By
Tajudeen Sowole
Apart
from very few artists whose impact in the Diaspora are well known in their
country of residence and at home, there are others such as returnee Chuks
Echiemeze Okoye who have made their marks, but remain unknown in the Nigerian
art environment.
After three decades of sojourn in the
Diaspora, Okoye has returned home with Echoes
Of The Past, a solo art exhibition, which opens today and ends on July 6,
2012 at Terra Kulture, Victoria Island, Lagos.
During a preview of the exhibition, he narrated how his
returning home to share his art with Nigerians was made possible by Chinwe
Abara of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC).
Interaction with Okoye in Lagos showed
that he has channeled much of his art into activism, which perhaps led to a
seeming lack of visibility for his art, compared to some of his fellow Africans
in the U.S. and Europe, who are known in the mainstream art gallery space.
In fact, he disclosed that he had
worked with quite a number of African-American groups, focusing on art
education to promote African art and ideals.
![]() |
Chucks Okoye’s Great Expectation, acrylic on canvas. |
Coming home with Echoes of the Past, he explained, was a continuation of his mission
in the U.S.
Art, he argued, is first and foremost
about educating people on the value and ideals of culture.
Three decades may seem a long time away
from home, but he stated that he still had a strong sense of cultural value of
his native Igbo culture.
He noted, “This is a reflection of my
contribution to the world of art and creativity, as well as the impact my
artistic expressions has had on modern society. I have used my cultural
experiences while growing up in eastern Nigeria in the 1970s and early 1980s as
the benchmark for this art exhibition.”
Some of the works available for the
preview are rendered in embossed or relief, either combining painting and
sculptural characteristics, which he described as “wall sculpture,” and “framed
wood collages.”
However, his thoughts on values, as
seen in some of the works indeed reflect his passion for promoting African
values, even in the Diaspora.
Works such as ‘Ancestral’, ‘Be Fruitful
and Multiply’, ‘Great Expectation’ and the theme piece, ‘Echoes of the Past’
underscore the artist’s cultural nostalgia abroad.
Largely in mixed media, with a hint of
subtle abstraction, the artist’s style of populating his canvas with images
such as figures or motifs appears like a signature as nearly all the works for
the preview, including those presented in soft copies share this feature.
On his mission to promote African
values through his art abroad, Okoye submitted that “a society that does not
preserve and promote her traditional values tend to lose an essential part of
her history.”
And, without any pretext, he declared,
“my art is African-American.” He explained that these ideals had been promoted
with his art at such places as Ramses and The African Origin of Civilization in
Dallas, Texas; Black History Month Celebration at the Epcot Center, Walt Disney
World in Orlando, Florida; New York Art Expo, and the internationally
recognized National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta, Georgia.”
Perhaps in recognising Okoye’s zeal as
a “cultural ambassador of Nigeria,” his works, as set out in his profile were
selected to be used in decorating the walls of the Embassy of Nigeria in
Washington D.C. and the Consulate offices in Atlanta, Georgia, indicating that
he devotes “his time, talent and money to various community and charitable
organisations and schools including UNCF, the Congressional Black Caucus
Foundation NBCF, the Atlanta Minority AIDS Foundation and Georgia’s Sheriff
Association — Youth’s foundation.
His active involvement in the civic and
art communities has earned him countless awards and recognitions around the
country and abroad.
Okoye is a recognised member of the
Nigerian Elite Art Society, and he has received recognition from the Consulate
General of The Federal Republic of Nigeria for his effort in promoting the
talents and cultural heritage of the country and the continent of Africa.
Okoye’s collection of art was chosen to adorn the walls of both the Nigeria
consulate office in Atlanta and the Embassy in Washington D.C.”
Okoye
studied for two years at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka 1980/81 and
proceeded to University Of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma’s College of Fine Arts
& Industrial Arts – Product Design
and Painting (1985- 1987).
His past solo exhibitions include
Ancestral
Legacy at
Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, Dallas, Texas, June 1991; and Reflections shown at Unique Gallery,
Atlanta, Georgia in May 1995.
No comments:
Post a Comment