Reminiscing on the booming days of Nigerian art

'Anyanwu' by
Benedict Enwuonwu

Nigerian art has come a long way. A look at the heydays of Nigerian art will bring to mind names like Akinola Lasekan, Uche Okeke, Yusuf Grillo, Benedict Enwuonwu, and  of course, Bruce Onobrakpeya. 

From 1900, these aforementioned artists and more, charted the course as pioneers of modern Nigerian art. Beginning with Aina Onabolu, who was the ‘father of modern Nigerian Art’. Onabolu, a self-trained portrait painter, was the first Nigerian artist to be trained abroad. Returning in 1923, Onabolu made a lot of efforts to see to the inclusion of art in the educational curriculum of our schools. Even though, challenges were encountered, his doggedness led to the production and discovery of more artists, thereby ensuring the reawakening of many artistic potentials.

Making a recall of the beautiful years of the past in Nigerian art will no doubt garnish one’s brain with fond memories. It was during those period that Prof. Benedict Enwuonwu was discovered by Kenneth C. Murray, an expartriate teacher employed by the government, at Umuahia Government College. Enwuonwu was flown abroad on scholarship courtesy of Shell company, studying first at Goldsmith College., followed by Ashmolen, Oxford, and then later the famed Slade School of Art in London., all in Britain. After his academic sojourn abroad, Enwuonwu returned back to the country in 1948. Upon his return, he was appointed an Art Supervisor by the Federal Government, and later rose to the position of Art adviser. Benedict Enwuonwu is no doubt one of the best artists to ever come out from Africa nay Nigeria. He was the first internationally acclaimed artist, whose talent and skills put Nigeria on the art world map.

In 1951, an Art Club arising from the involvement of the students of Keffi Government College in painting and drawing of the ‘Flame of the Forest’ trees, was born. This was inspired by an expartriate teacher named Dennis Duerden who was posted to teach in the school. On several occasions, the man would sit under the luxurious mango shades to paint or draw the ‘burning’ trees which was punctuated in the background by the students’ grey round mud huts. He was later joined by the curious students, who were impressed by his ability. Even the wife of the Lieutenant-Governor of the Northern region of Nigeria, Mrs Sherwood Smith, joined them occasionally. This activity gave birth to the first regional art festival at Kaduna community centre, during which most of the students won prizes for their various paintings. An ‘Art school’ was born and the most favourite subject was the ‘Flame trees’. Equipment increased and students’ participation grew. Whenever the students felt the urge to paint or draw, they will retire into the art room. Some even painted in the night! They were doing real art. Their works which were exhibited in various places in Nigeria, United Kingdom and United States, drew a lot of good comments from art critics.

One of the most memorable events that shaped the Modern Nigerian art history was the ‘Zaria revolution’. They were a group of artists popularly called the ‘Zaria rebels’, who pushed against the dominance of white staff in the department of Fine Art in the then Nigerian College of Art, Science and Technology (Now Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria). These artists which include names like the late Simon Okeke, Solomon Wangboje, Grillo, Jimoh Buraimoh, Nwagbara and some others were also against the curriculum which was Western in outlook and practice. Their efforts led to, among other things, the infusion of Nigerian traditional motifs and designs in their works, thereby developing Nigerian and African identity. Nigerian art during these past years were worthy of mention and also enjoyed good amount of awareness and patronages., thanks to efforts of the pioneer artists, whom today, are acclaimed masters. Most of them exhibited abroad, and their works are in both private and public collections within and outside Nigeria.

Regrettably, the reverse is the case today, as there are not many art practitioners and scholars. Artists are among the least represented professionals in our society today. This is also reflected in the educational sector where the ratio of art students in comparison to other students is roughly 5:20. This shows that there is a sharp decline in the number of art scholars. Ironically, some people with art potentials don’t want to study the discipline formally.

Culled from: https://www.sunnewsonline.com/reminiscing-on-the-booming-days-of-nigerian-art/

Ngaire Blankenberg to lead National Museum of African Art

Ngaire Blankenberg

The Smithsonian has named Ngaire Blankenberg as the next director of the Museum of African Art. Blankenberg, a member of the African diaspora and a longtime arts consultant with a history of helping museums and cultural organizations become more inclusive and engaged with their surrounding communities and the world at large, assumed leadership of the Washington, DC, institution July 6. She succeeds interim director Deborah Mack, who stepped in after Augustus Casely-Hayford left the post in March 2020. “The National Museum of African Art embodies the Smithsonian’s mission to foster understanding, inspire dialogue and bring people together irrespective of language, culture or border,” said Lonnie Bunch, the Secretary of the Smithsonian, in a statement. “Ngaire’s leadership and experience will be invaluable in using the museum’s unparalleled collections and scholarship of African Art to further our reach, diversify our audiences and have a more profound impact on the nation and world.” Blankenberg holds a BA in journalism from Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and an MA in media and cultural studies from the University of Natal, in Durban, South Africa. In recent years, she has helped a number of organizations come up with decolonization plans and assisted them with concept development and public engagement strategies. Among these are Ottawa’s National Gallery of Canada, Miami’s Superblue, Johannesburg’s Museum and Archive of the Constitution at the Hill, Winnipeg’s Canadian Museum for Human Rights, and Geneva’s Musée d’ethnographie. Previously, Blankenberg was head of strategy at Amsterdam design agency Kossmanndejong, and before that she served as director of Lord Cultural resources, after assisting that outfit as a consultant for nearly a decade. “Museums are institutions that carry a lot of systemic baggage from their colonial origins, but they are vital public spaces to reconsider how we connect and contend with one another and the planet, and where we can redefine, heal and reconcile,” she noted in a statement. “The National Museum of African Art sits physically in a city with one of the biggest populations of African peoples in the U.S. Digitally it reaches far into the diaspora. I am so grateful for the trust being placed in me to continue to care for, build, interpret and share NMAfA’s fantastic collection, particularly in this new era of US-African relations.”

Society of Nigerian Artists set to elect New leader

Muhammad Sulaiman

 As the next congress of Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) holds, virtually, on July 10, 2021, a sole candidate, Muhammad Sulaiman for the professional body's office of the president seems like a concluded "arrangement."

The election was earlier scheduled to hold June 27, but shifted for about two weeks. There have been quite a number of reasons — including suspicion of plans to rock the boat of the "arranged election"— that led to the postponement.

Founded in 1963, SNA was formally inaugurated in January 1964 with Yusuf Grillo as President and Tayo Aiyegbusi, Vice-President. The group is currently being led by Oliver Enwonwu whose tenure expired two years ago. 

Quite a number of issues had led to the postpon- ement of the professional body of artists' delayed elections. Among such was the Covid-19 pandemic crisis of last year. Also, could it be that the arrange- ment for a sole candidate was built on feeble basement, which perhaps led to the shift in date? "Not at all," Enwonwu replied during a chat on the delayed elections.

Running with Sulaiman as Vice is Dotun Alabi, a former SNA Chairman, Lagos State Chapter. The current president, Enwonwu, coincidentally, was also elected as a candidate from the Lagos Chapter in 2012.

And why a sole presidential candidate for such a professional body of artists whose membership cuts across practitioners of full-time studio practice and within and outside the academia? The consideration for "balance," a source who did not want his name mentioned disclosed. The northern part of Nigeria, the source explained, has not produced SNA president since the body was founded nearly 60 years ago "despite having so many members as artists from that part of the country."

  

Dotun Alabi, Vice Presidential candidate in SNA general elections 2021.

Some kind of "arrangement" in electoral process to produce the president of SNA has an antecedence. In 1989, Dele Jegede was elected as President of SNA ending his tenure in 1992 in what was described then as "a coup" necessary for "rescue mission" aimed at saving the group from a protra- cted crisis. Again, when there was return of unreso- lved crisis with SNA for many years, Kolade Oshinowo got elected in another alleged "arranged election."

  

Who is Sulaiman, (fsna)?

Excerpts from his bio/CV;

He has exhibited his works in notable cities (Paris – France, Philadelphia, Los Angeles – USA, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Colombo – Sri Lanka, Nanjing – China, etc.) across the globe with his most recent in Abuja, Nigeria in 2017.

He is the President of the Abuja International Open Art Expo, one of the fastest growing art events outfits in Nigeria with exhibiting artists from around the globe. This indeed puts him at the forefront of art exchange in Nigeria.

Muhammad’s efforts in practicing and promoting art events between Nigeria and China, earned him the prestigious Chinese Government's Award for Cultural Exchange in 2013. President, China Alumni Association of Nigeria;

  Fellow’s Award SNA, July 2014; Distinguished Painter of the Nanjing Painting and Calligraphy Academy, China, 27th June 2012; and Disting- uished Ambassador of Nigerian Art in 2011; Award of Service, University of Abuja Nigeria in 2014. 

He has been the past President, Rotary Club of Asokoro, Abuja;  Chairman Society of Nigerian Artists FCT; and Director, Open Mic Nigeria, Abuja.

 

Muhammad Sulaiman is Head, Public Relations and Bilaterals at the FCTA Arts and Culture, SDS, Abuja.