Wednesday 30 March 2016

Douglas Camp Goes Primavera at October Gallery



 London, UK-based Nigerian sculptor, Sokari Douglas Camp, shows Primavera from April 7 – May 14, 2016 at October Gallery, London, U.K.
 
Primavera, 2015. Steel, gold leaf and acrylic paint, 201 x 72 x 162 cm. Photo: Jonathan Greet
The theme, Primavera brings together major new sculptures which focus on the reinterpretation of familiar figures from the European classical tradition. The large work Europe supported by Africa and America, recreates and adapts an 18th century engraving by William Blake. Other works reconfigure detailed scenes adapted from well-known Botticelli paintings, in which the instantly recognisable figures metamorphose into more modern icons of contemporary culture and society

Camp creates her works primarily in steel. Her often large-scale sculptures make frequent reference to her Nigerian roots, at the same time encompassing contemporary international issues. Douglas Camp is one of the winners of the memorial for Ken Saro-Wiwa in London, and was one of the shortlisted artists for the Fourth Plinth in 2003. In 2005, she was awarded a CBE in recognition of her services to art and she has had more than 40 solo shows worldwide. Her work is in the permanent collections of the National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D.C.; Setagaya Art Museum, Tokyo and the British Museum, London. 

Sunday 27 March 2016

Art of Charity From The Genesis Artists


By Tajudeen Sowole
Art took non-commercial venture on the lawn of a private residence in Ikoyi, Lagos Island, few days ago courtesy of Ovie Brume Foundation. 
 
Reflection by Abraham Uyovbisere.
The event, which was in form of s salon presentation and titled The Genesis could have passed for an A-grade regular art exhibition. On display were works of Abraham Uyovbisere, Ebenezer Akinola, Bimbo Adenugha, George Edozie, Gerald Chukwuma, Joahua Nmesirionye, Kunle Adegborioye, Osagie Rafael Aimufia, Segun Aiyesan and Wallace Ejoh.

 Artists like realism painters, Uyovbisere, Akinola and Adenugba in one exhibition, are perhaps, an uncommon combination, in recent times. With Horsemen At Dawn, Reflection IV and The Eye III, Uyovbisere's brush strokes keep confIrming the resilience of realism style painting, scross ages.

And in a monochrome, Reflection III, the artist's faintly flavour of impressionistic rendition is boosted with deep application of contrast lighting.

 Akinola's canvas is not much about the depth of classic of which he is known for, but his style of toning, which perhaps, is unique to him in Nigerian art space. Mostly captured in portraitures, his works for The Genesis gathering include Wanderers, Baba Ijesha, Guy and The Guard

  In Landscape and streetsccape, Eden, Enterprise, Vegetable Section and Somewhere in Lafiaji, Adenugba stresses the importance of light in creating great depth. In fact, the artist's consistence emphasis on light, as confirm in this show, is a signature blossoming through contemponeity.

 In his mastery of simplified forms of figural rendition, Edozie brings into The Genesis gathering Mrs and Mrs II, Onyema and Makua and Sugar Girls at Olosi. Still, in simplified style, the artist suggests that everyone has a view about Lagos, in a sea of buildings titled. Eko Si Kwalu Ike.

  The only sculptural forms of the exhibition come from Chukwuma, an artist whose signature is in canvas of wood panels. However, painting still wins the space as Covered, Metamorphosis and The Chord blend sculptural texture with painterly tone.
 Unpretentiously impressionistic in style, paintings by Nmesirionye such as Adorned, Green Seduction and Lost In The Crowd add to the diversity of textures at the exhibition. Three portraitures and one streetscape suggest that the artist ventilates more in eclectic renditions.
 
 Four pieces, Children of Paradise I and II, The Mood I and II, in bold collage tell the stories of the richness of African cultures across the continent. With different pictures in cut outs collage and paintings, in graphic technique, Adegborioye lend visual narratives to native African cultural values.

  The canvas as a tool in research, particularly in expressions or human behaviourial patterns attracts the attention of Aimufia. Curiously, his work in this context include ‘selfie-paintings’ titled Me and My Emotions and Fits of Passion II.

 Master of aging and texturised canvas, Aiyesan ironically, excarvates beauty from the depth of his roughened painting surface.  For example, an elongated neck feature of female portraiture Morenike’s beauty would melt a heart of stone.
 
Ebenezer Akinola’s Wanderers
Capturing women in the beauty room with impressionistic palette as Ejoh does in Friends and The Bride and Friends peeps into valuable time that ladies throw into the art of looking 'good'. His style and techniques in forms and lighting are perhaps what stand him out from the crowd of impressionists.

 For the artists, The Genesis, offered a double: sharing the value of creativity and charity. Coordinator of the exhibition, Uyovbisere discloses that "40 per cent" from the proceeds goes into charity in support of the Brume Foundation.

 In the catalogue of the exhibition, founder of Brume Foundation, Evelyn Oputu explains how art is an integral part of human development. "While art is sometimes relegated to a secondary role in human development, it is important in a number of ways, " Oputu, a former Managing Director at Bank of Industry (BOI) notes. "Every culture develops some form of art, which gives identity and purpose to its inhabitants through mutually understood symbols and serves as a means by which values and attitudes are passed down from one generation to the next."

 From such perspective, Oputu appeared to have taken Brume Foundation along the art journey. "The arts have always been an integral part of our activities at the Foundation, and in addition to holding weekly fine art classes for budding artists the Ovie Brume Youth Centre." The foundation, she adds, has "funded fine art scholarship at three leading art schools across the country."

The crust of the charity show, she seems to be stressing, is "to support the artistic process in order to encourage the current generation and develop the next generation of Nigerian artists."
  Named after Oviehire Adeyemi Kesiena Brume (July 21, 1973 – December 11, 2002), Brume Foundation’s mission statement include to: support and promote institutions that serve as catalysts for the accelerating development of the nation by helping to realise the vision for a Nigerian society. 

Listed among priorities are: encouraging Nigerian youths to develop themselves and support in their self development and societal endeavours; Promising young Nigerian adults who are principled and demonstrate creativity initiative and an aptitude for hard work, are groomed for leadership and supported and encouraged to reach higher levels of achievements; Entrepreneurs are provided with access to resources to facilitate the establishment of organizations that create value in the business environment; and, all who seek to improve themselves and society are given access to available information that aid accomplishing their goals.

Nigerian Museum Authority Lauds Pro-repatriation Protesters.


Holders of Nigerian origin artefacts in Europe may have local public sentiment to contend with in the future, so suggests anti-British imperialism protest in the U.K. The protest by students of Jesus College, Cambridge University, England over Okpa (the Benin bronze cockerel),  seems to be yielding interesting results. The work was said to have been on display at the school for quite a while.  
 
The controversial Okpa of Benin Cockerel

Nigeria's National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) has expressed joy on what it noted as the decision of Jesus College, in agreeing to bring down the Okpa from where it was mounted. The NCMM therefore seeks return of the sculpture.

 NCMM stated that the students of the college were worried about link of the Okpa to Britain’s colonial past and voted that the bronze cockerel that stands in the hall of the college be repatriated to Nigeria from where it was looted in the 19th century.

Sunday 20 March 2016

After 10th Art Dubai, Sustainability Challenge Lies Ahead


By Tajudeen Sowole, just back from Dubai, UAE.


IN its 10th year, Art Dubai, which held the 2016 edition a few days ago at Madinat Jumeirah, United Arab Emirates, took a retrospection of what has been described as one of the leading art hubs in the world. The yearly art fair goes into a second decade with much hope, perhaps bigger challenge.

 
Visitors in front of Abdoulaye Kanoute’s huge work at Art Dubai Contemporary
 From a regional beginning to global gathering, Art Dubai, indeed has every reason to take pride in its achievements so far. But sustaining further expansion or growth could be the real challenge ahead. 

A few hours before the formal opening, Director at Art Dubai, Antonia Carver told a packed hall of journalists and writers from across the world how the fair got this far and the focus to keep going, even stronger. The 10th edition, “is a special year,” Carver stated shortly after Director-General, Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, H.E. Saeed Mohamed Al Nabouda and the Managing Director, The Abraaj Group, Frederic Sicre each took turn in earlier speeches. Carver’s enthusiasm about the tenth edition was more than the significance of the year as a mere landmark figure in an event's anniversary celebration. With 94 galleries from 40 countries and 500 exhibited artists representing 70 cultures and diverse peoples across the world as well as seven new entrants, Art Dubai is no doubt a phenomenon as a gathering for art appreciation, in just one decade.
 
  However, art being what it is; delicate, classy and elitist, the rating of galleries and artists is crucial in the business of art. Reputation of participants, most often, goes with the experience gained over the years or decades. For Art Dubai, expanding the scope of the global art market by bringing the big galleries and emerging ones under one event has been one of the fair’s strongest points. This much, Carver stressed, saying “as much as we work with most established galleries, we always look for emerging ones.” Further success of Art Dubai, in the years ahead in sustaining a common space for established and emerging markets from across the world would be highly commendable and strengthen the fair’s unique identity.


  Any keen followers of Art Dubai would have confidence in the ability of the current pace of evolvement to go the marathon. In the last three editions, the direction of its curatorial contents that responded to the dynamics of global practice, was one of the event's score points. Sectionalising, which expanded its scope with Art Dubai Modern and Art Dubai Contemporary has brought a stronger ventilation into growing volume of expressions across textures of art practices.


  And whoever thought that art would continue to be another 'man's world' for a long time, Art Dubai 2016 has news for you: women made as much as  45 per cent of the participating artists. The figure, according to the organisers, represents a "higher percentage than the majority of other international art fairs."


  So far, among the beneficiaries of the expanding global contents of Art Dubai are galleries from Africa. For examples, the 10th edition featured Nubuke Foundation, Accra, Ghana, which showed the works of Daniel Kojo Schrade and George Afedzi Hughes; and Circle Art Gallery, Nairobi, Kenya, with the works of Ugandan artist, Geoffrey Mukasa on display. Last year, two Lagos, Nigeria-based exhibitors, Mydrim Gallery and Art Twenty One showed Bruce Onobrakpeya, Olu Amoda, among other African artists.

  At The Modern section where the works of Mukasa were on display, Director at Circle Art, Danda Jaroljmek was excited about the opportunity of showing at Art Dubai. “It’s exciting, showing here for the first time,” she told me. Largely of figural or portraiture rendition, Mukasa’s work, like most modernists of African origin, is the bold-in-your-face kind, with loud expressions in colour and form. For Circle, such an artist with established popularity was a good way to start after opening its permanent gallery space in Nairobi with the aim “to be the foremost exhibition space in East Africa.”  
 
A section of visitors during Art Dubai 2016

 In fact, the director boasted, “Mukasa is one of the biggest artists in East Africa that we believe is gaining more popularity after the art market started rising in that part of Africa two years ago.”

  Circle was founded in 2012 to provide what the promoters described as "a highly professional consultancy service to individual and corporate collectors and art institutions, as well as build audiences through curating ambitious pop-up exhibitions."


  For Nubuke, the 2016 edition was a second appearance, having participated in Marker, a Bisi Silva-led curated space, in 2013. And when the opportunity for being in the main exhibition came, the Contemporary space was a choice. Two artists from the Diaspora, perhaps, suggested that the ‘best’ of contemporary Ghanaian artists are based abroad, isn’t it? “It just happened that both of them are based outside,” director at Nubuke, Odile Tevie explained. “We promote artists both from within Ghana and those based outside; no discrimination.” More importantly, the availability of contents that met the requirement of the space, Tevie added, was also crucial. Recall that Nubuke showed Ghanaian modernist, Ablade Glover at Marker 2013.


  Few booths away from Nubuke, Nigerian-American contemporary portraitist, Kehinde Wiley’s exploding image of a phenomenon artist adds freshness to the space. The work, portrait of a lad was shown by Paris, France-based Galerie Daniel Tempton. 

  Despite the fact that no gallery based in Nigeria showed at Art Dubai 2016, the country was not exactly missing: from far away India, Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai showed Nnenna Okore, among the artists on display at the Modern section. Two wall pieces of burlap and wire titled The Sun Should Rise Again and Strings Attached, which were on display - among other artists' smaller works - extended Okore’s identity of an artist whose contemporaneity keep emphasising the strength of materials in contextual term. Her presence at Dubai courtesy of Sakshi was as a result of a relationship dated many years back, said the proprietor of the gallery, Geetha Mehra. “It started in 2009 when we showed her work and El Anatsui’s in Mumbai.” The connection, Mehra disclosed was made possible by Silva. 


  Next to Sakhi Gallery, was another African artist Abdoulaye Kanoute being showing by London, UK-based Blain Southern Gallery, Kanoute, a Malian, had on display a massive collage of prints, layered in colours. The works, according to the gallery, was an extension of the artis’s project in Brazil, last year.

 The synergy that has existed between iconic modern cities and art over the decades - perhaps century in the case of Venice Biennale - is being confirmed by the success of Art Dubai, which stressed how contemporary business environment gets strength from the creative sector. Sicre stated this much when he argued, “no city can survive without art and culture.” The Abraaj Group has been a major sponsor of Art Dubai in the last nine editions.


 And the expansion continued this year with three debutants: Dubai Photo Exhibition of works from 23 countries, selected by Zelda Cheatie-led 18 curators; Piaget Exhibition, which showed 'exclusive and rare' pieces in jewelries from private collections of the 70s and 80s; and Sikka Art Fair in support of and showcasing of Emirati and Dubai-based artists.


 Organised by Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, Art Dubai started with focus on art of the Mddle East, South East Asia and expanded to other regions, including Africa and South America. 

Monday 14 March 2016

How Affordable Debut Expanded African Art Market


By Tajudeen Sowole
A third art sale for the leading art auctioneer in Nigeria, Arthouse Contemporary seemed to have proven that, indeed, the fledgling Lagos art market is sustainable. The maiden edition of what the auction house describes as Affordable - held at Kia Showroom, Victoria Island, Lagos - has produced a relatively impressive sale.

   
Kolade Oshinowo’s The Family, Oil On Board, 2009, 25 X 30.5cm (9(3/4) X 12)

According to the results of the auction, 72 percent of the lots were sold in the sales that featured lots from leading modern and contemporary artists.

   
In an exclusive chat last year, the CEO of Arthouse, Mrs Kavita Chellaram had disclosed plans for Affordable art auction. Arthouse has been organising bi-annual auctions of modern and contemporary art in May and November since 2008.

  
 Having come this far and established a reputation for premium art sales, an auction dedicated to low prices appeared like a descend down the graph that might not work out well, so some observers argued. But few days ago, after the auction, Mrs Chellaram expressed satisfaction with the results: "Yes I am." Apart from the figures recorded for the sales, she revealed that more than half of the buyers were new collectors, indicating fresh participants that have been inspired by the Affordable sale. "The most important was that 50 % of the buyers were new clients."

  
 Indeed, with a total of N31, 050, 000 million naira ($155,250) recorded during the auction, the increasing value in African art appreciation has been stressed. 


 How did Arthouse arrive at Affordable? Since 2008 when the auction house started a new phase in the Nigerian secondary art market, the premium and lower priced works of art have been thriving under the same hammer. But the behaviou of collectors, particularly in the November 2015 edition of the bi-annual auction, had the premium sales stressed the need to get a divorce from the middle and low prices. At N130, 611, 250 million naira recorded for just 65 per cent of lots sold, the November 2015 sent the signal of an expanding demand by collectors for more premium prices. Ironically, at 65 per cent lots sold, the auction recorded one of its lowest number of art sales since inception eight years ago.

   
The top sales that confirmed a growing value in the premium included Ben Enwonwu’s Untitled, oil on board, dated 1976, sold for N22,500,000 (USD$112,500); El Anatsui’s Tabula Rasa, a new wood panel work, for N12,375,000 (USD$61,876) and another Anatsui’s 2002 wood work Fragmented Thoughts II,  for N10,687,500 (USD$53,438).

  
 As the tag Affordable clearly explains, mega sales were not expected. But whoever expected that the auction would be exclusive for non-old masters and relatively known artists got it wrong.

    
For the debut edition of Affordable, each lot was priced at an estimate below NGN 500,000. The spirit behind the new auction, according Expert at Arthouse, Nana Sonoili, was to "showcase a broader scope of contemporary artists." She added hat it was also aimed at engaging emerging markets and the rise of a new collector base.

  
If the old masters - living and departed - had edge in dominating top of the sales in previous and general auctions, the Affordable appeared to have created a level playing field with prices pegged at below N500, 000 naira. This, perhaps, led to a new texture in top sales, which included Rom Isichei’s Rejuvenation (2011), an oil on board sold for NGN 1,322,500 ($6,613) competing with Ben Osawe’s Mask (1985), a gouache on paper, for NGN 920,000 ($4,600); and Kolade Oshinowo’s The Family (2009), an oil on board sold for NGN 782,000 ($3,910).

  
With the results of Affordable, Isichei. (b.1966) has confirmed his status as a bridge between the old masters and contemporary artists. Recall that his work titled  Re-Figuration Of The White Headband (2014 oil on canvas 190.5 x 122 cm. (75 x 48 in.), sold for N4, 950,000, at the November 2015 auction.  In fact, the sale was Isichei's Nigerian auction record.

   
The Affordable appears like an opportunity to expand the reach of contemporary artists in the secondary market. Perhaps the new auction enjoyed more consignments directly from artists?  "Yes," Chellaram confirmed. She however added that "we did have from the secondary market as well."

Also,  Sonoiki explained that another benefit of the Affordable was as an opportunity for many artists to show at auction "for the first time, including works by leading modern masters and Africa’s most prominent artists —- all scaled to a more affordable and accessible price point." She added that the auction was however made possible with the supports of Ecobank, Kia Motors and Luxeria.

 The Affordable art auction also included three charity lots in support of the Society of Nigerian Artists, which raised NGN 506,000 ($2,530) with all proceeds going directly to their fundraising campaign to expand their operations

    
With the feat of last November, the auction house boasted: "Arthouse's bi-annual auctions have cemented themselves as an integral platform for the development of the African art market."

   
Signs of a possible expansion of the Nigerian secondary art market started showing during the 14th edition of the bi-annual sales in May last year. Results of the auction showed how figures accrued from 116 lots reached over N124 million naira. It was the largest art sales for any art auction event in Nigeria as at May 2015.

Saturday 12 March 2016

'People's Paradise' by Gerald Chukwuma opens in Lagos


 Gerald Chukwuma brings gospel of peace into with People's Paradise, a solo exhibition, showing from March 21 till April 30, 2016  at Temple Muse, Victoria Island, Lagos.
   
Princess II (burnt wood panel, 46'' x 60'', 2015)
 Chukwuma (b 1973) graduated from the prestigious Nsukka Art School, University of Nigeria, with a first class degree specializing in painting.

  
Curator of the exhibition, Sandra Mbanefo-obiago writes: “Chukwuma’s bold works using a multitude of found objects have an unforgettable visual language, in which he uses African symbols and patterns in refreshing new ways; he uses a combination of textures,  lines,  symbols and colours  laid out on painstakingly etched wooden panels.” 


Sunday 6 March 2016

In Ibadan, Skretting Sows Fish Seed Of Art


By Tajudeen Sowole
Rare partnership between art and the corporate sector could not have been better appreciated when the value of a seed as foundation in achieving a goal was emphasised by artist, Polly Alakija and fish feeds group, Skretting.   

   
 Nkan Ti o ba Gbin Lo Ma Ka (whatever You Sow, You Reap) by Polly Alakija


Expressed during the formal opening ceremony of Scretting, in Ibadan Oyo State, the partnership formed the climax of the event via a huge art piece titled Nkan Ti o ba Gbin Lo Ma Ka (whatever You Sow, You Reap). Rendered in materials from sacks of fish feeds, the 7m x 7m huge work depicts cultural value of seeds just as the artist's love for adire thickens the texture of the work.


 For the major part of the event, which involved unveiling of a fish feeds processing machine, the traditional ribbon cutting would, perhaps, have been too ordinary and repeatitive. To add cultural contents into the unveiling - particularly when an artist of Alakija’s status was involved - creativity in visual expression won the glamour of the day. After the speeches and accolades that highlighted the emergence of Skretting from defunct Durante Fish feeds, the moment of the unveiling, which had guests standing before the giant art piece, was indeed, a sight to behold. Embossing the glitters from the art installation  were flashes of camera-built digital devices from the sea of guests.


Each of the six or seven words in native Yoruba idiom of the title Nkan Ti o ba Gbin Lo Ma Ka is inscribed in some of the sacks, adding depth to the composite. More pronounced are the adire eleko texture of which Alakija expresses much likeness.

 "The idea is to do something in recycling materials," Alakija said to me during a chat shortly before the unveiling. "Some of the sacks used are from Durante Fish feeds when they started before becoming Skretting." The artist in Alakija, naturally, flows with the vision of the new company, particularly, when her late husband was the founder behind Durante. And with Skretting, a Dutch group that has been importing some of its sacks to bag the feeds, the art concept is further enriched, perhaps in the area of documentation. "In the future, all the sacks for the feeds will be produced in Nigeria,"


Alakija assured. Then the company can take a retrospection via the art, and recall how far it has come. The artist whose works in recent times have been non-commercial based added that the crust of the art content in unveiling Skretting "is to show how industries and corporate groups can reach out to art." The work is not exactly unfamiliar in concept, as an art piece, as it takes the spread of an El Anatsui's massive application of materials. Yes, part of the concept was to give the work a West African art flavour, Alakija disclosed, stressing that Nkan Ti o Ba Gbin…takes bit of look "of Anatsui and Ibrahim Makama." Skretting, Ibadan, is the group’s largest presence in west Africa.

 Based in Lagos, but Alakija produced part of the work in Ibadan, where she already had a long period of relationship with "most of the Skretting workers from the days of Durante Fish Feeds."So, mounting the giant size work wasn't an issue.  And when the work came down, it was graceful fading in of the revealing machine behind as the loops were released from the top of the roofing frame to the cheering sea of guests. 


 For the General Manager Manager at Skretting, Mrs Seyi Adeleke-Ige,  the theme, Nkan Ti O Ba Gbin... , "means good feeds, good quality." For avoidance of doubt, Adeleke added that "at Skretting, we love art, so we needed great art to complete the unveiling."
Pupils from Ibadan International school in front of the art piece during a visit.


 Pulling down of the work, she assured, would not be end of its appreciation, particularly in the area of documentation. "We have taken pictures of the work. And we will ensure better usage to further promote Skretting and art."

  
In a Nigerian economy where women's power of accessing job is endangered, Alakija's Nkan Ti O Ba Gbin adds hope to the empowerment of the softer gender. In general contents of what make up the work, women, she noted are being celebrated. "Good for women: fish feeds is mostly done by women, and the adire eleko which I used as part of the work is also more of ladies' work." The adire attraction for her is unavoidable. " Ilike adire eleko; it is Ibadan-based which I grew up to know." 

Global Gathering For Art Goes To The Future


By Tajudeen Sowole
 When Global Art Forum 2015 opens during the 10th edition of Art Dubai holding from March 18 at Fort Island, Madinat Jumeirah, U.A.E, writers, technologists and other professionals in creative and digital world will be probing what the organisers tagged The Future.
   
A Whale Is A Whale by Sophia Al-Maria: PIC BY: The Third Line Gallery.

Among resource professionals listed for the event are Art Dubai’s Director, Antonia Carver, Global Art Forum’s Commissioner, Shumon Basar and Co-Directors Amal Khalaf as well as Uzma Z. Rizvis. The resource persons, according to the organisers, will introduce the session by retrieving one decade of trajectory.
 
In one of the topics, The Future Was The Past, issues about 
museums' role as programmed to protect the past will take the spotlight with the question - Do they also guard the future? Among the highlights are Vezzoli talking to Hans Ulrich Obrist and Basar about intrepid interpretations of art history, the anti-nostalgia imperative and ways of protesting against forgetting. 
Among other topics is ‘The Future Was Overcast.’
  
 Excerpt from the press statement: 'The past we know is simply what someone imagined and manifested into being, the stories that the humans of that time decided to tell. The future is unwritten, a mass of unwritten stories. Yes there are reasons to feel afraid; there is experiential trauma from a history thick with imperialism, colonialism, capitalism. But rather than letting that silence us, how do we cultivate the capacity to create as our move against destruction? How do we learn to use collaborative ideation to carve out space for futures that are collective, resilient, interdependent, compelling, and beautiful? How do we use science fiction, emergent strategies and pleasure activism to develop a future we long for?"

Still on projection into the future, the programme of the event adds that Christine Sun Kim is expected to present works developed in relation to the different shades of the sound and meaning of the future. Her work breaks down rigid definitions by piecing together a tangle of overlapping languages and systems, including American Sign Language (ASL), which is similar to sound in its intrinsic spatiality.
   
Questions to be distilled include: Do futures have personalities? Can futures get further away, altered or moved by the space that we give them? 
  Included in the programme is The Future Was Cloud. "Since the second half of the 20th century, we have lived under the shadow of two clouds: the mushroom cloud of the atomic bomb, and the ‘cloud’ of distributed information networks. João Ribas, curator of the Museu Serralves’ exhibition Under the Clouds, explores how the central metaphor of cold war paranoia becomes the utopian metaphor of today. What are the effect of the Cloud on life and work, leisure and love, and on images, bodies, and minds?
João Ribas (Senior Curator and Deputy Director, Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art)"
   
On the list of speakers are Lauren Beukes and Sophia Al Maria who are scheduled to talk to Basar about why the deep past of the desert is also the perennial projection of literary and cinematic futures. It’s a time-travel trip through Oman and Australia, Namibia and South Africa, via Tatooine, Abu Dhabi and Arrakis.  

Motion and Emotions...Painterly Adventure Into Art Of Feelings


By Tajudeen Sowole
When art delves into the study of mental and physical aspects of well-being as artist, Tuodeinye Ogaga's palette attempts, science is dragged into accommodaing artistic perspective to broaden the subject. Ogaga’s collection of painting include mixed media, which expose a wider window and unveil some of his new techniques in a come-back style.
   
Beyond the Face by Tuodeinye Ogaga
 With art analysis of human behaviours titled Motion and Emotions, which opened yesterday showing till March 14, 2016 at Terra Kulture, Victoria Island, Lagos, Ogaga is returning to the art exhibition circuit as a solo artist, after a long time.
 Apart from a thematic adventure into the terrain of science, Ogaga's Motion and Emotions explains his experiment with thicker texture of the canvas using, for example, tube tops of acrylic as an embossment that adds quite a freshness to his work. Also, dripping of paint that releases emotive effects on faces of the subjects adds to his new canvas outburst.

 Unavoidably portraitures - given the human elements and theme of the exhibition - some of the figures add quite a depth of elegance, perhaps to complement or balance what could have been too academic to digest. For examples Calculative Mood, Reality and Desire and Standing Tall suggest postures from a modeling photographer's studios, yet saying so much about the study in well-being.

 Perhaps stressing his passion for the uncommon stray into the subject of well-being, Ogaga has something to share with professionals that study human behaviour. "What most of us do during the day reverberates in dreams at night," the artist tells a select preview guests at Terra Kulture. He adds that movements, generally, affects the way people mould their life, sometimes to either determine progression or stagnation. 

 Among the dual focus of the exhibition Emotion seems to be more of interest in the artistic rendition of Ogaga compared to Motion. Perhaps, not deliberate, the transmission of the message in works such as The Private Journey Of A Woman, Loud Silence and Emotion series among others suggest that the weight of the concept comes heavier from Emotions.

 However, in works such as Strength in Trust and Beyond Limits, the Motion aspect of the theme appears to gain more vigour. More of the movement is particularly felt in Beyond Limits, a powerful display of a lady (dancer?), who seems to be leaping for the reach of her life. 

  For feminists who passionately hold on to the sentiment that a woman's world of domestic and natural challenges represents unfair treatment of the softer gender, Private Journey Of A Woman helps fuel such emotive stereotype. In fact, Ogaga argues in favour of a woman who, despite all the challenges of keeping family and work together, she still "makes herself presentable or attractive to the husband."

 Still on domestic challenges, another series Loud Silence I and II, rendered in stern looking male and female close up captures, and perhaps, offer a tip on how to respond to a partner who would not expiate or admit being on the faulty side of an issue. Homes, Ogaga notes, break when couple struggle with emotions and "there is no communication."

Apart from having his works shown at few appearances of group exhibitions, over the years, solo outing has not been a desperate one for Ogaga. He explains that staying away from exhibition for a long time "is a lesson I learn from master, Abayomi Barber about keeping off when you don't have something new to show."
 And returning with three techniques at a single outing as he is currently doing in Motion and Emotions appears like a handfull, isn't it? "Three technique at a time isn't really a problem," he disagrees. Having established his signature on the Lagos art scene, three new techniques at one swoop, he insists would not erode his identity.