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A
yearly art entrepreneurship workshop has produced future masters and art
entrepreneurs in six students across various techniques and medium.
The workshop and exhibition was a
festival-like event when about one hundred and fifty participants, which
included students of tertiary institutions; facilitators, art lovers and
patrons gathered at the 3rd Unilag/OYASAF Entrepreneurship Art Workshop.
Organised yearly by University of Lagos
(Unilag) and sponsored by Omooba Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon Art Foundation
(OYASAF),the workshop, which had its 2014 edition at J.P Clark Centre, Faculty of Arts, Unilag,
Akoka, Lagos featured disciplines such as ceramics, jewelry, photography, drawing
and silk painting.
At the end of the workshop, certificates of
participation were given to all while prizes awarded for the “best” works in
the various categories. Awards and prizes were given in Photography (Adaradohun
Victor), Ceramics (Onothoja Zino), Silk Painting (Folami Razaq), Drawing (Imomo
Asemokha), Wire work (Ololade Afolayan) and Bead Work (Orajekwe Linda.)
According to the organisers, the Unilag/OYASAF
workshop has been designed to harness "the gains derivable from the
collaboration between the town and gown." When the workshop made its debut
at the Creative Arts Department of the university in 2012 the founder of OYASAF, Prince Yemisi Shyllon disclosed
that master printmaker, Dr. Bruce Onobrakpeya inspired the concept.
“Onobrakpeya’s revelation to me that Uli Beier’s art workshop, Mbari Mbayo changed his art, inspired
and encouraged me to get involved in this workshop”. Shyllon argued that
Nigeria should emulate Japan, the far-east country that has no mineral
resources, but is the third largest economy in the world, “based on creativity
and production.”
Among the new medium seen at the exhibition
segment of the 2014 edition was silk batik painting, described as a combination
of "medium and technique to produce a rich blap of colours." Three of
the works produced and exhibited from the silk painting medium included Faces at the Festival, by Bello
Olapade, Folami Rasaq's Canopy and Danger by Omani Valentino as well as Melody from Ikebudu Helen. The drawing section of the exhibits,
which appeared dominating with higher number of works on display featured still
life and abstraction themes. And that drawing dominated the exhibition with
over 40 pieces stressed the importance of draughsmanship, particularly at
training point of art education
At the top floor of the J.P Clark Centre where
the works were on display, quite a number of students and facilitators engaged
in some form of interaction. But really, where lies the entrepreneurship
contents of the workshop? The emphasis
on creation of work, learning and interacting with professionals from the field
was the real entrepreneurship value of the workshop, one of the art lecturers
at the Creative Art Department, Akin Onipade said during a chat at the tour of
the exhibition stand. "The difference between this and regular class art
teaching is that we bring professionals to instill production discipline,
bringing a level confidence among the students"
The workshop, it was stressed “provides young
artists and professionals the opportunity of sharing and learning from artists,
art teachers and art lovers.” Specifically, the yearly gathering “harmonises
both formal and informal training methods and offers a more practical approach
to learning.” The organizers hoped that participated students would be better
prepared and equipped “with vocational knowledge and confidence for self
employment,” after graduating.
Facilitators
at the 2014 edition included Boye Ola and Ariyo Oguntimehin
(Photography),
Ato
Arinze and Ojetunde Sheriff (Ceramics),
Dr
and Mrs Pat Akinbola (Silk Painting),
Mr
Sola Ogunfuwa (Drawing), Mr Adedamola Runsewe (Wire work) and Miss Temilola
Marindoti (Bead Work)..
At the maiden edition, Dr Onobrakpeya, who was a special guest offered a word of
inspiration that would continue to be of relevance for participants. He was
glad that Dr. Peju Layiwola and Shyllon organised the workshop. “I am not
surprised because for 12 years, Layiwola participated at the yearly Harmattan
Workshop at Agbaro-Otor, Delta State.” According to the master printmaker,
Shyllon “has set the pace in promoting art, as the workshop has brought the
town and gown together.”
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