By
Tajudeen Sowole
Despite being ‘used and
dumped’, artists marked the 50th anniversary of thier professional body
propagating ‘National Transformation Agenda’
 |
| A cross section of the
audience listening Guest Speaker, Republic of
Benin-born art activist, Romuald Haxoume during the Society of Nigerian Artists
(SNA)-organised Distinguished Lecture Series.
|
But the guest speaker of the lecture, a Republic
of Benin-born art activist, Romuald Haxoume traced the backseat position of
arts in the development of Africa to the inability of the creative
professionals, particularly artists to identity their roots and have a clear
identity,
Ambassador Arthur Mbanefo chaired the lecture
while the Director-General of National Gallery of Art (NGA), Dr Abdullahi Muku
was the Special Guest of Honour.
The argument of Haxoume was the central focus
of his
Informal
lecture, Hazoume’s presentation, which also had a near crude, perhaps “rude”
tone took African leaders to the cleaners on the neglect of art. He said if
renowned creative professionals such as late Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Bruce
Onobrakpeya, for examples, are well known abroad, even more than presidents,
“we can use art to repair our reputation abroad”.
And
when he chided “politicians for using artists and dumping them”, he probably
was not aware that Nigerian artists have been used recently and now dumped, During
the presidential campaign of President Goodluck Jonathan arts and culture
professionals were actually ‘used’ as hypes to boost the former’s chances ahead
of the polls – and now dumped. It will
be recalled that artists such as Onobrakpeya, Nike Okundaye, Kolade Oshinowo
and others were among art culture professionals that, on more than one occasion
attended the now infamous Presidential meeting in Lagos.
Given his harsh words for African leaders,
the guest lecturer would probably have seek amendment to the words used in the
theme of the SNA lecture if he had known that the word ‘transformation’ is the
most commonly used, and perhaps abused by political office holders in the
Jonathan administration, under the slogan ‘Transformation Agenda’.
Ahead of the event, the president of SNA,
Oliver Enwonwu, actually, disclosed that the theme of the lecture was a
conscious effort to “key into the transformation agenda of the federal
government”.
Currently, the visual arts sub-sections of
art and culture is completely shut out of federal government’s ‘intervention
funds’ for the creative industry. And more worrisome, the yearly Art Expo event organized by the National
Gallery of Arts (NGA) is a shadow of its prospective early editions of 2008 and
2009. Also, a national gallery of art edifice – the main reason for setting up
NGA – was among the demands of SNA during one of the meetings Jonathan had with
artists in Lagos. But there is no sign that the federal government is committed
in anyway.
Hazoume is one of Africa’s middle-generation
of artists who are currently making impact across the world. He is well known for using sculptural pieces made
of found objects to generate contemporary and traditional art, largely filled
with social commentary that confronts the people and policy makers. Most
pronounced in his work is jerry can or rubber container widely used for
carrying premium spirit (petrol). In fact, Hazoume’s work is more celebrated
for the jerry can-and petrol related theme, which is inspired by the smuggling
of fuel from Nigeria to Republic of Benin.
Being
a traditionalist of Yoruba origin, who promotes the cultural value of his
African identity, Hazoume started the lecture with harsh, but honest and
sincere words for his host country. “Nigeria’s reputation abroad is so bad,” he
said with concerned passion shortly after he claimed: “I am a Nigerian too”.
Hazoume however expressed hope, noting that there are changes based on what he
saw within Lagos and across the border. “Lagos has changed, really changed from
what I used to know; gardens everywhere,” he noted and “commended the governor”
of the state.
“The
way to development of a nation is to recognize the artists,” Hazoume stressed.
The trajectory of Hazoume’s slavery themes,
which his art is known for, in broader context, beyond the 15th century
Transatlantic slave trade also formed a nucleus of his lecture.
Hazoume argued that slavery, in the real
sense of the word has not stopped in Africa. He illustrated his argument with
one of his works that depicts a snake eating its tail. “We did not stop
slavery. It’s like a snake eating its own tail”. The self-slavery, he noted,
remains the challenge in Africa’s underdevelopment.
 |
| Romuald Haxoume, speaking during the Distinguished Lecture Series. |
He showed few of his works, particularly of
the gasoline canisters, as well as others from his native Yoruba themes. Quite
of creative interest are sculptural series he explains as depicting women
status by the hairstyles.
Formed in 1963 by young artists from art
schools across the country, SNA has four zones; West, East, Middle Belt and
North.
Mbanefo, in his opening speech charged the
professional body to take a critical look at the ongoing change rise in the
value of art. He warned that artists should not swallow art auctions hook, line
and sinkers. “Speculators could destroy the innovativeness of art”, Mbanefou
stated.
On art appreciation and patronage, one of
Nigeria’s leading patrons, Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi urged young artists to keep
working more and concentrate less on the who sold what at auctions.
While noting that SNA and NGA have a lot in
common Muku said “integration of art in our national life should be embraced.
He therefore used the occasion to stress the commitment of NGA in organizing a
biennale for Nigeria as “Abuja Biennale, which has a role for SNA to play in
collaboration with NGA”.
And as questions were raised, silently over
the choice of a foreign artist as guest speaker at SNA’s 50th anniversary, one
of the founding fathers of the body, Dr Bruce Onobrakpeya’s brief recap of the
past five decades of the association
seemed to have an answer.
Onobrakpeya recalled that “when we formed SNA
50 years ago, it was not recognized.”
The body, he argued, has since made progress. “And that we have a guest
speaker from Republic of Benin for the 50th anniversary showed that SNA is
expanding its horizon”.
As much as the lecture was rich and thought
provoking, something seemed not quite inadequate in the informal presentation,
some artists present at the event observed. While accepting the fact that the
guest speaker was not a user of English language, provisions should have been
made for translator. Documentation of such a crucial lecture, they argued, is
very important.
No comments:
Post a Comment