The theme of the latest Artists-In-Residence Programme held by the Alexis Galleries, Lagos, last month was emotionally symbolic. With knock on woods, six artists from Nigeria and Ghana experimented with wood producing four works each within four weeks, showing that man must return to the woods. Even our saviour Lord Jesus Christ was nailed to the cross; He was also a carpenter who made life out of woods. Edozie Udeze interacted with the artists as shown in this report
There are some art galleries that have consistently been in the forefront of the promotion of visual arts in Nigeria. One of these galleries is the Alexis, Lagos. Just this year alone, the gallery, with the able leadership of Mrs. Patty Chidiac – Mastrogiannis has successfully conducted two artists-in-residence programmes. This time around the theme was: knock on woods, involving six artists some of whom are painters but decided this time to experiment on woodworks and sculpting. The artists who were chosen from different parts of the country and Ghana were given a free hand to dwell on any issues, using woods and sculpting to explore the world.
Mastrogiannis explained that she has chosen henceforth to have more than one residency programme for artists in a year. “Yes, this is a decision we have made – to have more than one in a year. This time we have six artists knocking on woods. Knock on woods, yes, eleven artists applied, but I decided to bring the number to six to make for proper attention and for quality time. The original number of eleven would have been too much for time and space to work on woods. Woods is the medium and all of them make use of Heinekens, one of our sponsors to beautify their works as you can see from some of the works already completed. Knock on woods is symbolic because of what woods mean to humanity. Christ was nailed to the woods on the cross; cross of salvation. So you knock on it to show symbolism. That was why we chose the theme to show how important wood is to mankind”.
Mastrogiannis confessed that her unalloyed love for the art would continue to drive and propel her on. “I have a strong feeling that the artists will come out with the best quality works ever”, she said. “As long as I am not bored or tired, I will continue to go on and on, promoting the art. For eight to nine years now, I have been on this. As long as I am driven by passion, I will be dutifully promoting visual arts in the society”.
The artists themselves spoke to The Nation. Indeed watching them painstakingly knocking on woods was amazing. It was interesting to see all sorts of finished works lying in different corners of the room. Those that were still in the process of completion were receiving constant and heavy attention from chisels and hammers. As the artists hammered away in different sitting positions, the woods just obeyed. Gradually you see formless objects of woods turning into objects of meaningful images; some human, some into animal formations.
Agemo Francis, one of the artists is a veteran of the Alexis residency programme and he was busy when this reporter encountered him. He said, “I am used to canvas, acrylic, painting, but here we are now working on woods. I just wanted to see how this can turn out for me. This is my first time working on woods and that is one of those lessons you learn when you are given the opportunity to do so in a residency like this. With the other artists around me I was taught how to use the machine to cut the woods to size. From here, you could see the works I have come out with. But as an artist you can diversify; you also learn to gain more experiences. This can help your art a lot. Once one shows the direction, you have to follow, using your own creativity to aspire higher”, Agemo said.
The proramme was meant for one month. Yet some of them who were unable to complete their works within the time were graciously given extra days to knock the woods into final formations. Each artist was to complete five works. As the time of this report, Agemo was doing a work he said dwelt on contemporary and traditional art. It was to symbolise the connection between the old and the new. A work that transcended his link with his grandfather with whom he grew up back in the days, you could see traces of wisdom between the young and the ancient. “The traditional worshippers symbolized by Ifa shows the traces between old and new and this is what woods have helped me to achieve” Agemo demonstrated. There were traces of masks, of the spirit world and shrines and more.
David Olatunde was also involved. He was working on a metal object using this technique to effect different purposes. He said, “the title of the work dwelt on the feeble mind. Yes this will take three days to finish the sketching and then go into the work proper. It is interesting to be here, even though it is a bit strenuous. You come here, meet a lot of artists from different backgrounds, varied experiences; they impact on you and you have to leave here with plenty of renewed ideas. However, it is easier for me to work on this technique even though I am a painter. I have been able to mix with other artists in the past. I carve, yes, I carve, after all I am an artist”, Olatunde enthused.
Olatunde is located in Ibadan where his studios engages in all types of visuals and techniques. “I am at Iwo Road, Ibadan, Oyo State. When you come to my workshop, you’ll see all sorts of artworks in different techniques. So, this programme will help me to intensify my efforts at dexterity, encourage me to be dedicated and resilient. I have done four already, hoping to complete the fifth one in the next few days”, he said, putting woods together.
As for Chukwuemeka Michael, also a sculptor for the purpose of the theme of the residency, “I am here because as an artist you can engage in any technique. The masks you see here do come on woods and I do my own with lines and designs. I joined in this programme to help me sharpen my art, push it up more positively. I learn from other artists here too. In other words, the encounter will indeed help to push me up in the world. We have spent three weeks here already. But I hope to do the number of works I can. You know some have simpler techniques and that can help them produce more works. I am therefore producing three works which are really big. They are not the kind of works you do in a hurry”.
Chukwuma rummages in designs and his works depicted varieties of colours and designs based on deep love and respect for his culture. “I just love designs”, he confessed. “I just discovered that I love designs, almost all my works display designs. In them, I combine modern and traditional designs. The result is that I often have amazing works that challenge the intellect”.
The next artist was Samuel Tete-Katchan a Togolese artists resident in Ghana who is in love with woods. “I did some works on palette woods. It is what is within me that I try to bring out. Yes, the switch from canvas to wood is not easy. Yet I feel that this is good for us as artists. You learn to know it all. I am a Christian, and I know Jesus was a carpenter. He did plenty of wood works. This is what we are continuing to show mankind the importance of wood works. So you knock on woods, you produce good works out of the woods”, he said, smiling broadly.
“We learn from the woods. Christ was also crucified on the wood, to show us the place of woods in our salvation. So this is why my works dwell on humanity, on our lives generally. So even if you are Pastor this or that and you fly in a private jet, you’ll still end up in a wood. That shows you that we all owe a lot to the woods. I love the woods. I have already done five instead of four works and I am happy about this”, Samuel enthused, noting, “when this is over, we will exhibit them for public consumption, appreciation and patronage”.
Darlington Alexander is another artist who showed up for the programme. “I have African map here. Africans were not given a chance to grow. Civilization began in Africa, yet outsiders disrupted her growth. This is what this African map on woods is demonstrating for all to see”, he said. A giant work that displayed the continent and its many cultures and nations, the map on woods was spectacular. “You see the colourful houses and landscapes which show an old civilization which has now been destroyed. But who destroyed it? That may be the question here now”. He is also a painter whose interest in wood works was just for the purpose of the residency programme.
“I am a painter”, he said. “But it is good to go this extra mile. It is good; it is helpful. Art does not have boundary. It is for us to expand our frontiers. I also do tattoo on people’s bodies. That one also is a different form of art”, Alexander noted, shaking his head to register his love for tattoos.
The colours in the work equally showed vibrancy and modernity on the continent of Africa. It is the door to the world. The narrow door in the middle shows that it is a gateway to the rest of the world. It is to prove who we are”, he said again.
Another artist is Kelvin Chukwudi Ubani, an Abuja-based artist. Basically Ubani has been influenced by the Nsukka art deeply steeped in Nsibidi and Ulli arts. He is so versed in Igbo signs and insignias that you’d notice his works miles away. The totem’s speak volumes. Ubani went through Abia State University, Uturu but was thoroughly schooled and indoctrinated by Nsukka products as teachers. This has, over the years impacted on him so much that he truly rummages in the foyers of Igbo art and motifs.
“The idea in this residency is for us to use woods to knock on woods. That’s the basic concept of this programme, as you can see. I thought it wise therefore to work on panel designs. See the work on the wall over there; it is panel on wood. This is beyond panel anyway. So, art is supposed to be an intellectual exercise. At times, I call it wooden furniture. Yes, my father was a furniture maker, but he told me to go to school to improve on what I had acquired from him. I am also an environmental artist because I work to touch and influence the environment around me. I pick woods around me and try to make something out of them. I then do some designs and give them life.
“So, Alexis has given us this opportunity to interact and sharpen our crafts. We also embellish our works with colours to ensure that they come out better. I also learnt from a wood maker in our local area. The knowledge of furniture indeed enhanced my learning in school. Initially my father did not want me to read Arts, but Law or Medicine. But here we are today with me being an Artist”.
So for now, Ubani’s works are more of Nsukka and Abia Art movements. One leaned towards the other to prosper. Yet he was able to traverse between the two to actually enhance the profundity of visual Art. “In Igboland, Ulli is central to the belief system of the people. Its beauty is well-understood. So by using it as a medium to beautify my works is one of the ways to continue to entrench it in the system. I also do installations and for this project what I decided to do is concentrate on this medium. In doing my art, I introduce Ulli and Nsibidi motifs to produce modern art. Even on the face of a native doctor, you’ll see signs of Ulli and so on. It is used to also identify the house or compound of a hunter, a king and so on. This was in the years before now”, Ubani submitted.
Even though the one-month programme has ended, it is clear that more in-roads have been made in this arena and more painters have been turned into wood workers overnight. This is really one of the catchment concepts of a residency programme. And for this, more credit must be give to the organizers of the Alexis Galleries Artists-in-residence programme. It is also a moment to give artists ample opportunities to work and add to the values of their profession in more relaxed and serene atmosphere.
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