BY TAJUDEEN SOWOLE
NOTHING gladdens the heart of an artist more than being allowed to
roam the creative field. This creative freedom dominated the thoughts of ex-ad
man, Wande George, as he glossed over the new page of his career, recently.
George had put
in about 20 years in advertising until he quit last year and was actually
preparing for what would be his first major avenue for a wider expression in
decades — a joint show with fellow ad man, Kola Arifajogun—when he chatted with
this writer.
Like every artist who had worked as a
visualiser or creative personnel in advertising agencies, George felt so relieved
that, at last, he was doing his own job, in his own way.
Though full time
studio artists have always considered ad jobs as less challenging, and in fact,
an escape route for a less creative mind, George, however, holds a contrary
opinion.
Wande George'sMona Lisa |
He says the
volume of work an artist does in the ad studios is not lesser than that of an
independent artist. “It’s even more,” he argues.
According to
him, in advertising, it could be very frustrating “working on a brief over and
over because somebody felt he has a better idea, but at the end of the day,
your own concept is still reverted to.”
George,
however, says, despite his confinement, he never wandered away from mainstream
art. “My passion for painting was intact, and I have participated in some
exhibitions, but not as fulfilling as coming out fully.”
He says, “I
have been painting and experimenting consistently, which has resulted in the
uniqueness of style and the depth of thinking.”
WHATEVER the perceived disadvantage there exists for an artist in
the ad studio, there seems to be some gains, particularly in weaving concepts into
images. This much appears well articulated in George’s work.
Indeed, one of
the areas, which his art could earn him a greater respect, is the philosophy on
which he builds his themes.
In the visual
arts scene where an artist’s depth of intellectual knowledge counts, George’s
concept has stronger leverage. He explains that The Exit represents transiting from one state of
life to another, which could be physical or emotional, “loss of jobs,
relationships, possession, or loved ones to the cold hands of death.”
And in case of
death, “such exit usually has a
lasting impact on those left behind, sometime physically, psychologically,
emotionally and otherwise.”
Also, in his
style, there appears to be something strong enough from which to take a leap.
For example, if stylised images such as Giant Strides and The Exit are sustained, the artist, who looks
more like a movie star, already has an identity or trait that will tell him
apart.
GEORGE graduated from Auchi Polytechnic in 1987 with an HND in
Painting and General Art. He did his national service at the Nigerian Military
School, Zaria, where he was an Art Instructor (1987-88). He worked briefly as a
studio artist before joining Daily Times of Nigeria in 1989.
He moved to the
advertising industry as illustrator and creative art director. He exited the industry
last year to focus on his first love —painting. In addition to being a member
of Society Of Nigerian Artists (SNA), he is an APCON-certified practitioner.
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