Master printmaker,
Dr Bruce Onobrakpeya, in a lecture The
Role Of Visual Arts In People’s Empowerment And Politics In Nigeria,
delivered as part of a group art exhibition Nigerian Visual Artists and Nigerian
Politics at Greenhouse Empowerment Centre, Olambe, Ogun State, Saturday,
September 12, 2015, unearthed the
contributions of Nigerian artists to global art space.
 |
| Dr Bruce Onobrakpeya (left), Mr Victor Odozi and Princess Iyase-Odozi at Greenhouse Centre, Olambe, Ogun state. |
1. ABSTRACT
A visual art is a
beautiful object created through a thought process by the human hand. Such
object(s) like paintings, sculptures of wood, metal, stone, or prints,
ceramics, etc., are created by gifted individuals or a group of people in a
community/ country, and because they usually express the people’s collective
views and ideas, they are regarded as part of the culture of the people. And
people who can express their culture or way of life through visual arts are
regarded as civilized.
Apart from helping
reflect on life and record or document history, visual arts encapsulate the
philosophy, politics, world view and other cultural norms that give identity to
any people. Because it is a desirable commodity of value, it is also a
veritable source of wealth and empowerment. Thus, visual arts create jobs for
people. You will meet the Visual Arts
practitioner in virtually every field of human endeavor, be it in the
industries where he helps in product designs, in education, health,
entertainment, recreation, diplomacy and politics. If properly harnessed,
visual arts can
make a country great!
The role of visual
artists and the relevance of visual arts in societal empowerment and political
influence is therefore very wide and in this presentation I can only touch on
few of the points.
2. VISUAL ARTS AND
COMMUNITY RECOGNITION
One of the objects
that first brought this region, later known as Nigeria after the 1914
amalgamation, into the consciousness of people in faraway Europe and America was
the Benin art heist. These were mainly bronze plaques, carved elephant tusks
and ivories, terra cottas, all of vast quantities and value which were looted
and carted to Europe after the British invasion of Benin City in 1897. Hitherto, the West had it in mind that people
in the region were sub human apes and therefore were not capable of creative
abilities. This was followed by precious art works from other parts of Nigeria. The Ife bronzes and terra cottas, Nok terra
cottas, the Igbo Ukwu bronzes and many visual art works created in the past
have helped to make Nigeria known outside our shores and equally drew us to
fame. Today, we are witnessing the rise
of Oshogbo through visual and other art forms, from a sleepy railway town to a world
renowned tourist center as well as UNESCO recognition as a world heritage site.
I also want to mention that the small town of Agbarha-Otor in Delta state is
gradually becoming famous on the global map of visual arts because of the Harmattan
Workshops which it hosts yearly beginning from 1998. This is a forum where artists
share ideas and create art works.
3. VISUAL ARTS IN
DAY - TO - DAY LIVING
Almost like the air
we breathe, visual arts are very pervasive in our communities and vital in day –
today - existence. But because it is common
and everywhere around us, its importance is often taken for granted and goes
almost unnoticeable. What an average man
or woman actually regards as visual art are paintings, sculptures, etc.,
exhibited in galleries and museums or hung on the walls of rich peoples’ living
rooms. The dress we wear including
jewelry and shoes, decorations in our homes, the furniture, utensils and
photographs are all visual art works created by artists. Their importance and
value is unquantifiable.
4. VISUAL ART AS HISTORICAL RECORDS
Visual art works in form
of statues which are erected on our streets and squares are historical
monuments which keep alive the memory of heroes and role models the community
looks up to. Thus, they help perpetuate
those values and aspirations of the people from one generation to the other.
5. VISUAL ART AND JOB
CREATIONS
Visual art works including
crafts, are tangible objects created by artists. The creation of these objects which involves great
skill, often takes a long time to complete.
There is therefore the need to employ a great number of people who are
thus provided with sources of livelihood. With minimal capital and training as
apprentice under a master, in a workshop setting or even through formal
education, anyone can become self-employed, reducing the number of job seekers parading
the streets. A good number of craftsmen have become very successful and are giving
employment to people while investing in equipment and machineries at the same
time. Mr.Obiora Ononye, alias ‘Obi Leather’,
is one such example.
At the Harmattan Workshop
for instance, young men and women who train for two weeks in leather craft or
jewelry are able to set up practices that give them good income. Inspired by the success of the Harmattan
workshops, informal visual art education setups are multiplying and
contributing its quota to eradicating joblessness in Nigeria.
6. VISUAL ART AS WEALTH
CREATION
Visual arts has been
defined as a renewable source of wealth.
Art works are commodities which are sold like other products. They bring in money, not only to the creators,
but also to middlemen and collectors.
Art and crafts are in great demand because both Nigerians and foreigners
buy them. Local markets, art galleries
and museums display and sell them, attracting huge incomes. Sales of art and
crafts through exhibitions within and outside Nigeria bring lots of money.
Tourism thrives partly on the products of the visual artists.
The importance of visual art in our economy
can better be understood through the knowledge that an estimated 80% of job
creation anywhere in the world comes through tourism.
7. VISUAL ARTS AS AN INVESTMENT
Aside from aesthetic
enjoyment and other benefits, visual art works have investments value like
gold, landed property, stocks and shares, all of which appreciate with
time. This new advantage was only
realized in Nigeria a little more than fifteen years ago when art auction was
introduced by Chike Nwabogu. Other auction houses have since followed suit
and works by Nigerian visual artists are beginning to attract super prices. Art
pieces which had lain neglected started to be provenanced in readiness for
auction sales even beyond our shores, bringing incomes that continue to swell
our GDP
8. VISUAL ARTS SUPPORT TO
OTHER PROFESSIONS
In Nigeria today, visual
arts is an important part of architecture.
Demas Nwoko’s architectural designs are unique because as a painter and
sculptor, he embellishes his buildings in forms that are traditional and
modern. The walls of the National
Theatre at Iganmu, Lagos, are decorated by the renowned Erhabor Emokpae and
other artists.
Back drops for plays in Nigerian
theatre, home videos and films are
visual art works. In home videos in
particular, the artist recreates shrines and body decorations with paintings,
sculptures and tattoos to reflect time.
Educationally, the
visual arts which also incorporate graphics, photography is very relevant in Literature,
History, Geography and the Sciences. In diplomacy, exchange of gifts in form of
art works between Heads of State, Royalties and Ministers is the norm.
Our embassies
abroad are decorated with art works which give information about us. Visits to
art exhibitions, art museums and galleries to view works is a form of relaxation
which contributes to one’s overall wellbeing.
Traditional
festivals which have again become very popular in different Nigerian
communities and the growing carnivals in our cities, owe their splendor to the
work of visual artists who design and create costumes for the dancers, floats
on the roads, regatta boats and canoes as well as durbar horses.
9. VISUAL ARTS INNOVATIONS BY
NIGERIAN ARTISTS
Our visual artists,
through experiments, innovations, inventions, domestication of ideas,
rediscovery of lost techniques, etc., have developed unique styles which
continue to form art pieces that can over time only be described as Nigerian because
they originated from Nigeria. These
forms not only blaze the trail for the creation of new and exciting products
but also constitute our contribution to the global art repertoire. Our visual artists in this class definitely
play very significant role in societal empowerment.
The following are
some of them:-
AinaOnabolu He was credited as
being the first to introduce perspective and realism to drawings and paintings,
a technique he learned in school at Europe.
Ben Enwonwu He created sculptures and paintings which
drew strength from traditional African art, gaining both Nigerian and
international recognition and becoming a role model for younger artists.
Ladi Kwali She transformed
Nigerian pottery into collectable ceramics which made Nigeria famous globally.
Uche Okeke He developed new
drawing and painting styles from Igbo body and wall paintings and decorations
called Uli.
Oladapo Afolayan revived the art of
stone carving for which Esie in Kwara state was once famous.
Victor Ekpuk created art form
from the Nsibidi signs of south eastern Nigeria.
Bruce Onobrakpeya (the paper
presenter) invented the plastograph and other techniques and developed printmaking
to a major art form. Also he developed the
Ibiebe Ideograms and alphabet.
Taiwo Olaniyi known as Twin Seven Seven created drawings
and paintings which drew images from folktales, myths and legends. By using repeated patterns he helped create
mystic and timelessness.
Lamidi Fakeye and George Bandele through their induction
at the Oye Ekiti workshop were among the pioneers who created a new Christian
art form from traditional African art.
Examples of these can be seen at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Ebute Metta,
Lagos.
Ben Enwonwu also contributed to
the development of Nigerian Christian Art by domesticating the foreign
religious philosophy with the use of wood carving which is a traditional
African medium. Examples are the Risen
Christ at the Chapel at University of Ibadan and door at Apostolic
Delegation, Lagos.
Yusuf Grillo on the other hand
appropriated the stained glass technique from the West towards the creation of
the Nigerian Christian art.
Bruce Onobrakpeya (the presenter of
this paper) also contributed to the development of Nigerian Christian art by
interpreting the Christian message through the use of local forms. His wall
paintings on the theme of the Fourteen Station of the Cross were very eloquent
of the new direction until they were removed to an unknown destination three
years ago.
Jimoh Buraimoh upgraded the use beads from dress material to paintings on canvases
and walls.
Asiru Olatunde developed a beautiful metal technique similar to counter reposse with the use of
nail punch.
Nike Okundaye She raised the art
of batik and indigo dying beyond textile to paintings, sculptures and installations.
Susanne Wenger’s works in the Osun grove
is based on the majesty of traditional shrines which is a major art form practiced
in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, which in turn inspired Bruce Onobrakpeya
to create installations as new art forms.
El Anatsui and Junkman have also
contributed to the art of installation by the copious use of found or waste
materials.
I like to add that
the works of Abayomi Barber and Boniface Okafor lead in the direction towards
surrealism. Also artist like Olu Amoda,
Olu Ajayi, kolade Oshinowo and Ojikere and a host others whose names are not mentioned
here have made break through and have therefore contributed to put our name in
the world artistic map.
10. ROLE OF NIGERIAN VISUAL ARTISTS IN POLITICS
To understand the
role of Nigerian visual artists in politics, I will begin with the statement that man is a political animal, and
that everything we do tend to defend our positions and help get as much as we
can from goods or supplies that are there for everyone to share. In doing this, artists use visual images as a
weapon or tool to create fair and equitable distribution. In reverse they can be used for political
propaganda or to spread an ideology. At the extreme, few artists gravitate
towards political activism but generally they remain cool like the eye of the
storm in order to be able to make clear observations and contribute meaningfully
to what goes on in the society.
I will begin with Akinola Lashekan who is often quoted
for creating powerful cartoons in the then West African Pilot which joined the
efforts of political fathers like Nnamdi
Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo and Sir Ahmadu Bello and others in the struggle
for our political independence.
We are equally
aware of the effects of political commentaries which drawings of Josy Ajiboye and Dele Jegede contributed
to debates on political issues in our newspapers. The call by the Zaira Art Society
to use our art to reflect our timeless values was very political. Our independence would be meaningless if we
swallowed everything colonial.
Demas Nwoko’s painting “Nigeria in 1959” is a political
statement. It is clearly an expression
of colonial sadness as Nigeria was about to become an independent country from
Britain.” Similarly, the removal of the statue of Queen Elizabeth from the Race
Course (Tarawa Balewa Square) in Lagos was an assertion of our political
independence.
The sculptures, “three chiefs” by Dr.
Sodeinde, that was situated in the median of Lagos/Ibadan expressway after
Berger as we approach Lagos but was relocated to the side of the expressway is
political. The statues of three Lagos
white cap chiefs seem to be saying, “We are the owners of Lagos.” Welcome to our territory! Similar statements
are made with sculptures in other towns of Nigeria.
Obiora Udechukwu’s drawings and paintings which depict
suffering and starving women and children are political because they reflect sympathy
with, and nostalgia for Biafra. The same
can be said of Bruce Onobrakpeya’s series “The Totems of the Delta,” which addressed
environmental abuse and execution of the Ogoni Nine including their leader Ken Saro
Wiwa. All over the world, the views
expressed by artists on issues through visual arts are taken seriously.
Restitution of art
works taken illegally from Nigeria particularly those from Benin City after the
punitive war has become a major international political issue which involves
governments, traditional rulers, artists and international lawyers. Through the exhibition she held a few years
back, Peju Layiwola is at the vanguard of this struggle.
Even within
Nigeria, there is socio-political in fighting with regards to use of certain
art forms in public places many beautiful art works have been destroyed. Some
communities claim to be more important because of their artistic antecedent. An
example of this is an interesting scenario. Agbarha-Otor chiefs went to Asaba
the Delta State capital to ask that a projected local government headquarter be
located in their land. The reason they
gave for their eligibility is that they have a museum of art which in fact is a
collection of modern and folk art works which is one of the facilities created for
the Harmattan Workshops.
I will like to
observe that visual arts political commentaries can sometimes create serious
hazards to the author. I was close to
being picked up for questioning when the authorities asked for the removal of my
painting tilted, ‘Triumph’, together with a poem attached to it, from the CHOGUM
exhibition which was mounted for the conference of Commonwealth Heads of State
in Abuja, in 2003.
To summarise this
presentation I like to refer you to the following pictures;
1. Not, terra cotta, Ife,
Benin and Igbo Ukwu which introduced Nigeria to the rest of the world.
2. Nigeria in 1959, a
painting by Prince Demas Nwoko which expresses colonial sadness at the loss of
Nigeria as a colony to Great Britain.
3. The only Son- a
painting on plywood express the impact of the civil war on Biafra.
4. Door at Catholic Chapel,
University of Ibadan- reflecting Christian art by Lamidi Fakeye resulting from
Oye Ekiti workshop experiments.
5. Door at Apostolic Delegation
Lagos by Ben Enwonwu illustrating Christian message in traditional Nigerian art
style.
6. A shrine installation at
the Oshun grove by Susanne Wenger. This
has created model for installion art now and important trend in our
development.
7. Exotic and Fantasy painting
by Twin Seven Seven. He teaches us how
to draw from our folklore to create beautiful art works.
8. Painting and etchings by
Bruce Onobrakpeya showing the negative effect of oil exploration and extraction
on our environment.
9. Engraving and etchings by
Bruce Onobrakpeya illustrating youths protesting environmental abuse in the
Niger Delta.
10. The Hawk Prays for Peace – Show
military arrogance demonstrated in poem by Tanure Ojaide and Illustrated in
plastograph by Bruce Onobrakpeya.
11. Painting and poem called
Triumph by Bruce Onobrakpeya – A call on Divine intervention to rescue the
masses from bad leadership.
12. Three White Cap Chiefs
welcome people to Lagos.
13. Sambisa Forest Installation
and letter to the Chibok girls by Bruce Onobrakpeya.
Eminent ladies and gentlemen, thank you for listening to
this presentation.
Dr. Bruce
Onobrakpeya, MFR
September 12, 2015.
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