The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Painting

  • Nigerian artist, Emediong’s ‘Lagbaja’ painting makes history at Cyprus Museum

    19-year-old Nigerian medical student, Emediong Uduak Uko’s painting of music legend, ‘Lagbaja’ has become the first African work to be displayed at the Cyprus Modern Art Museum.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Emediong is also the youngest artist and only African to have her work exhibited at museum, which is the largest in the Mediterranean region.

    The excited artist shared the news on her Instagram page @Emilyuko where she further revealed that her painting is now in the possession of Forbes-listed Cypriot businessman, Suat Günsel.

    Emediong explained in her social media post that she dedicated her painting to iconic faceless singer, Lagbaja because he inspired a culture and created both war and peace with his passion.

    She wrote, “I’m pleased to announce to the general public that my artwork is now a part of the vast collection of the Cyprus Modern Art Museum!

    “This is the largest museum in the Mediterranean region. My work is now in the possession of the owner of my university- Forbes listed Cypriot Businessman, Suat Günsel.

    “Apparently, I am the youngest and only African Art piece in the entire museum with works dating as far back as 1940. Somebody pinch me!

    READ ALSO: Bill Clinton lauds 8-year-old Nigerian boy for winning Chess Championship

    “More importantly, this painting is dedicated to none other than the legendary Nigerian musician and political activist himself, Lagbaja. @officiallagbaja .

    “I decided if I’m going to put a timeless piece in the walls of a foreign land, it should be about the ones back home.

    “Sir, if you’re reading this, know that you’ve inspired a culture. You’ve created both war & peace with your passion and creativity and that is everything I stand for. This is the least I could do to show appreciation.

    “I’d like to thank God and his Spirit that makes things possible through me- He placed me here. The fact that my art value has gone up more than 10x by reason of this event is still mind blowing.

    “To all the curators and friends who kept this huge announcement on the downlow and pumped me with endless support, I love you,” she said.

    Emediong is also a muralist and mixed-medium artist who runs a budding arts company called Asher’s Pallette.

  • ‘I have no regret leaving banking for painting’

    After a successful solo debut of Colour on my mind at Mydrim Art Gallery, Ikoyi, Lagos five years ago, Ronke Aina Scott is returning to  the gallery with another solo effort tagged And she persevered. It is a build-up from her last show, which was a reflection of her mood and fascination by colours and a way to encourage other women show their talent. Scott has evolved a stronger and distinct style of celebrating culture and women.

    And she persevered, which will feature about 30 acrylic paintings and mixed media at the Weave and Co. Gallery, MoorHouse Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos on August 4, is a summary of her journey into the arts in the past 20 years since leaving Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife. “Expectedly, most of the works are on women, because ‘I celebrate women, our culture and I love warm colours,” she said.

    Works for display include Wazobia; Glorious homecoming; Looking forward; Women in business; African mask; African damsel; And she provides and Behind the mask, among others. Central to the works is her effective use of lines and warm colours, which characterise most of the paintings. Scott’s current body of works does not only show her penchant for cultural motifs and values, but it also reflects her feminist inspired themes. However, the subjects are not far from her last show, except for the improved strokes. And she persevered, will be curated by Moses Ohiomokhare, and will run for two weeks at Weave and Co Gallery, Moorhouse Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos.

    “For women artists, irrespective of the challenges, they should not give up. They should forge ahead.Even if you are not recognise, continue to do what you believe in,” she said of her love for women empowerment and promotion.

    The former employee of Fidelity Bank Plc is not losing any sleep for abandoning her bank job since 2014 to pursue her passion and dream. She recalled that after leaving the banking industry, she contacted some studio artists, who encouraged her. Beyond that, she did some researches on trendy issues in the sector to keep abreast with the goings on in the creative sector. So far, she has pledged to stay and fulfill her dream.

    “Art has always been my passion. Even while in the bank, I knew there was something missing. Art might not give me the huge pay, but it is giving me fulfillment. I can work till 3am and not feel bad because I love what I am doing. If I get oil and gas job today, I will likely not accept because it will not give me the joy.

    “Until I left the bank, I always acknowledge the fact that there was something I love doing that I left undone. Anything that has to do with design gives me joy,” she said, adding: “The lesson I picked from bank is discipline. If I don’t get up to paint, I will not get anything done. Sometimes, I don’t feel like painting, but the end result moves me to forge ahead.”

    She continued: ”This discipline helped me to produce lots of works for my first solo while still in the bank. As tired as I might have been, I still found two hours to paint when I return from work late.”

    Since leaving school, Scott has worked in the media and related fields where design is a major job. Although, she was out of studio practice until four years ago, but she did not feel rusty. “I really had no lost ground these years. Though you may feel rusty, but for your talent, you can  catch up. In fact, I encourage myself just as some mentors were also encouraging me. Nsikak Essien is one of them. Given another opportunity to make a choice, I will travel this road again because I love art. Unfortunately we are always scared of the unknown thinking white collar job is better,” she noted.

    She described her work process as end to beginning because ‘I have a visual picture of my work in my head. I like to explore different things around art. I like to be dynamic, to be different. I am not too comfortable with art school identity or tag’.

  • Fan gives 2baba painting

    Fan gives 2baba painting

    Talented artist and medical doctor, Folabi David, had his dream come true last Saturday when he presented 2Baba with a painting from his Campari photoshoot.

    The presentation which was done at Campari’s celebration of 2Baba’s honorary Master’s degree from the Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State held at Rumors Nightclub in Ikeja, Lagos.

    Folabi David in his excitement revealed that he is a dedicated fan of 2Face and thanked 2Baba for giving him the opportunity to attend the event and present his painting.

    In attendance to celebrate the African Queen crooner were guests like Tee A, Toni Kan, CEO Now Muzik, Efe Omorogbe, Portfolio Manager – International Premium Brands, Nigerian Breweries, Sampson Oloche and DotunOmotoye. Other guests include Kelly Handsome, Annie Idibia, GbemiOlateru-Olagbegi, City FM OAPs, Sensei Uche, Kemi Smallz, Cvon among many others.

  • Between painting, restoration of art

    Between painting, restoration of art

    A 2000 graduate of Painting from Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State, Mr. Ariyo Oguntimehin, is an artist of many parts. Apart from being a documentary photographer, art facilitator, he has also done some restorations of failed paintings.

    The holder of a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) in 2006 studied Photography at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (Photo journalism) in 2010 and a recipient of state merit award.

    Recently, he shared his experiences as art restorer. “Back in my school days I spent most of my time in the library studying the works of old masters. As faith will have it, working with Omoba Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon Art Foundation (OYASAF) as documentary Photo journalist/artist exposed me to great works of Nigeria pioneer artists’ works, modern and contemporary works of masters such as Aina Onabolu, Ben Enwonwu, Uche Okeke, Isiaka Osunde, Yusuf Grillo, Gani Odutokun  among others.

    “Some of the works of the old masters which I had close contact with for the first time spurred my interest. A bigger task came along my way when I was faced with the tasks of restoring the works by late Enwonwu and Uche Okeke. A rare privileged was given to me by Omooba Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon. I studied the works for days and weeks thereafter which I did a lot of reading and research on restoration.

    “The success of the first set of works led to more works and greater challenges for me, which I surmounted. Some of my major challenges as a restorer were on books, which are not available, rare artists to contact and proper share from their vast experience couple with the mastery of style of the artist whose work is to be restored. I am hoping that someday these will get better, the right tools and instruments will be available for artist while institutions in Nigeria will offer courses on restoration.

    ‘’My experience as a restorer has its own up and down. Nevertheless, it’s a wonderful and treasured moments for me having worked with many individuals, private galleries and organisations.The most recent work I worked on is a painting by Ablade Glover contracted by Quintessence Gallery, Lagos,” Oguntimehin said.

     

     

     

  • Firm shortlists 60 pupils for painting contest

    RanoNa Ltd, makers of Yojus fruit drink, has 60 shortlisted pupils for the final of the Yojus Painting Contest holding October 24, 2015.

    The theme of the annual contest organised for pupils in both public and private primary schools aged between six and 12 is “Our Beautiful World”.

    At a press briefing to announce the competition on Tuesday in Lagos, brand manager, Yojus Fruit drink, Mrs Foluke Makinde, said the 60 pupils were selected from about 5,000 entries received from 250 schools in Lagos and Port Harcourt.

    Their work would be judged on originality, use of space, and creativity.

    Mrs Makinde said only Lagos pupils participated in the inaugural edition of the contest last year. She said Port Harcourt was added because of the success recorded in the last contest.

    She said the company chose the platform of painting because it is one of the ways children love to express themselves and hopes it would inspire them to be creative.

    “This medium provides children who love to express themselves through painting the platform to showcase their talent, get noticed, appreciated and rewarded,” Makinde said.

    She also disclosed that the contest attracted more pupils this year from both private and public schools.  However, she noted that the public schools were few because of what she described as a lack of cooperation from them.

    Winner of the contest will go home with a plaque, computer and one year’s supply of Yojus fruit drink.

    The first and second runners up will get six and three months’ supply of Yojus fruit drink – in addition to plaques and computers.

     

  • Light painting feature of P8

    Until recently, light painting was only possible using a Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) camera, and even then, only by skilful photographers who would have taken great time and patience learning the skill.

    The Huawei P8 smartphone with its revolutionary 13mp camera not only outperform all other camera phones within its class, but also came up with the light painting feature to outwit other tricks in the shade.

    The Huawei P8 is a slim and stylish new phone that packs quite the punch in a very elegant body. With a 5.2-inch display with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels, and an octa-core Kirin 930 system chip, it’s got the silicon, but what it is particularly proud of is it being World’s 1st 4 -colour 13- megapixel RGBW, F2.0 large aperture, 8 megapixel front camera with a flashy new mode that lets you capture light in enchanting new ways.

    Continuing the minimalist design of previous generations in the P series, the device embodies the ultimate in elegance, craftsmanship and durability. Highlights include:

    The nano-injection molding process results in an industry-leading seamless tight junction connecting a 1.5mm thin plastic bar with one of the industry’s largest screens

    The triple-layer shark-gill design enhances the reliability and robustness of the device, while the body’s sleek back cover is constructed of steel, for reinforced structural rigidity.

    However, it is the P8’s ultra-lowlight capable camera and its light painting skills that most captures the imagination.

    The Light Painting mode leverages the Huawei P8’s manual camera shutter to capture broad swaths of light. Light Painting mode can capture headlights on cars at night, showing the long streams of light in an artistic photo. Users can also “light paint” their own freehand pictures using a small torchlight in the dark.

    Another industry first low light technology is the light check and preview mode. By giving users a preview of what the shot will look like, the device makes it easier to experiment creatively with light sources in the dark.

    The Huawei P8’s Director Mode is the industry’s first professional-level video capture function on a smartphone. It allows consumers to direct and control up to three other Android phones when shooting a video scene from four angles simultaneously, and also synchronize video clip editing.

    The device introduces a powerful new Selfie mode, which allows preset image enhancement settings to capture and customise users’ unique beauty, enabling even more people to get in on the process.

    The Huawei P8 takes beauty to the next level, striking a flawless balance of artistry and creativity. Based on a deep understanding of human-machine design, the Huawei P8 delivers a new level of usability for applications impacting everyday life – at work and at play. With craftsmanship that pushes the bounds of possibility and new revolutionary light painting modes, the Huawei P8 provides consumers with an inspiration for creativity,” company official explained.

     

     

  • Painting bought for $5,212 sells for $5.2m

    Painting bought for $5,212 sells for $5.2m

    An art enthusiast paid $5,212 in 2013 at a London auction for a painting of a 19th-century English landscape. That price was well above Christie’s auction house estimated value of $760 to $1,200. This week, however, the painting’s price jumped exponentially — 1,000 times its previous value — at a Sotheby’s auction in New York. It sold Wednesday for $5.2 million. The discrepancy in the value of “Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows” is due to a difference of opinion by art experts at the rival auction houses. Christie’s analysed the painting in 2013 and declared that it was the work of a follower of John Constable — not a creation of the famed English Romantic landscape artist himself.

    But Sotheby’s claimed it was an original Constable made in preparation for another work owned by the Tate gallery in London. The auction house valued the painting at between $2 million and $3 million. Anne Lyles, former 18th and 19th century British art curator at the Tate, wrote in catalog for the Sotheby’s auction that “the present work by Constable was heavily retouched with a dark and opaque pigments which probably dated to the late 19th or early 20th century, in a misguided attempt to ‘finish’ the painting.”

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    Lyles wrote that this was the reason why Christie’s “overlooked” its authenticity in 2013.

    “The retouchings on the present painting were readily soluble in the course of its recent cleaning, and Constable’s original and brilliant conception has been once again revealed,” Lyles wrote.

    Christie’s, however, said that experts disagree about the painting’s authenticity.

    “We are aware that Sotheby’s have sold this work as by Constable,” the auction house said in a statement. “We took the view at the time of our sale in 2013 that it was by a ‘follower of.’ We understand that there is no clear consensus of expertise on the new attribution.”

    Mystery masterpiece a Rembrandt

    Lyles wrote that the painting recently sold was one of five preliminary oil sketches, precursors to “perhaps the greatest of his late masterpieces,” a work that goes by the same name. According to Sotheby’s, it is believed the sketch was possibly sold by the artist in 1837 for 6 pounds — or about $9 today. John Constable (1776-1837) was famous for his landscapes of the English countryside, particularly scenes of his native Suffolk. In 2012, the Constable painting “The Lock” became one of the most expensive British paintings ever sold, fetching £22.4milllion ($34.8 million) at an auction at Christie’s in London.

  • Painting to heal souls

    Painting to heal souls

    Catherine Fashesin-Souza is a practising lawyer and a self-taught artist until she studied oil painting on part-time at the Rosetta Art Centre, West Ham, London.

    Back in Nigeria, she is holding a solo art exhibition of her paintings at the Didi Museum, Victoria Island, Lagos to raise funds to sponsor treatment of persons with life- threatening illnesses. The exhibition will open on December 21 and runs till 30. Her works are a combination of still life, landscape, abstract and portrait, which are influenced by her emotions, environment and experiences.

    “I will like to use my art works as a means of giving back to the community and would be giving some of its proceeds to a trust fund which could be used to sponsor persons with life threatening illnesses, for their maintenance and operations,” she said

    She described her exhibition as a journey through her experiences and life. The exhibition, which will feature works from done between 2008 to date is an expression of unspoken words and an untold story. “My works where done in Lagos and in London. I started painting two years after I had a car accident that almost took my life on the November 17, 2006. My experience made me realise that you only live life once and to me this was like a second chance. Henceforth, I started seeking to do things I enjoyed doing, but for me this was still a hard decision, because my mum always had an ideal dream of me being a lawyer, of which I have no regrets of attaining. I love law and love being a lawyer. I also love being an artist, which is an in born talent. It’s a nice feeling when I am able to create something beautiful, because art has a way of bringing out the beauty in anything and everything,” she added.

    On the central message of the works, she said: “My message behind my works is that, It is harder when you are doing the right thing but easier when you are not. I am coming out now and especially during Christmas because I want my exhibition to be a celebration of my art, my life, my achievements and the dawn of the new things to come in the new-year.”

    Until now, she has had four exhibitions in London her first was at the Thames Gallery Grays Community Centre at Thurrock in 2009 followed by the Afro Caribbean exhibition at the Shell Centre at Waterloo and on Strand Street in Central London between October 19 and 20, 2011. She also exhibited at the Ariya Expo at the Hilton at Kensington, London which was between November 4 and 5, 2011. Her last exhibition was a group exhibition and was held during last year’s Olympic games at Stratford in London. It has as theme, Art on the Rail and held at E15 Whalebone Lane in Stratford.

    Catherine’s flair for painting started while at Queens College, Lagos, where she won the Second Prize Winner Award at the 1996 UNICEF Breast Feeding and Enlightenment Open Children’s Art Contest which was organised to commemorate the 1996 World Breast Feeding Week.

    The award, according to her, was given to her shortly after she won the Best Fine Art student at the Senior School level for 1995 at Queens College, Lagos.

    She was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2008 and obtained her Masters from the University of Wales, Cardiff in International Trade Law. She was previously working part-time at Hereward & Foster Solicitors at Canning Town, London.

    “I have also had the opportunity to work as an art facilitator, and have facilitated art workshops for children, adults and persons with disabilities and the like. In 2012, shortly before the Olympics Games started in London, I conducted art workshops at the Olympics torch marathon show at East Ham. The art workshop we conducted was themed: “Artlympics,” she said.

  • ‘Why few people do bead painting’

    How do you feel to be 70?

    I feel honoured. I thank God for allowing me attain the age of 70. I’m full of praises to God almighty for sparing my life to see my 70th year on earth despite all the odds I have passed through. It is a long journey I thank God for getting to this level and I pray that I will get beyond this.

    Many people would be wondering how you have managed to stay healthy, considering your busy schedule; what is the secret?

    I try to rest anytime I had the opportunity to relax, this helps to regain my energy, though there are lots of pressures due to my position in the community. But I thank God that I’m able to serve people judiciously. It is a fact that if I don’t work sometimes, I feel more sick than when I’m working, so my source of energy is when I’m thinking or working. I cant sit down doing nothing, I either paint, be on computer or be doing one thing or the other. I just like to get things done.

    You are IT savvy. I-phone, I-pad, android and other computer accessories are always with you, how did you manage to acquire this knowledge?

    I think it is a gift and interest. When you have interest in something, you won’t find it difficult to learn and I remember maybe 1959 or something, my father had this big typewriter, when he could not pay for school fees, and my teacher went to him and appeal to him, that was how I was able to cope. Before then, I loved anything technical, anything that can task my brain. I remember again when computers were about to be springing up in Nigeria, I’ve been on computer since 1990, you know if you want to live in the US successfully you must be on computer, that is, you must know how to use computer. The people I’m working with, the students, they have to be computer literate, you must know how to use computer to function well and be able to communicate. I think I was one of the first group of people to have internet here in Osogbo. We started seeing the traces of computers here in Nigeria in 1990 or 92 and I’ve been on computers since then and since it is a day-to-day practice. I get to understand it better.

    How often do you paint now?

    I have painted this morning. I even use computer to design. I call it computer graphic. Hardly I sleep early, that is why I wake up late, maybe I sleep sometimes, depending on the interest, depending on my mood, perhaps sometimes between 12 and 1a.m. and I wake up late. If I feel like working in the midnight, I will wake up and go to my studio to work. I’m self employed, I have no other job than what I’m doing, my studio is closer to my bedroom that is where I live.

    Why do you prefer to work at night?

    It is more silent, nobody, no visitor will come to you, so you are always on your own. One will be able to concentrate well than when you are expecting visitors or going for a meeting. I have nobody to visit me, the whole place is quiet and concentration is better.

    Why is it that only few people are into bead painting?

    I wouldn’t know why though it is an expensive hobby. Bead is an expensive hobby because the beads and the glue are expensive. Some people feel once they do a painting, they will want to sell it, once they cannot get it sold, you now use the resources of one bead painting to do five to 10 paintings in oil. So, people now prefer to do oil painting than bead painting because, bead painting will cost them a lot and they are not sure whether they are going to get it sold. I know of some people who gate crashed but could not sustain it.

    Does that mean bead painting is meant for a class of people?

    Yes, because it is supposed to be more expensive than ordinary oil,  it is an applied art. Something you added to the board which is more than oil, it normally cost more. May be because again, it is my invention some people may not go into it because once other see it, they will say “O! this is Jimoh Buraimoh.” It has been my identity. That may scare some people not to go into it and try their own medium.

    What is the future of bead painting in Nigeria, it seems it is more prominent abroad than here?

    It is more prominent here too; people who know it buy it.

    I’m not even talking about buyers; I’m talking about people doing it

    There are people doing it here but you know, people like David Dale, he is one of my ‘apprentices’ whom I inspired and I have the authority to say, I started bead painting in Nigeria.

    Again, what is the future?

    The future is okay, some of my children are doing painting, they use bead but the only difference is that they use it in another dimension because they can not use the same feature like I use, it will not augur well to use the same system like what I’m using. It will be like they are copying what I do, they do something different from what I do.

    Your advice for up and coming artists?

    Even if they are not using beads, they should be able to create something on their own; they should have an identity. To copy will not augur well for any artist because people buy name and creativity they buy art through the creativity but if the creativity is being molested, it may not last.

     

  • Pupil wins painting competition

    Pupil wins painting competition

    Master Daniel Bankole, a Basic Six pupil of Joint-Heirs Primary School, Shomolu, Lagos Mainland, has won the Amila Painting Challenge at the grand finale held at the University of Lagos.

    The first runner-up was Master Chukwudi Kosi, a 13-year-old Basic Six pupil of Subuola Nursery and Primary School, Lawanson, Surulere, Lagos. Master Daniel Iwajomo, of St. Dominic’s Primary School, Yaba, Lagos, was second runner-up.

    The panel of four judges comprised two artists, an arts teacher and an arts journalist.

    The overall best pupil went home with N250,000 while first runner-up got N150,000 and the second runner-up – N100,000.

    The other 12 contestants got consolation prizes of N30,000 each while arts teachers of the three best pupils got N25,000 each. The winning schools will get art materials worth N250,000 .

    About 15 pupils, representing 15 of the 20 local government areas in Lagos, participated in the final stage of the competition.

    Promasidor Nigeria Limited, makers of Amila powdered soft drink, had last November flagged off the challenge in about 200 primary schools across 20 local government areas in Lagos State under the first stage of the competition.

    Under the first stage, an art teacher in each of the selected schools conducted a general painting competition among the pupils of the school to determine the best 10 pupils that would participate on the Amila Day, that is, the day of the activation from where an overall best winner emerged to represent the school at each local government level.

    At the second stage, the overall winner from the local government level got a branded Amila bicycle and Promasidor goodie bag.

    Earlier, in her address of welcome, Mrs. Abiola Inawo, Dairy Category and Food Enhancement Manager, Promasidor, said the competition commenced about six months ago with a press conference to herald it.

    She said the competition is all about making the children to have fun.

    According to her, we went to 100 public schools and 100 private schools in the 20 educational districts in Lagos State during the first stage of the competition after children in all schools were given opportunity to paint anything of their choices.

    The competition was in three stages, the first stage was at the school level where pupils painted any art of their choices. The winners from this level, represented their schools at the local government area for the second stage.

    At the second stage, the overall winner from the local government level got a branded Amila bicycle and Promasidor goodie bags.

    The third phase, which was the grand finale of the competition was graced by representatives of the arts and culture from 20 educational districts under the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).