Some rare paintings by Nigerian iconic artists such as Bruce Onobrakpeya, Solomon Wangboje and Uche Okeke are among 97 lots going for an art auction tagged Important 20th and 21st Century African Art from the Collection of Janet Stanley on February 3, organised by an auction house, The Potomack Company in Alexandria, Virginia, USA. These artworks are part of Janet Stanley’s personal collection of art from Africa numbering more than 450 works. Other works listed for the auction are by artists from Kenya, South Africa, Benin, Ethiopia, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Sudan. Already, preview of the lots has been ongoing since January 15 and will last till February 1.
Other Nigerian artists whose works are part of the lots include David Dale, Jimoh Buraimoh, Chike Aniakor, Obiora Udechukwu, Tola Wewe, Ben Osaghae, Susanne Wenger, Rufus Ogundele, Tunde Odunlade, Mike Omoighe, Tobeena Okwuosa, Ugochukwu-Smooth Nzewi, Krydz Ikwuemesi, Victor Ekpuk, Victor Ehikhamenor and Sam Ovraiti.
Of the lots, Onobrakpeya has about 9 artworks for the auction, which is the highest number per artist and they include Ekuoregbe (metal foil etching), Adumadan (deep etching), Igbezeh (plastograph), Abanayan (xenograph), Dada red locks (Additive plastograph), A group of seven cards (collection of prints), Emedjo Esan (Six masquerade) plastograph, Gala Day Under the River series, Plastograph, and Wenvwe Barovwe (May hunger keep far from me) plastograph.
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Janet L. Stanley was the Chief Librarian for the Warren M. Robbins Library at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art in Washington, D.C. from 1979 until her retirement in 2024. Over the course of her career, she built a personal collection of art from Africa numbering more than 450 works. According to the auction house, the curated collection was the result of her years of personal engagement and correspondence with artists and scholars, as well as her extensive travel in the region. “Many of the works in her collection came to her directly from the artists themselves. And Nigeria figures prominently in the Stanley collection—a testament to her devotion to the nation and its artist where she began her professional career (Janet spent formative years living and working at the University of Ife, (now Obafemi Awolowo University)—as in South Africa, Ethiopia, and Sudan. Over 100 works from the Stanley collection have been donated to the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art. Additionally, Janet’s collection has provided collection support to other institutions, including the Phillips Collection and the art museums at Princeton and Howard University,” it added.
Other African artists whose works are part of the auction include Francis Nicaise (Benin), Skunder Boghossian (Ethioppian), Yohannes Gedamu (Ethiopia), Sofia Kifle (Ethiopia), Wosene Worke Kosrof (Ethiopia), Elias Sime (Ethiopia), Tibebe Terfa, Tesfaye Tessema, Eric Oduro Aniagyei, Ken Gwira, Atta Kovani, Richard Kimathi, Hezbon Edward Owiti, Geoirge Thairu, Same Wadu, Abdoulaye Ndoye, William Boschoff, Stephen Hobbs, Gavin Jantjes, Thama Kase, William Kentridge, Ezron Lega, Kagiso Patrick, Eric Mbatha, Gladys Mgudlandlu, James Serole, Lyindio Sales, San Nhlengethwa, Gwerard Sekoto.
However, unlike past auctions in Nigeria and those by leading auction houses such as London-based Bonhams, Arthouse Contemporary and Signature Beyond Art Gallery, Nigerian artists’ works at the forthcomming Potomack Company’s auction carry estimated values that are far less from their market values. Each tag carries a comparatively low value given the market value of these established artists and their works.
In particular, between June and December last year, Bruce Onobrakpeya’s works at some auctions fared well. In Roseberrys’ Bruce Onobrakpeya’s Emeranwe, a copper foil, had 800 to 1200 pounds estimated cost while Bonham placed 2000 to 3000 pounds estimated cost on Onobrakpeya’s four works on paper.
In a report by the CEO of Aspire Art, Marelize van Zyl, sales of ultra-contemporary works by African-born artists jumped from $16.2 million in 2020 to $40.6 million in 2021. Van Zyl said that it is estimated that the African art market could reach around $1.5 billion this year, driven by a growing number of collectors, patrons, investors, international art fairs and events interested in African art.
According to the report, partnerships and collaborations with international auction houses have extended the reach of African art from the 20th and 21st centuries.
“Growing interest in this category saw Aspire Art partner Paris-based auction house Piasa in 2020 to present some of the best examples of modern and contemporary African art, introducing several new African artists including Uche Okeke (Nigeria), Gareth Nyandoro (Zimbabwe), Salah Elmur (Sudan), Michael Musyoka (Kenya), Marc Padeu (Cameroon), Peter Ngugi (Kenya), Cyrus Kabiru (Kenya) and Cristiano Mangovo Brás (Angola) to a global audience. The resounding success of the first auction in Cape Town in February 2020 was followed by a second auction in Paris in May that same year,” the report added.
It is hoped that after the fall of the hammer on Tuesday, February 3, the value of many of Nigerian artists’ works would have appreciated greatly, thereby growing the market share of Nigeria in global art market.
