Contemporary works at Alexis

In an ongoing exhibition at Alexis in Lagos, simply titled the contemporaries, eleven contemporary artists showcase contemporary works that explore and portray different aspects of current themes in the society, writes Edozie Udeze

In recent times, arts and humanity have been made to meet in amazing ways to help the less-privileged enjoy some level of comfort in the society.  While the contemporaries exhibition mounts the stage at Alexis in Lagos this moment, the heartwarming news is that, parts of the proceeds from the works will be channeled to the downtrodden in the society.  Specifically to the Loving Gaze, a centre located at Lekki, Lagos, and an NGO that caters for and helps mostly the malnourished poor and children with HIV to recover and carry on with their lives.  Working in consonance with the Saint Kizito Clinic at Jakande Housing Estate Lekki, Lagos, the centre has been in Nigeria for over thirty years helping abandoned children and those who cannot find enough food and nutritional nourishment to be fit and then go back to school.

At a press briefing to usher in the ongoing exhibition of eleven artists ceramists, sculptors, potters and painters – titled the Contemporaries, Mrs. Patty Chidiac-Mastrogiannis of Alexis Galleries, appealed to the public to always come to the aid of the poor and the less-privileged.  “It makes both the giver and the receiver happy”, she noted.  “So please come to the aid of these children and anywhere you see people who are in need of your assistance do not hesitate to do so”.

Also speaking was Barbara Pepoli, an Italian lady and the General Manger of Loving Gaze who told the story of the centre and how they’ve extended their branch to Taraba State.  “It is just to help these children recover their health sufficiently well.  That is our role; we also give them proper and quality education to enable them face life properly.  But we need financial help to continue.  For now, we have over 200 children under our care and they are in different stages of needs”, she said.

These and more are the reasons parts of the proceeds from the exhibition will go into the Loving Gaze, to train one or two children in school.  Moreover, during the interaction with the visual artists, they each stated what the exhibition meant to them.  The artists included Patrick Tagoe-Tuckson, Uchay Joel Chima, Olisa Nwadiogbu, Jimmy Nwanne, Djakou Kassi Nathalie, Ato Arinze, Valentine Mbachu, Dominique Zinkpe.  Others were Andrews Tettey Arko, Samuel Tete-Katchan and Prince Obasi.  The artists expressed their readiness to portray the society in their works in such a way to better the lots of the people.

In her response Nathalie, a Cameroonian ceramist and potter resident in Nigeria, said, “I have five works for this show.  One of them is titled gossip, a work that depicts fat men, involving how they discuss their problems when they are together.  It is basically a way to explore the fact that fat men truly gossip about their sizes and the fact that it often pains them too.  Other works are on different themes, but all hover on societal burning issues”.

For Mbachu, a painter who has three works on display, “the first work is called is conception.  It is on mother and child and it exposes the closeness between the two.  I also have a work on fashion; it is basically a statement on contemporary fashion and that fashion ever evolves.  The trend of fashion is like a cycle.  It comes and goes and new or old fashion and styles re-emerges.  But mine shows this trend in modern work of arts”, he presented.

Obasi has five works for the outing.  They are mainly acrylic on canvas.  “Yes the first one is captioned gullible.  The second one titled love time comes in two series.  I also have a work on Crowther and it is aptly titled Samuel Ajayi Crowther, an expose of this bold man who laboured to give Africans Christianity.  Gullible is on the children of these days who are confused about life and indeed refuse to hearken to voices of wisdom.  The work looks at the fabric of the family and the roles parents have to play to restore the sanity of homes”, he said.

Also present was Arinze, a ceramist and potter and sculptor.  He had in place seven amazing works, but primarily small table pieces.  The first one is expectant couple and then kiss of life.  “They are essentially figure structures and figurines.  Some of them are abstract forms dwelling on historical figures.  Some half animals, some humans, but imbued inside them are deep elements of love and concern for others.  My works have shown that we all have the aura of love which radiates in us all.  Then we have to encourage ourselves to always read, for reading makes people.  In the other work that is so abstract, you’ll never know whether the figure is man or woman.  This is in kiss of life” he teased with impeccable smile.  Arinze is a master in abstract images.

Nwadiogbu is also a sculptor and painter who portrays figures and abstract images.  “In this show I have four works which are more of figurative images on the fall of man, reader, and portrait of woman.  I derive my ideas and inspiration to work from what I hear, what I see and what I feel.  In the past, artists were priests but preached through the figures they made.  They worked at palaces.  However, that trend has not totally changed today”, Mwadiogbu pointed out with a grimace.

The exhibition which opened on June 15 will end on June 28 at the Alexis Galleries, Lagos.  The exhibition is so titled because the works concentrate more on contemporary issues, ideas and themes.  Each artist comes with his or her own peculiar experiences over the years.  This is why the works are coming in different media of the visual to show that the messages cut across all facts of the society.  The show is supported by Pepsi, Tiger, Mikano, Delta Airline, The Guardian, Cobranet Internet Services Provider, La Cave, Cool Fm, Wazobia Tv, Art Café and the Homestores Limited.