Tag: Oshinowo

Visual Arts Trajectories: Kolade Oshinowo At 70, a book by no fewer than 30 scholars, academics, critics, proteges and artists in honour of renowned artist, Kolade Oshinowo will be unveiled today at the Yusuf Grillo Auditorium of the School of Art, Design and Printing of the Yaba College of Technology, Lagos alongside an exhibition of portraits of the icon.

It is an academic product of resource persons from different institutions of higher learning from around the world, encapsulating various writings and images of Oshinowo’s art trajectories spanning over 50 years.

The book although has many authors, it was edited by Dr. Kunle Adeyemi of Yabatech and Olusola Ogunfuwa of the University of Lagos. Project Coordinator of the Kolade Oshinowo @70 Planning Committee  Adeyemi said: “It is worthy of mention that this is the first time an academic book of this magnitude is coming from the School of Art, Design and Printing of Yabatech, as well as the Nigerian arts landscape”.

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The publication is the product of a well subscribed and publicised conference in honour of Dr. Oshinowo at 70 years. This was during Dr. Adeyemi’s tenure as Dean of School of Design and Printing Technology in 2018.

The conference attracted scholars from the university and polytechnic systems, Colleges of Education, and other stakeholders, including Galleries, Art Enthusiasts and Patrons of Art from different parts of the country including Zaria, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Ibadan, Lagos and the Diaspora.

The two-week long 2018 event also featured the Committee For Relevant Art (CORA) Stampede and a portrait show of Kolade Oshinowo featuring emerging and made artists. These portraits will be exhibited today. After a five-year production effort and processes including reviews by assessors, editors, and scholars, the publication, far from being just another coffee table book, is a memorabilia, a scholarly collective and a potential curriculum of art in higher education.

According to the project lead, Dr. Adeyemi, the morphological determinants of the works

A prolific painter and an accomplished portraitist, Kolade Oshinowo, is 75. Oshinowo, one of Nigeria’s most-respected artists, chose to mark the milestone with a retrospective solo exhibition, entitled Enduring passion which features about 35 paintings. Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME reports

After about nine months of delays and postponements, no thanks to the tensed socio-political atmosphere, the retrospective solo exhibition, Enduring Passion, by one of Nigeria’s renowned artists, Kolade Oshinowo, stirred collectors’ interest at its recent opening at Ko Gallery, Ikoyi, Lagos. Despite the state of the nation’s economy, his vantage collection is turning heads of many collectors, artists and enthusiasts.

The medium size exhibition hall was filled to capacity few minutes into the opening, which was informal and devoid of long speeches. And from old school mates to professional colleagues, mentees, protégées, relations and admirers, the guests kept increasing by the minute.

For the artist who turned 75 on February 6,  holding the commemorative exhibition after many delays was a big relief. It is an opportunity to showcase some of his rare artworks dating back to decades. In a way, it is not only a visual art trajectory of Oshinowo but also a reaffirmation of his enduring passion for the art. 

“The exhibition was almost cancelled because of the many postponements. At first, it was the naira design and CBN order on old notes in February. Then came the general elections and its challenges that were just resolved by Supreme Court. At a point I told the gallery owner that if the show cannot hold in November, we should forget about it. It was that bad and frustrating,” Oshinowo recalled at the opening. 

Enduring passion which is featuring about 35 paintings and drawings, showcases Oshinowo’s artistic journey from the 1980s to the present, highlighting the diverse ranges of his work and celebrating the legacy of a national treasure.

No doubt, he is a renowned artist recognised for his expressive and emotive paintings, often centred on landscape and human form. Rooted in a naturalistic style, his artworks examine the connection between individuals and their surroundings, whether in rural or congested urban spaces. 

One of Oshinowo’s signatures is that he creates intimate portraits that capture the dignity and emotional complexity of his subjects. Also, he reflects on themes of uncertainty and transcendence, examining how humans spiritually connect amidst the awe of nature and their roles within the social fabric and collective existence of society.

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Oshinowo’s artistic journey over the last five decades attests to his mastery and versatility as an artist, showcasing his continual evolution and growth. His enduring legacy continues to shape the artistic landscape, leaving a lasting mark on contemporary art.

Notwithstanding his penchant for expressive and emotive style of painting, the 75-year-old artist does not ignore historic developments around his environment. To an extent, he is a chronicler of a sort, be it on socio-cultural or economic issues. Little wonder that he captured the ENDSARS protest and kidnapping saga on his canvas as visual documentaries of the past and present. Three paintings, The protest, Forest whispers and The Philosopher, stood out from the collection that naturally boasts of market scene and portraits of models. Accentuating the pack are his drawings made from accidental spill of coffee on paper. These drawings were at the outset not selected for the show, but made it after the gallery owner couldn’t resist the drawings. 

The Protest 2021, acrylic on oil measuring 134 by 118 cm, is a reminder of the youths’ protest against police brutality. It highlights a sea of heads that milled around the Lekki Toll Gate and other major bus stops in Lagos and other cities. He had wanted to do a series of paintings on the Endsars protest but for lack of time and energy. No doubt, the message of the painting  is loud and clear, which was also heard: a reawakening of youths in determining the nation’s political direction. These are captured on a handful of banners that serve as spotlights on the painting. 

Also instructive among the exhibits is Forest whispers, which is a metaphor of the state of insecurity the nation was plunged into since the beginning of insurgency. Kidnapping has become a major business for the likes of convicted billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, popularly known as Evans, who has been sentenced to 21 years. In a way, this painting is a reminder of a dark spot in our nation’s history. 

In The Philosopher, a painting done as part of a project at the 2015 Venice Biennale, is an adaptation of Raphael Sanzio. A mixed media that celebrates Nobel laureate Prof Wole Soyinka.

Interestingly, The Philosopher is the largest painting at the show..

The former Deputy Rector, Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, dedicated his professional life to teaching, serving as a professor of art at Yaba College of Technology. Throughout his distinguished career, Oshinowo has been an academic and a mentor, playing a significant role in shaping modern and contemporary Nigerian art scene for more than five decades.

Expectedly, in Enduring Passion, Oshinowo’s early works underscore his long-standing interest in abstraction. Exploration (1986) and Waterfront (1990) showcase his use of gestural brush strokes and multiple layers of paint, creating an aura-like abyss. Iya Ibeji (1997) presents the iconic mother-and-child motif as unstructured silhouettes, while Masquerades (1994) captures a group of figures in a ceremonial procession, rendered through a blurred and hazy lens. Oshinowo employs the impasto technique, thickly applying paint with visible brush strokes to create a three-dimensional effect. In other works, he incorporates diverse materials such as oil, acrylic, charcoal, fabric, and tea and coffee stained paper.

Other works on display include The model, Market officials, Community gathering, Blue Aso ebi, Divine visitation, Christian mother, Before the party and Ladies in red. 

The former President, Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA), graduated from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zara in 1972, with a specialisation in painting. His university years were shaped by the Nigerian Civil War and the influence of the Zaria Art Society, which had challenged the Western-centric approach to art education a decade earlier.

Following his inaugural solo exhibition in 1973, at the Goethe Institut in Lagos, he hosted six solo exhibitions by the end of the1970s and showcased his work internationally in USSR, Cuba, Romania, and India. In 1977, he exhibited at the Nigerian Exhibition of FESTAC 77.  By 1984, Oshinowo was the subject of a travelling solo exhibition organised by the National Museum, which toured cities includingLagos, Benin, and Jos. To date, Oshinowo has held over twenty-five solo exhibitions. He is the recipient of many awards, including the National Productivity Order of Merit Award of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Enduring Passion will run till December 22.  

As Lagos is growing in life and bonds in art, so is the competition getting higher. No weekend passes by without art exhibitions holding somewhere in the city. The exhibition catalogues are becoming more exquisitely published, better quality images and critical well written text.

Artists are also evolving as no one wants to be left behind. A trend of artists curating their shows is also unfolding, either to avoid the high percentage charged by gallery owners or curators, who often times tell the artist what to create or to avoid being ‘used’. A topic many artists have refused to ignore.

Abiodun Olaku, a prolific painter with 35 years of practice, says “In every human endeavour there is always an element of politics in what we do, and we discovered that many forces have been into existence long ago and life continues to metamorphose. We have forces coming out now, forces who want to take hold of the art industry for us. There is this group of curators and critics who want to drive the industry, they want to give the art scene the life force and I think to some extent they are dictatorial.”

Metal sculptor Fidelis Odogwu, says artists are seen as unintelligent and novices who cannot handle the business aspect of art. “When I hear this, I said let’s try if the curators are different species of human race. We do the art from the conceptual to actualising it. We can talk to a collector about the storyline of our artworks and the philosophy behind each piece.”

In order to achieve their goals, the theme Infinite Treasures, a group exhibition was conceived in 2013 and curated by Odogwu and Olaku. The theme evolved from Distinction to Infinite Treasures.

Since its inception, the annual show has been a platform for artists who have been consistent with unique style to exhibit their artworks. An art enterprise that takes care of the professional artists’ welfare, satisfies collectors and updates the public of the seamless effort of the artists as well as contributes to the country’s GPDs.

This November the 12-man group will present 100 interesting Infinite Treasures to the public from Saturday 4th to Monday13th at Terra Kulture, Victoria Island, Lagos. Featuring grand master, Kolade Oshinowo; with over 40 years of painting practice, Sam Ovraiti, Edosa Ogiugo, Reuben Ugbine, Bunmi Babatunde, Alex Nwaokolo, Duke Asidere, Diseye Tantua including Joshua Nmesirionye and Lekan Onabanjo who are new comers.

“Infinite Treasures is an annual concept of recognised and celebrated brands on the Nigerian art landscape, cutting across overlapping generations of artists. For anybody who collects their works today, whether unconsciously or knowledgeable, you have improved the worth of your estate. The artworks are brands that have innate value. So if you have any of those pieces from any of these artists, you have timeless value,” said Olaku.

But can the group stand the test of time as many groups die from the day they were conceived? Answering this question Olaku, says there are factors that can guaranty longevity and survival of the group. “The artists who participate are critically considered before selection to help sustain the drive and vision of the group.”

According to the artists, the exhibition also aims at inspiring and encouraging the younger generation of artists with dedication and qualities of good delivery and innovative creativity in art practice.

Each of the artists has a personal reason for participating in the show. “It’s an ongoing relationship as we evolve, as the aspirations are being made manifest in terms of result in practice, adding quality to yesterday’s work and getting hungrier for more qualitative work and you find a platform, and that platform brings the artist and collectors, and the artists consult together. So it’s something that fires or fans the fire for the artist,” said Ogiugo.

“For me, I see it as a platform to showcase something new; the development in my work because for some time now I have not had any solo. The exhibition is something I look forward to every year with the pedigree of the artists involved, it makes one to work harder. It’s a major thing for me,” says Nwaokolo.

To Ovraiti: “We are now in the era of collaboration, it’s no longer about one-man show. The exhibition is one way of testing myself. One good thing about it is the element of surprise. Nobody knows what the next person is bringing. You just know that you must comply with the theme. People are looking for what to feed their soul because art is food for the soul and you must not be feeding people with the same thing all the time.”

The exhibition is something we look out for, we try to put in the best and I like to highlight that infinite treasure of what I do. The content of what I will show has to define the theme,” says Odogwu.