By Tajudeen Sowole
Against the current trend of filling the
Lagos’ art space with all sorts of experimentation under mixed media and
contemporary behaviourial forms, designer, Ronke Aina-Scott reminds art lovers
of the past trends, suggesting that art can still be appreciated in its simple
rendition.
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| From Ronke Aina-Scott, a painting titled Back from the Stream |
Currently of the Head, Design
and Production Unit, Marketing Communication Group, at Fidelity Bank,
Aina-Scott brings back the old trend of art known in the 1980s/90s as her solo
art exhibition titled Colours on My Mind,
opens on Saturday, June 22, ending July 12, 2013 at Mydrim Gallery, Ikoyi,
Lagos.
The theme, metaphorically, she said, is “to
encourage creative people to be motivated and come out to express themselves”.
Quite understandably that such a theme is
coming from an artist who, for a long time has waited for the moment to prove
that not being a full time studio artist is not enough reason to perpetually
conceal one’s creativity from the public.
She had shown in several group art exhibitions
such as Best of Ife ’95, MinajTV Exhibition (1997) and Naija Woman Exhibition by Tourshop
(2007). But since she graduated from
Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in 1995, Colours
on My Mind offers a wider ventilation to express her bottled creativity,
and perhaps bring a bit of branding flavour into art gallery space.
Largely of representational images, the works depict human activities
including domestic and outdoor routines; quite a revisit of the themes common
among artists 15-20 years ago. And the styles are no different. Aina-Scott’s
strokes are synonymous with the highly colour-competitive periods of the past
when artists were rated based on their drawing skills and ‘bold’ application of
colours. These values, she stresses in her debut solo exhibition as she looks
forward to testing the waters of the mainstream Lagos art scene after over 10
years working across press and branding
sectors. Basically, her technique is derivative from
Pointillism, so pronounced such that some of the works could be grouped in the
family of ‘araism’,
Despite her long absence on the art exhibition
turf, Aina-Scott will not walk alone when Colours
on My Mind opens. She has quite a list of dignitaries to support her. The
high profile guests is led by Special Guest of Honour and Chairman of the
event, Mr. Reginald Ihejiahi, who is the Managing Director & CEO of
Fidelity Bank Plc. Other dignitaries include executive directors of Fidelity
Bank Plc, IK Mbagwu, Onome Olaolu, John Obi; Chijioke, Ugochukwu, Nnamdi
Okonkwo and Mohammed Balarabe.
Aina-Scott was one of the founding graphic artists at the Daily Independent Newspaper, but later
moved to FSB International Bank.
Thematically, the show focuses issues on African culture, role of
the African woman, deforestation, conservation, highlighting what she noted as
“fast disappearing fishes from our rivers due to the effects of global warming;
non-availability of clean water in most African society; elaborates the
influence of mothers on their children
and also the love of a mother for her child”.
Over the past one and half decade, some young
artists seemed to have been highly experimental, particularly in application of
diverse medium, either in sculpture and painting. Even some established artists
who were conservatively adamant are faintly changing the texture of their
canvas. Having been monitoring the art
scene from the confine of her branding is Aina-Scott aware of the changes on
the art exhibition turf? Not really exactly shut out of the changes, she said.
“But when I decided to have this show, I got in touch with some established artists
who are very regular on the art scene, for guidance”.
Whatever the changes are on the art scene, the artist insisted on
maintaining an identity and confident that her natural talents, which has
brought her this far is the strength. She recalled her long journey from
childhood: “As a little girl, my colour pencils were the most prized of my
earthly possessions and whenever they got missing, which was very often, I was
usually reduced to tears. Painting fills me with a sense of accomplishment and
I am most at peace with myself when I am at work on my canvas. Art for me has
proven a most amenable vehicle for translating inner vision to outer reality.”
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| Ronke Aina-Scott |
Full time studio practice is not exactly missing in the career of
Aina-Scott. Her job definition as Head
of the Design and Production arm of The Marketing Communication Group of
Fidelity Bank is basically art-related, she argued. “It is an in-house design
studio; I am responsible for design and production of corporate items which
include branded items and branding items. The unit is also responsible for
production of marketing items, such as fliers, brochures, etc., I am also
involved in event packaging and give branding support to other units of the
bank as the need arise”
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