Art auction is the dream of most visual artists because of fame and monetary gains. But 81-year-old former president of Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) Prof Yusuf Grillo says auctions are more of a distraction than gains to younger artists, Assistant Editor (Arts) Ozolua Uhakheme reports
Former Director School of Arts, Design and Printing of Yaba College of Technology, (YABATECH) Lagos Prof Yusuf Cameron Grillo, is one of Nigeria’s icons. His paintings are well ranked in art auctions in and outside the country. In 2010, his painting, Harvest, was sold for $30,500 at the Bonhams’ auction in London. Yet, he does not see auction adding value to the art.
“I have never been to any art auction even though some of my works have been sold at such auctions. Mind you, the works most times are offered for auction by collectors that bought the works. It has got to a stage that third year student artists are already thinking of getting their works into the auction in order to earn millions of naira. As a former art teacher, I don’t think that is okay,” he said.
Grillo said verification of art works, how collectors purchased art works, valuing of art works, the artists’ profile, technicality involved in the production and size of art works are some of the responsibilities of the auctioneer. He noted that beyond these, auctioneers in the country don’t pay artists any percentage of sales of their works. This payment, he said, is a standard practice across the globe, which auctioneers in Nigeria don’t abide with.
To him, auction derails younger artists and it has become all about money. “Money is the root of all evil. Personally, I believe strongly that art and money are not good brethren. Visual art is one of the creative aspects of mankind through which artists create from nothing. Only God is the one that makes all things to be. But artists are next,” he added. He said at the beginning of creation, art was used primarily for spiritual essence and not for serious monetary gains.
Grillo who, studied art in Nigeria and the United Kingdom, is one of the leading masters in colour glass and mosaic works. He has handled many commissioned works for public and private buildings such as churches, universities and the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.
At 81, he still handles colour glass works, which he described as a specialised craft like stained glass. According to him, the process of producing colour glass works opened fresh windows of opportunities for him to engage both his old paintings and the colour glass works. “I paint slowly and sometimes it takes me up to a year to complete one painting. So, while doing colour glass work from my painting, it gave me another chance to revisit such painting,” he said.
He said he accepts only commissioned colour glass works that can give him satisfaction from the point of view of the client that understands him. He however noted that such skill cannot be taught in Nigerian art schools because the schools will not be able to pick the cost.
“In fact, it is not in the curriculum of art schools. We can’t teach colour glass and stained glass in our art schools because the budget is beyond the school. Even mosaic is not taught in art school. Many of these courses are taught outside the school during apprenticeship or internship.
“For stained glass, it is a specialised craft that uses melting process to get impression on glass. Unfortunately, we don’t have the facility here. Even at Igun Street in Benin, Edo State, the bronze casters don’t have facility for large size sculptures,” he added.
On past attempts at having such facility in the country, he said: “Soon after the FESTAC 77, the late Erhabor Emokpae and I dreamt of getting a big foundry to handle our works. We even founded a small company that will produce the craft. But it was not a small matter. We realised that only government or multinational companies could do that. If we can do it, we will attract patronage form across Africa. I did a stained glass once and it was done in Britain and the work is at the VIP lounge of National Theatre, Iganmu Lagos.”
Asked if colour glass is under threat of extinct, he said: “It is not like to die because younger artists are into it now. David Dale is also into colour glass and mosaic works. My sons in the art who do colour glass works are bout 6. And I always appraise their works each time they bring them to me for assessment. It is good as a learning process for the younger artists.
The former President of Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) recalled that time has changed for the art and artists to thrive as art markets and collectors have grown over the years. “When we started, there was nothing on ground in terms of promotion and marketing of art. The likes of the late Aina Onabolu, Akin Lasekan, Ben Enwonwu, were the first Nigerians to stray into art. At SNA, we started with nine members, he asked.” Grillo, a pioneer member of the famous Zaria Rebels often avoids photographic realism in his painting. Instead, he stylizes and elongates the figures in his painting which are easily identified by their slimness, elegance and grace which, according to him, represent the contemporary ideal of beauty in an urban setting. His message for younger artists is that each artist should continue to work and criticise himself for development. “Once the artist does not relent, things will pick, it may be slow,” he said.
