The Acting Director-General, National Gallery of Art (NGA), Abuja Dr. Simon Ikpakronyi, has described the death of David Dale, one of Nigeria’s leading contemporary artists as a huge loss to the creative sector.
In a statement, Ikpakronyi said:”It was with sadness that the National Gallery of Art (NGA) received the news of the death of veteran artist David Dale on Tuesday, August 6, at Military Hospital, Yaba, Lagos at the age of 71.
“He has left a void that would be very difficult to fill in the visual art sub-sector where he was a major player for more than four decades. He will be greatly missed by the arts community. Our prayers go to the immediate family especially his daughter, Mrs. Patience Ejeba for succour and strength at a time like this. NGA also condoles with Nigerian artists for this irreparable loss.”
He said the late Dale was a colossus in experimental art having worked in 21 media, including etching, epoxy, Lino (Block print), gilded engraved block, stained glass, metal (foil work), mosaic, fresco, silk screen (seriography) and painting among others. He disclosed that some of his rare works in the national collection of NGA are: Sunshine in the Province, Zaria, Cry of three Spirits, Dubar and King Tortoise.
Dale, a close ally of NGA, in 1998, was one of the artists invited to catalogue members of the Zaria Art Society from which the book, Goooonoemo: The Zaria Art Society, A New Consciousness emerged. He held 58 solo and group exhibitions within and outside Nigeria with his works in public and private collections.
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