Titi Omoighe goes Modern Interpretations

 From Saturday, June 3 – August 30, 2017,  34 Titi Omoighe shows Modern Interpretations, a solo exhibition curated by SMO Contemporary Art at Temple Muse, Victoria Island, Lagos.

 SMO says the exhibition offers a rare perspective on traditional African forms from Omoighe, describing her new body of work as “exploring abstract techniques using splashes and dribbles of color, reminiscent of Jackson Pollock’s style, and drawing on her

Elders Gathering, Acrylic on canvas, 122 x 90, 2014

fascination with water based pigments and the linear features on traditional textiles, pottery and wall paintings.  While her earlier, more impressionistic Hunter Series was inspired by D.O. Fagunwa’s Yoruba literary classic,”

 “Titi's canvases reflect both the physical action of characters in search of higher meaning while engulfed in “other-worldly” adventure, as well as deftly draws us into the emotional and

Race Against Time With Abbas' Print-painting canvas

Period, events and technological changes in visual communication, coalesces into artist, Kelani Abbas' new body of sculptural collage and print-painting technique.

 For an unprecedented five-month long, Abbas showed the works as If I Could Save Time, at the Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA), Lagos. Basically inspired by his upbringing in a family of printing press profession, the body of work pushes

Foiling Exchange Of Change With Fashakin

Under utilised Old kobo coin depicted in metal foil by Michael Fashakin

Toned in social and economic hues, a body of work  by artist, Michael Fashakin, shown as Exchange of Change at Yusuf Grillo Gallery, Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech), Lagos, revisits the lost monetary value of Nigeria’s currency. Exuding quite a documentary value, the wall pieces refresh memory of prudency as the artist employs large-size coins in metal foils, representing old denomination of kobo coins such as, 10, 25, 5 as well as

African Cinematography Festival ‘debuts’ in Nigeria

As the hub of African motion picture industry, Nigeria is set to play host to what gas benn described as “first-ever Africa Cinematography Festival of Training, Production enhancement, Workshop Conference, Networking and Technology Expo.”

 It's a week-long event scheduled for the last quarter of the year in Lagos, Contemporary issues in filmmaking, networking, business opportunities and the general film economy which have impacted on the works of filmmakers, actors, film marketers, industry

Fragile diaspora art market challenge for Africa-based artists.

A mixed media painting by Njideka Akunyili Crosby.

From the record sale of a painting by late expressionist, Jean-Michel Basquiat, to the magical rise in Njideka Akunyili Crosby's art market value, and total sales of over 78 lots at Sotheby's debut art auction of modern and Contemporary African art, the dynamics of art market has exposed a frightened fragility of most artists based in Africa.

For artists of African descents, these three separate sales provide a possible categorisation of who sells what (at where?), and not necessarily based on critical appreciation. It seemed that art value of most African artists based at home, is not insulated from the geographical barrier that has hounded great talents — across professions — who practise outside the powerful economies of Europe and the U.S.

Whoever believed that art was the only opportunity where creative professionals of Africa base could

Jowhor Ile’s And After Many Days Wins 2016 Etisalat Prize for Literature

Book Cover

Out of the three shortlisted finalists for 2016 Etisalat Prize for Literature, a book titled And After Many Days, by Nigerian writer, Jowhor Ile has been announced as the winner.  

 Published in Nigeria by Kachifo Limited, the winning book, which gets £15,000 for Ile, defeated Jacqui L’Ange (South Africa) The Seed Thief (Umuzi Publishers, South Africa); and Julie Iromuanya (Nigeria) Mr & Mrs Doctor (Coffee House Press, USA).

  Ahead of announcing a winner, The jury, led by Nigerian novelist and poet, Helon Habila explained that

Moji Olaiya (27 February 1975 – 17 May 2017).

Moji Olaiya

Actress, Moji Olaiya emerged into stardom when she featured in  Super Story, a TV soap of Wale Adenuga. Production. Earlier, Adenuga had discovered her in a small role when she acted alongside star actress, Bukky Wright in a film directed by Abbey Lanre.

  Olaiya, the niece of legendary Nigerian musician, Victor Olaiya, was in 2003 nominated for the Reel Award Best Supporting Actress of the Year, and she won the Best New Actress Award.

  As at the period of her death on May 17, 2017 - from cardiac arrest in Canada two months after childbirth - the actress who converted from Christianity to Islam had 

Modern, contemporary African artists converge for 18th Arthouse auction

Lot 61, from the May 2017 Arthouse auction

When West Africa's premier auction house, Arthouse Contemporary opens its previews for the 18th edition, the strength of African art market will again be celebrated.

 The preview is scheduled for Sunday 21 while the auction sales hold on Monday May 22, 2017 at Kia Motor Showroom, Victoria Island, Lagos and will showcase works of some of the leading masters in Africa's modern and contemporary art.

 Among such artists considered as modern masters are Ben Enwonwu, Erhabor Emokpae, Ben Osawe, Bruce Onobrakpeya, Abayomi Barber, David Dale,

Germany Wins 57th Venice Biennale Best National Pavilion

liza Douglas and Franziska Aigner in Anne Imhof’s Faust (2017).German Pavilion, 57th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia ©Photo Nadine Fraczkowski,

The Jury of the 57th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, has awarded the Golden Lion for Best National Participation to German Pavilion. According to a  press statement received few hours ago from La Biennale di Venezia, the

Golden Lion for Best National Participation was given to Germany courtesy of Anne Imhof Commissioner: ifa (Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen) on behalf of the Federal Foreign Office. Curator: Susanne Pfeffer. Exhibitor: Anne Imhof. Venue: Giardini.

  The German Pavilion was picked "for a powerful

HERE... A Photography Rescue-Mission For Rape Victims

By Tajudeen Sowole

With statistics indicating 95 per cent assailants being males, and females making up 80 per cent of the victims, with 60 per cent said to be below 18 years of age, there is indeed an alarming rate of sexual violence in Nigeria. This is not help by a culture of silence, rights abuses and denial.

 

A photography piece from the HERE Campaign exhibition

These statistics, written boldly on the wall, as part of the exhibits at Stand To End Rape Initiative (STER) photography exhibition titled HERE Campaign bring onto the public space the importance of collective efforts to confront the growing monster known as sexual violence. Still ongoing till May 14, 2017 at Revolving Art Incubator (RAI), Silverbird Galleria, Victoria Island, Lagos, the exhibition is centrally in photography, but it has sound and dolls installations as well.

  As a social intervention, the exhibition also adds to the vocabulary of photography as a  powerful medium 

Strokes, empathy of Ukenedo for Silent Voices

Oju Loro Wa (30 x 49) painting by Chamberlin Ukenedo

Standing for something comes with boldness of expression, even with palette knife or brush strokes of an artist. For Chamberlin Ukenedo, the canvas is a natural tool in representing the voiceless of his immediate environment. 
  And perhaps, the ideal place to make the cries of the neglected people heard is the heart of the affluents, where, most likely, policy makers dwell. With about 24 paintings, Ukenedo is currently engaging the privileged class and others - whose action or inaction makes the difference - in his solo art exhibition titled Silent Voices, showing till May 6, 2017 at Quintessence Gallery, Ikoyi, Lagos. 
  In figurative of mostly portraiture kind, Ukenedo pours his mind onto the canvas, representing what he says are the "unheard voices of my environment."

 From losing his father in what looked like unauthorised medical evaluation, to other similar situations that often lead low income earners into avoidable tragedy, Ukenedo is being inspired to render images of people who

Cameroonian, Edjabe four others announced as 57th Venice Biennale Jury

Francesca Alfano Miglietti (Italy), Manuel J. Borja-Villel (Spain), Amy Cheng (Taiwan), Ntone Edjabe (Cameroon) and Mark Godfrey (Great Britain) have been announced as the Jury for the 57th Venice Bienniale, holding in Italy from May 13 -November 26 2017.
 Nigeria is participating at the event as a debutant country, showing the works of artists Peju Alatise, Victor Ehikhamenor and dance dramatist- performance artist, Qudus Onikeku.
 According to a statement received few hours ago from Visual Art  Press Office La Biennale di Venezia, the

Sotheby’s Modern, Contemporary African Art Auction debuts with Nigerian, South African, other Artists

Estimated as the most expensive £650,000 and £850,000 El Anatsui's Earth Developing....

Ben Enwonwu, Bruce Onobrakpeya, Uche Okeke, El Anatsui, Yinka Shonibare , Abiodun Olaku are among other African artists whose works have been slated to make the maiden edition of Sotheby’s auction of Modern and Contemporary African Art, which will take place in London on 16 May 2017.

  According to Sotheby’s website  the auction will include some of the best-known contemporary artists from across the continent. Among the artists are, William Kentridge,