The mission of a U.K-based gallery,
Tate Modern in promoting the appreciation of Nigerian art abroad has been faulted by
the National Gallery of Art (NGA) Abuja.
At a recent gathering in Lagos, the Director-General of NGA,
Abdullahi Muku noted that Tate has undermined the constitutional duty of NGA by
embarking on "acquisition of Nigerian art" without consultation with the latter.
Tate, in partnership with Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) is currently
promoting art from Africa, including Nigeria, via a project described, among
other goals as creating “a dedicated curatorial post at Tate Modern to focus African
art”. In 2011, the partnership was unveiled in Lagos at a press briefing. Last March, Tate’s representatives were in Nigeria in
continuation of their partnership with GTB.
Recently, during a gathering in Lagos organised
by the British Council towards preparation for Nigeria’s participation in the
2015 Venice Biennale, Muku drew the attention of foreign organisations to the
importance of consulting with NGA on the matters of modern and contemporary
Nigerian art.
In a remark read by his Special Assistant, Mufu
Onifade, the D-G of NGA stated: “It is gratifying to note that
Nigeria’s rich endowment in creativity is as sure as the air we breathe, yet
the management of it is a totally different ball game. As our nation prepares
for its first participation in the Venice Biennale, the role of the National
Gallery of Art is very crucial to such developments. It becomes imperative,
therefore, for the British Council to take cognizance of the essence of
collaborating with the National Gallery of Art in all matters relating to
contemporary Nigerian Art. It is our statutory responsibility as a Government
Parastatal in the Federal Ministry
of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, to ensure that contemporary Art
of Nigeria is not only preserved, but that it is also properly propagated in
accordance with the Country’s legal provisions”.
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D-G, NGA, Abdullahi Muku |
In 2011, when Tate’s partner in Nigeria, GTB hosted representatives of the U.K-based gallery, the bank’s Managing Director, Segun Agbaje listed the areas of focus for the continued partnership with Tate: “creation of a dedicated curatorial post at Tate Modern to focus on African art, which involves exploring contemporary practice in the region; an acquisition fund to enable the Tate enhance its holdings of work by African artist; an annual project in London and in Africa that will enable continuous exchanges between young artists, curators, collectors and cultural institutions in African and internationally”.
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