By Tajudeen Sowole
Five years of art,
complementing a hospitality space, in Nigeria’s
business travel industry exhales visually through artist, Gbenga Offo's new
period. The artist"s sculpture, described as never-seen in public adds
fresh breath to his cubism painting identity.
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| Hope II Bronze 3fts 2016 by Gbenga Offo |
The hospitality space, The Wheatbaker, Ikoyi,
Lagos, which opened for business in 2011, has, consistently, been hosting art exhibitions
as a “luxury boutique hotel,” The art
space, which is curated by Sandra Obiago Mbanefo engages visitors to the hotel
in visual dalogue as each exhibition - across generations of Nigerian artists -
is not detached from constant views of traffic flow.
More interesting, Offo, an artist known for
his cubism style painting is also showing, for the first time, sculptures made
in bronze and wrought iron/stainless for the hotel’s fifth anniversary. Offo is
brings a body of work he titles Freedom,
which is showing for over three months, ending January 15, 2017.
After a long period of his career that has
projected him with a clear identity in cubism, Offo appears to be using Freedom to step into a new era. "I
don't want to be labeled a cubist," he tells a select preview guests. And
now, a reluctant cubist, Offo escapes into Freedom
of sculptures, but still retains his signature as an artist with bold features
in figure rendition. In the exhibition are also, a set of abstract pieces and
forms generated through flow of colours, which he groups as Splash. And under
Sketches are portraits done with conte on paper, burdened in painterly shades
of drawing strokes.
From Flip,
an expression of self-esteem; to Hope I, Hope II, expectancy in elongated busts
series; and minimalism impressions Mutual
Respect, Offo steps into a bronze sculpture period of his career. And
adding to this new period are, among others, a trace of his cubist identity, in
Sweet Conversation; and simplified
figural of joyous mood, Happy People,
all expressed in wrought iron and stainless steel.
Though showing his sculpture work in public
for the first time, the artist discloses that sculpturing has always been part
oi his studio work. "It's not as if I never did sculpture, but I just
didn't show them." As his cubism period was inspired by the 20th century
master of the movement, Pablo Picasso, so the attempt at sculpture. "The
day I knew Picasso did quite a lot of sculpture, it was like a freedom day for
me," Offo recalls.
However, the air of Freedom at Wheatbaker, to a large extent is still populated with
the artist's cubist identity. His bold features-style of cubism continues with
paintings such as Woman with Scarf, Once Upon A Time, Reclining Woman with
Newspaper and Story Teller, among
others that stress the essence of colour on Lagos art landscape.
Sponsored by Veuve Clicquot and the
Wheatbaker, the exhibition represents the mood of the Nigerian people.
"The theme of the exhibition reflects the challenges we go through as a
people," Obiago states. She notes "Freedom is a special exhibition" that is important in marking
the fifth anniversary of "Wheatbaker as art destination hotel in
Nigeria."
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| A wrought iron and stainless steel sculpture titled Happy People by Gbenga Offo |
In
a pres statement, the hotel takes pride in being a space for creative
expression. “We are proud to have created a dynamic platform for
international and local artists to experiment and present new creative
expressions,” commented Mosun Ogunbanjo, a Director of the luxury hotel. “We will continue to
ensure that despite Nigeria’s current economic
recession, the Wheatbaker provides quality services and strengthens creativity
and innovation.”
Offo, b. 1957, graduated as best Art and
Graphic Student from the Yaba College of
Technology in Lagos in 1984. He worked for a decade as an illustrator for
leading advertising agencies Lintas and Insight Communications, before becoming
a full time studio artist in 1996. Offo has taken part in numerous solo and
group exhibitions in the United Kingdom and Nigeria, and his works are in many
leading corporate and public collections.
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