A-ARTs: Sculptors’ association converges for Elixir 3 exhibition

'Passion of Rage' (mixed media, 28" x 8" x 12", dated 2024 ) by Henry Unuigboje.

PROF Nelson Edewor, Dr Olusola Kukoyi. Dr Kunle Adeyemi, Dr Adeola Balogun. Dr Ken Njoku, Dr Taiwo Sullyman, Akeem Muraina. Ato Arinze. Anthonia Okogwu, Kenny Badaru and Obadan Chris are artists who share something in common as regards sculpture.

Apart from the fact that the artists are members of Sculptors’ Association of Nigeria (ScAN), they have converged for a group art exhibition titled Elixir 3, holding from October 6-11, 2024 at National Museum Onikan Lagos.

The curator of Elixir 3, Moses Ohiomokhare stated that the gathering of the artists has something worth seeing, particularly for art lovers, critics and collectors. "Elixir 3 does not claim finality, but adding their voices and visions to new issues in the field and our environment. They have responded to social stimuli and aesthetic demands, giving their works visibility and authorship. Sculptors’ Association of Nigeria, in this third outing in the last six years, have used their skills to create worthwhile pieces. They have applied an enormous variety of media to evoke our emotional responses. We see in this exhibition forms in metal, clay, stone, fiber, wood, plaster, glass, rubber and random found objects. They have also employed a wide range of techniques to support their artistic identity."

In his Foreword for the catalogue of Elixir 3, titled A Testament of Character, Growth, Continuity And Consistency, President of ScAN, Prof Edewor wrote:

"The routine of exhibiting by an art association is an integral part of its existence, relevance and ultimately builds its character. The Sculptors’ Association of Nigeria ScAN founded in 2018, is 6 years on. As a young association, it has presented itself as a formidable group, enthused with the tenet of art practice, organization and promotion. This makes her a central player in the aesthete-economy of Nigerian art space. Indeed, she prides herself as one of the art associations in Nigeria that has kept faith thus far with her values and mission: a rich bouquet of appreciation to the founding fathers.

"As President in the past three years, I am most and profoundly humbled at her strides in the few years it has hit the Nigerian art space; three national exhibitions in a row, two international sculpture conferences, a national clay sculpture workshop, active participation in annual International Sculpture Day (ISD) celebrations, collaboration with other art organizations in exhibitions, an active journal in its kitty, several quarterly roundtable sessions where state of the arts and timely issues are disused, an active website, as well as two rounds of national executives, no doubt is a sign of a healthy resilience and formidable character of purpose.

"Elixir 3; its current national Biennial exhibition, is a testament to that growth, continuity and consistency. The etymology of Elixir flags the context of soothing and curative applications and approaches to impaired health. Health, they say is wealth. Its essence in human physiognomy is essential to individual and collective well-being and good performance. A sick body produces a dull mind, and invariably low productivity and lackluster. In elixir, a person is soothed and nurtured back to health. Therefore, the importance of restoration and potency to perform cannot be overemphasized when elixir agents run their complete circle.

"Sculpture like other art genres has four principal characters: documentation, expression, aesthetics and utilitarian. Within the realms of attaining these ultimate goals, the sculptor (artist) while exerting creative consciousness, sensitivity and sensibility is horned in material science, technical engineering, and formal sagacity and astuteness. These are ultimately hinged on a very high cerebral consciousness that aptly appropriates content which is meaning. This cerebral content is generated from experience, knowledge, training and awareness from physical and ethereal realities.

"In Elixir 3, ScAN’s third outing with the theme, speaks volumes in responding to the insidious self-inflicted ailing social condition aided by the twain of corruption and bad leadership in Nigeria. The indices of the dire and deteriorating social structure is further inundated by insecurity, economic deterioration, heightened ethnic imbalances leading to cessation agitations from different quarters of the country, perceived electoral theft, uncontrolled inflation leading to hunger with attendant riots and protests. These are no doubt cataclysmically injurious and have thus put the Nigerian state in such health condition that is deathly unwell. It is in a situation such as that, Elixir 3 catalyzes as sculpture spectacle by injecting her four cardinal characters as appease elements to human physiological and psychological draining occasioned by the debilitating conditions of national unwellness. In the works under display, history is invoked as documentation to draw attention to the realities thus inspiring change and caution. Also, the formal expressions as generated reinvents allure and order to sooth-stained nerves that may be impacted by mental health. Through this means, aesthetics is generated to inoculate new orientations that support positive thinking. Lastly, there is an intercourse of philosophy, reason and interpretative realism generated from the titles of the works presented. Thus, Elixir 3 promises to be another experience that will contribute immensely to the national debate.

"Furthermore, it is important to note that Elixir 3, in seeking to capture a wide spectrum of discourses this year has expanded the demography of its exhibiting sculptors. The inclusion of young graduates is aimed at realizing this aspect of listening to younger minds. Who knows, the answer to the national malady be with the younger generation since the older generation has failed.

"On this note, I welcome all art lovers, enthusiasts, collectors, managers, and other stakeholders to the show which produces the best in the genre of three-dimensionality.

I wish all viewers a curative experience in the 2024 Sculptors’ Association of Nigeria aesthete-healing home of Elixir 3."