,” it
becomes even more worrisome that just a few people would get to see the works
that have taken so long to produce.
In some other climes where government
and corporate support are given to art galleries, Material Witness would run for three or more months.
In 2010 when Alatise had the salon outing, Testament at her residence, she hinted that it was a prelude to a
bigger show, which she hoped to stage before the end of the year.
That ‘bigger show’, which couldn’t come then “is here as Material Witness.”
Auction record for Alatise: N1.2 million Naira for an acrylic on canvas Oritameta (Crossroads), 170 x 275 cm, at Arthouse Contemporary Auction, Lagos, November, 2008.
Auction record for Alatise: N1.2 million Naira for an acrylic on canvas Oritameta (Crossroads), 170 x 275 cm, at Arthouse Contemporary Auction, Lagos, November, 2008.
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