Fasuyi Legacy at 82

Tomorrow, art professionals, in Nigeria, from both the academia and mainstream practice will join Octogenarian artist and educationist, Timothy Adebanjo Fasuyi in celebrating an enduring Legacy of art. Fasuyi was Arts Adviser to the Federal Government in the early 1970s.

Timothy Adebanjo Fasuy

 The week-long art activities, which celebrates Fasuyi’s 82^nd birthday starts on Monday April 17 with an art exhibition titled Retrospective Sixty Years of Easel Experience at Tafas Legacy Gallery, Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja Lagos. The exhibition features 82 works of Fasuyi, which date back to his  school days in 1957. The modernist explained that the selected “are from 120 works” in his personal collection.

  Fasuyi was among the first set of Fine Art graduates from what is now Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.

  Two years ago, when he turned 80, Fasuyi showed 80 pieces of paintings, proceeds of which he said was going as donation to Federal 
Government Colleges in the North East. The schools were among those affected by the Boko Haram insurgency.

 As an educationist, Fasuyi headed the unit that managed Federal Government Colleges across the country.

 To enrich the Tafas Legacy, the National Gallery of Art (NGA) will be presenting what has been described as “the first major documentation on him,” in a book being published by the government agency.

  The exhibition opens with the attendance of Special guest and former Vice Chancellor University of Benin, Prof Adamu Baikie, and chaired by Retired Judge of Lagos State, Justice S.O Ilori.   The Legacy celebration continues on Tuesday, with a colloquium on Fasuyi and his contributions to the development of visual arts in Nigeria.

  On Wednesday the artist shares life outside the art when his family join other well wishers for “a family worship and get-together with my children and grand children at Tafas Legacy Gallery.” On Thursday and Friday, there will be an art competition organised by the Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) for art students in Lagos. The art competition, which carries Tafas Art Prize is opened to students of University of Lagos, Akoka (Unilag); Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech), Yaba; and College of Education, Ijanikin.

  On Saturday there will be a dinner with Society of Nigerian Artists at Tafas Legacy Gallery. 

  Majorly, the one week long event is focusing on the revival of the Tafas Gallery. The gallery – which derives its name from the artist’s three initials - he disclosed has been in existence for 40 years. “I hope to revive the gallery and return it to what it was 40 years ago,” Fasuyi stated.

  Interestingly, Tafas is also Fasuyi’s signature in which his works were signed during over 50 years of practice as an artist.