The exhibition lasted for one week with 20 ambassadors in attendance at the FCT Exhibition Pavilion, Abuja. It served the viewer with a platter of rich art from Nigeria, China, Czech Republic, Germany and South Korea. The beauty and aesthetic appeal of the works on display, were glaring in the strength of cultural diversity, the variety of the media in which the art pieces are executed and the dexterity of the artists.
The exhibition opened with works of art from Nigeria. The exhibits, which were taken from the collection of National Gallery of Art (NGA), featured the works of some of Nigeria’s prolific and renowned artists whose works are in public and private collections in Nigeria and beyond. Six generations of Nigerian artists were represented in this exhibition by Bruce Onobrakpeya, Jimoh Buraimoh, Rukeme Noserieme, Godwin Nwajei, Ray Soko, Ben Osaghae, Abraham Uyovbisere, Ajene Isegbe, Bisi Fakeye, Bunmi Babatunde, Ufuoma Enuarherhe, Nduwhite Ndubuisi Ahanonu, Fidelis Odogwu, Kashim Salami, Millicent Osumuo and Emmanuel Adelola. The kaleidoscope of works on display are executed in a variety of media which ranged from print, oil, pastel, acrylic and charcoal on canvas, paper and board; mixed media; plastocast; fibre glass to metal and wood sculpture. The art pieces were a micro-representation of the trajectory of Nigerian art. Master strokes of the brush, chisel and knife of older generation Nigerian artists were showcased alongside those of their younger counterparts who are following strongly in their footprints. They presented themes that deal with the vagaries of everyday life, politics, culture, mythology and history.
China, appearing on the show for the first time, was making a strong showing with 25 fines pun porcelain pieces by 10 top Chinese artists- Sun Zhigang, Huang Yanfei, Chen Jiansheng, Lu Yigang, Lui Yunhui, Xu Xuengen, Xia Guoan, Feng Xia, Xu Yuping and Zhang Xialong. The history of the development of Chinese ceramic art can be traced back to the dynastic periods (about 10,000-11,000 years ago). The first types of ceramics that were produced served mainly utilitarian purposes. Over the ensuing centuries, new techniques and styles developed; aesthetics was blended with utilitarianism and sophisticated porcelain pieces were produced for use in imperial courts. China is without doubt, the home of the very best of exquisite ceramics crafted under strict conditions with painstaking attention to detail and sensitivity to materials. The porcelain paintings on display treated some common symbols and themes in Chinese art and culture- the lotus flower: beauty and purity- “Lotus in the Pond”; the horse: strength, elegance and speed- “Steed”; the rooster: courage, benevolence and faithfulness -”Daybreak”. We were also presented with beautiful landscapes and impressions of nature occasioned by seasonal changes. The virtuosity of the 10 exhibiting artists was clearly evident in the pieces displayed. The exquisite, delicate and pristine beauty of the works were a sight to behold. Some were almost translucent and had designs embedded in them which were not visible to the naked eye but were clearly seen when light passed through them.
The Czech Republic, a two-time participant in The Art of Friendship exhibition, exhibited eleven lithographs by Oldrich Jelen, a famous and accomplished Czech painter and illustrator. The works exhibited combined realistic elements with surrealism to create paintings that were pleasing to the sight while transporting the viewer into a world of fantasy and magic. Jelen is a highly sought after illustrator of magazines and books, especially books written for children. He illustrated the Czech translation of the books of Enid Blyton, the famous best-selling English author of popular children’s adventure/mystery books. Oldrich Jelen is widely exhibited in the Czech Republic and beyond and has received numerous awards for his work.
Georg Baselitz, German painter, sculptor, printmaker and draughtsman is Germany’s choice for her debut in this exhibition series. He is one of Germany’s most celebrated living artists. He gained fame in Germany in the 1970s and exploded onto the international scene a decade later. Baselitz, who is the pioneer German Neo-Expressionistic painting, is known for his unconventional style of anamorphic painting which sometimes shocks his audiences and provokes them to introspection. The eleven woodcut prints on show in this exhibition, were painted upside down!
South Korea, a part of the exhibition series from inception, featured 15 Korean traditional folk paintings by 15 contemporary Korean artists. Traditional Korean folk art, Minhwa, has been a popular medium of art expression of the innermost thoughts and dreams of the ordinary Korean man or woman since the 17th century. The paintings by Song Chang Soo, Son Yu Young, Ku Young Ae, Kwon Song Nyeo, Seo Yeon Yee, Suh Hye Kyong, Oh Mi Jeong, Lee Hae Yeon, Choi Yong Soon, Han Mi Ae, Jee Mee Youn, Park Ok Sil, Lee Kyung Joo, Song Ji In and Kim In Soon were produced using Korean traditional water colours made from natural ingredients on mulberry paper known as Hanji. The vibrant water colours explored themes that ranged from nature (landscapes and animals), everyday life and living, purity and beauty to the surrealistic world of mythology.
The strength of The Art of Friendship III exhibition was anchored on the unity of the thematic content of the exhibits in the face of their stylistic, cultural and symbolic diversity. A vast majority of the works lent themselves to easy interpretation and appreciation by all strata of viewers without losing their seductive beauty. The Art of Friendship series is growing from strength to strength and living up to its billing as the melting pot of cross cultural art interaction in Abuja.
- Ngozi John-Uyah wrote from Abuja
