Art Show @ Nimbus Gallery (Starts May 18)

I remember when I first moved back and was often parched for something fun and artsy to do over the weekend. Well, how things have changed. This weekend is shaping up quite nicely.

Here's something else for you art lovers out there.

12 artists of the new firebrand group will exhibit and show a documentary film on Yusuf Grillo, David Dale, Nike Okundaye, JD Ojeikere.

Opening: Friday, May 18
Venue: Nimbus Art Gallery
Time: 5PM

Exhibiting Artists: Agbezin Dele George, Akintoye Segun Shiigo, Arueya Joel, Bob-Nosa Nwagboe, Dimkpa Sunday, babalola Lawson, Lucky Isaiah, Linda Adeniyi, Muyiwa Owoeye-Wise, Omede Marvin, Abayomi Sokenu, Tina Adebowale

Exhibition at Nimbus Art Gallery (April 20 - May 2)

You are invited to the opening of Ambivalence: An Endotelic Exhibition of Paintings & Sculptures by Emmah Mbanefo on Friday, April 20, 2012, at Nimbus Art Gallery, 9, Maitama Sule Street,Ikoyi, Lagos (5.00 pm prompt). The exhibition goes on till May 2.

Artist Peju Alatishe @ Nike Art Gallery, Lekki (March 24 - 31)

If you've never been to the Nike Art Gallery in Lekki, this is a good time to go. The artist Peju Alatishe has an exhibition there from March 24 to 31.

Nike Art Gallery is located at the 3rd roundabout on the Lekki-Epe Expressway, at 2 Elegushi Road.

I've been to the gallery just once and it was an overwhelming experience for me, because I tried to take in everything the gallery had to offer in one fell swoop. You can't do that and appreciate all the art work there, simply because there is just so much art. I recommend seeing bits at a time.

Nokterra Auction House presents Art Auction - March 26

Nokterra Auction House announces Auction of 101 Original Works.

Date: 26th March, 2012

Venue: Marmundo, 19b Olosa Street, Victoria Island, Lagos

There's a preview dinner from March 16th to the 25th at 5PM.

Call 0803.307.4428 to RSVP or check tribesartafrica.com for more information.

Omenka Gallery presents: Reconstruction in Reverse

Omenka Gallery presents Reconstruction in Reverse, a photographic exhibition.

Reconstruction in Reverse is an exciting and challenging exhibition analyzing the role and impact each individual Nigerian has on our collective identity as a nation and how we define ourselves in an increasingly contemporary world.

RECONSTRUCTION in REVERSE or deconstruction brings together portraits of the famous, infamous and non famous, but just as important! The intimacy of portraiture will enable the audience to gain an increased perspective and understanding on issues relating to self discovery and awareness.

The exhibition employs deconstruction as a strategy of critical analysis and seeks to challenge the displaced and misinterpreted Nigerian identity forced on us by addressing commonly held social stereotyping and assumptions. In constructing the photographic identities of the subject many of the portraits on view are taken in various environments and situations which provide a graphic beauty and simplicity as well as a distinctive narrative content in the theatricality of human action.

The exhibition will feature thirteen of Nigeria’s prominent contemporary photographers including Adolphus Okpara, Ebikware Okiy, Isaac Emokpae, Jide Adeniyi-Jones, Jide Alakija, Kelechi Amadi-Obi, Lolade Cameron-Cole, Mudi Yahaya, Nnamdi Ijiomah, Tam Fiofori, TY Bello, Uche James-Iroha and Yetunde Ayeni-Babaeko.

Exhibition started on November 6 and ends on November 12 at Omenka Gallery, 24, Ikoyi Crescent, Ikoyi, Lagos. RSVP: +234 (0)803.312.9276, (0)808.366.1101

Water Colour, Pastel & Drawing Exhibition - Omenka Gallery

The Omenka Gallery cordially invites you to a Water Colour, Pastel & Drawing Exhibition 2010.

The exhibition is scheduled as follows:

Date: It opens at 4pm on Saturday, August 14 and runs till Saturday August 21, 2010
Venue: Omenka Gallery, 24, Ikoyi Crescent, Ikoyi, Lagos
Time: 10:00am to 6:00pm daily

Ben Enwonwu Foundation: Young Artist of the Year

The Ben Enwonwu Foundation (BEF) cordially invites you to an art competition for children, the Ben Enwonwu Foundation Young Artist of the Year (BEFYART) 2010.

The competition is scheduled as follows:

Date: June 10, 2010

Venue: National Museum, Onikan, Lagos

Time: 11:00am

There will be side attractions including music, cultural performances and comedy.

For more information, visit the BEF website target="_blank", www.benenwonwufoundation.org, or call +234(1)7379753 - 5 or +234-8033129276.

Exhibition of Paintings & Drawings: Obi Nwaegbe

The Ben Enwonwu Foundation cordially invites you to ‘Tainted Visions’, an exhibition of paintings and drawings by Obi Nwaegbe.

Date: Friday, April 16 (opens at 4PM) - Friday, April 23, 2010

Venue: Omenka Gallery, 24, Ikoyi Crescent, Ikoyi, Lagos

Apply for the 2010 African Women Artisans Training Workshops

Vital Voices welcomes applications and nominations for participation in our African Women Artisans Product & Development Program 2010 Training Workshops with support from the ExxonMobil Foundation.

This workshop will provide women artisan business owners and business leaders with information and expertise in product and export development. Vital Voices will cover all program and travel costs.

The workshop will hold in Lagos,Nigeria from July 19-23, 2010.

Applications are due by Monday, May 3rd, 2010.

Visit the Vital Voices website for more information.

Photographic Exhibition: '101 Reasons NOT to Visit Lagos'

(Click image to enlarge)

The Ben Enwonwu Foundation cordially invites you to RE: 101 Reasons NOT to Visit Lagos, a photographic exhibition and visual commentary on modern Lagos by Olayinka Oluwakuse III.

Where: Wednesday December 9, 2009 (5PM prompt)
Where: The Civic Center, Ozumba Mbadiwe Road, Victoria Island, Lagos

'October Rain' Art Exhibition

For art lovers:

The Society of Nigerian Artists Lagos cordially invites you to its 11th annual juried art exhibition, October Rain 2009.
The exhibition will open on Saturday 17th October 2009 at 4.00 pm at the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos, and continues until Thursday 22nd October 2009.

9th Lagos Book and Art Festival

I got this a little while ago about the 9th Lagos Book and Art Festival.

Theme: Literacy As Democracy Dividend
Date: November 9 - 11, 2007
Venue: National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos

Arthouse Parties
- Opening Reception - 50 Years Of Things Fall Apart, 10 AM, Friday, November 9, 2007. Groundbreaking ceremony for the series of worldwide anniversary events for Africa's greatest novel-starting January 2008.
- Book Presentation - A Voyage Around Wole Soyinka, by Gerd Meuer, 11AM, Friday, November 9, 2007

Colloqium: 12 Noon, Friday, November 9, 2007
Theme: Constructing a Nation: 40 Years after the first shot in Biafra
Reviews, readings and discussions of novels, drama and non-fiction works including Ekwensi's Divided We Stand, Chimamanda Adichie's Half Of A Yellow Sun, Dulue Mbachu's War Games, Olusegun Obasanjo's My Command, Eddie Iroh's Toads Of War, Chukwuemeka Ike's Sunset At Dawn and Rasheed Gbadamosi's Echoes From The Lagoon.

International Dialogue: 2.30 PM, Friday, November 9, 2007
Theme: Challenges of Liberal Democracy In Africa, William Mervin Gumede, author of Thabo Mbeki and The Battle For The Soul of the ANC spars with Dare Babarinsa, author of House Of War

Panel Discussion : 12 Noon, Saturday, November 10, 2007
Theme: Mending the Damage: Literature and the Niger Delta
A panel discussion on Literatures borne out of the Niger Delta crisis. Discussants include Oronto Douglas (Where Vultures Feast), Ken Wiwa (In the Shadow Of A Saint), Ahmed Yerima (Hard Ground), Nicholas Shaxson (Poisoned Wells), and Kaine Agary (Yellow Yellow)

Arthouse Parties - Part 2: 2 - 3 PM, Saturday, November 10,2007
Music, Wine and Dance For Fatai Rolling Dollar at 80, Bruce Onobrakpeya at 75, Femi Asekun at 75, Tunde Oloyede at 60, Yemi Ogunbiyi at 60.
Bandstand: Fata Rolling Dollar, Seyi Solagbade, Adunni Nefretiti

Symposium: 3 PM, Saturday, November 10, 2007
Theme: Writing In: Tales from the Diaspora
The emerging Nigerian literature outside the borders of Nigeria Features discussions of Segun Afolabi's Caine award winning short story Monday Morning, Biyi Bandele's The Street, Chimamanda Adichie's The Thing Around Your Neck, Diana Evans' 26A, Helen Oyeyemi's Icarus Girl and Diran Adebayo's Some Kind Of Black

Art Stampede: 2 PM, Sunday, November 11, 2007
The Myth and Realities Of A Golden Age Of Book Reading
Chair: Uncle Steve Rhodes
Panelists: Rasheed Gbadamosi, *Mobolaji Adenubi, *Akin Adesokan, *Dulue Mbachu
(* Not yet confirmed)

From: Toyin Akinosho, Secretary, Committee For Relevant Art (CORA)

The Jero Plays

Yesterday the Season of Wole Soyinka came to an astounding close with The Jero Plays, which was two plays in one, The Trials of Brother Jero and Jero's Metamorphosis. I'd never read nor seen either performed and totally enjoyed it. A friend told me that it was his least favourite play because it satirizes Christianity. Indeed it did. But perhaps not so much Christianity, but the slavish devotion and unquestioning loyalty that many display towards their spiritual celebrities. The celebrity in this set of plays is the fraudster masquerading as a man of God, Brother Jero.

The play was nicely adapted to modern times and referenced many incidents in Nigerian current affairs. It zinged with wit. One thing that never fails to amaze me about certain books or plays I have read that comment on the societies of their times (Jane Austen comes to mind) is how even though they might have been written so many years ago, many of the observations are still so relevant and on point today. At several junctures throughout the play the lady behind me would exclaim to her friends "You mean that Wole Soyinka noticed all this back then?", or "So all this was happening back then!" There's truly nothing new under the sun I guess.

I attended the 6pm show and the hall - very unlike the first week - was bursting to capacity. Even before the show started, hordes of people thronged outside the hall waiting to get in. And this wasn't a music concert. Unbelievable!

A Season of Soyinka

There's a Wole Soyinka tribute going on at Terra Kulture in honour of the noble laureate's 73rd birthday. All through the month of July, there will be a stage adaptation of a Wole Soyinka play. The tribute entitled A Season of Soyinka started yesterday with a play - the only one not written by Wole Soyinka - called Who's Afraid of Wole Soyinka?.

The play, written by Wole Oguntokun, is a sharp and witty look at the Abacha regime, which satirises real-life characters and events. The eponymous hero never makes an appearance, although there are many references to him. The mention of his name always provokes a strong reaction from the characters, whether it is one of fear, admiration or dislike.

I went in not knowing what the play would be about and loved that I really enjoyed it. It was a shame though that there were so few people at the show that I attended. I've become keenly aware that the arts are generally considered to be a luxury and a priviledge to be enjoyed mostly by the elite. However, there are so many art events that I have attended that didn't cost the earth or were (even better) free. For instance, I went to the Committee for Relevant Arts (CORA)'s annual book and arts fair last year, which was free. Terra Kulture also has exhibitions on and these are free too.

For many artists who I have spoken to, financial gain - while necessary - tends to be far less important than the process of expressing themselves through their art and finding an appreciative audience. Therefore, it must be tough to pour so much passion into works that do not reach as many people as they could. Or perhaps I am wrong. I have also heard some artists say that even if no one read their books, listened to their music or saw their artwork, they would keep on producing them nevertheless because they have stories inside them that they need to tell.

Anyway, A Season of Soyinka continues at Terra Kulture every Sunday this month with 2 shows at 3PM and 6PM. You missed one great play, so please try and check out some of the others.

July 8: The Lion and the Jewel
Directed by Tunji Sotimirin

July 15: Death and the King's Horseman
Directed by Segun Adefila

July 22: Camwood on the Leaves
Directed by Lekan Balogun

July 29: The Jero Plays
Directed by Wole Oguntokun

Ore Visits an Art Gallery

Yesterday a friend invited me to an art exhibition at Didi Museum. I promised that I would stop by if I could. I love art, though I don't know much about it. Like most lay people would say "I just know what I like!".

I got there and signed-in at the reception. The guy manning the desk asked me if I was an artist.

- No! Not at all!, I responded.

- Really? You look like an artist.

I laughed.

- What does an artist look like?

- Like you!

Alrighty then!

The main exhibition room was pretty bare aside from the gorgeous paintings, the artist and a handful of reporters. I would say that there were about 7 news people and my friend and I. I can't remember if this was the opening day or not. I guess it must have been if the reporters were there. But do people not attend art shows? Or perhaps there wasn't wide publicity for the event, afterall I wouldn't have known about it had my friend (who incidentally is also an artist) invited me.

As I was getting ready to leave, a reporter inquired if she could ask me a few questions about the exhibition. Panic time! Because, like I said, I know zero about art. The camera man turned his lens on me and beads of sweat started to gather at my brow as the reporter started asking her questions.

- What do I think about the exhibition?

- Mmmm.. The paintings are absolutely beauiful.

- What do you like about the artist's work?

- I love his use of colour and how he portrays movement. I like how his work is open to interpretation. You can't look at each painting and say "This is what the artist is trying to depict." (My brother later told me that the word I was struggling to find was "abstract." I knew that!)

- How do you think the arts movement has progressed in Nigeria over the last few years?

Haba! Does this woman think that I am an art critic?????

- I think that there it's actually been quite vibrant over the years and there has always been a core group of people who appreciate art. However, it doesn't always seem to have gotten the attention that it should have. I remember going to art exhibitions with my family when I was much younger and that there were always a lot of people in attendance. I don't remember that there were a lot of places to view art though. So, I think that the arts movement in Nigeria has always been very strong but contained to a small group of people.

- Okay, so how do you compare that to art in Nigeria now?

My God, lady! Let this be the last hard question you ask me.

- Hmmm, well, I think there is now a wider appreciation for the arts. Yes, there have always been supporters of the arts, but I think it's gathered more speed and recognition now. For instance, there are more places that you can go to view art. Aside from here [Didi Museum], you have Nike Art Gallery and Terrakulture.

If there were some other questions, I honestly cannot remember them, or I have blocked them out. LOL!

Afterwards, I 'confessed' that I didn't know much about art (like that wasn't already so obvious).

- Really? But you did so well. You knew about colour and movement.

I felt like a 3-year old who had been patted on the head for going potty solo for the first time (Wait! Is 3 years old even the right age to potty-train? Okay, so I'm rather clueless about babies too!). I guess making people feel better about their lack of knowledge and incoherent ramblings must be an important part of her job. I asked her what station she worked for. She replied "Galaxy."

Thank the good Lord! I don't think anybody watches that station anyway.