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Tag: VISUAL

  • At 50, artist breaks vow, holds Visual Integration

    At 50, artist breaks vow, holds Visual Integration

    Frederick Olatunde Aleilo is unlike many contemporary Nigerian artists. 

    Though trained as a painter at the Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, Lagos and Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, he ventured into many vocations. Indeed, he is a man of many parts. From street hawking to photography, visual arts including textile design, illustration, ceramics, Uber driver, architectural draughtsman-cum house builder, and pastoring a church, Aleilo left his mark of successes in those human endeavours. He is a shining example of artistic prowess and business acumen rolled into one.

    Last month, he rolled out the big drums to mark his 50th birthday with a retrospective solo exhibition tagged Visual Integration and launch of his two books in Lagos.

    Belatedly, with this baptism in professional exhibitions, Aleilo has announced his rich collection and presence in the vibrant creative sector he traversed for decades almost unnoticed. Going by his current zeal, energy and commitment to studio art practice, the artist will seamlessly integrate into mainstream visual art practice. 

    Speaking with Art Writers on the sideline of his exhibition, the artist stated that Visual Integration was a child of necessity as he planned the show to officially unveil his person to the world of art. 

    Read Also: Yomibas eyes global relevance through arts

    “My 50th birthday celebration afforded me opportunity to officially unveil myself.  The purpose of the exhibition is not about any other thing. We want the sales, but it is more of telling the world there is an artist who has created this body of works. That’s why it is a retrospective exhibition and I’m very deliberate. When you look at the titles of the works, you will see that they date back to one decade on a consistent level,” he said.

    Aleilo who is CEO, Alet Inspirationz Prints Limited, a printing and publishing firm, didn’t believe art could pay his bills and live a decent life when he left the university.

    From his personal experiences as an intern the older artists he encountered didn’t inspire him to be a full time studio artist.  

    “While at FCE (Technical), I had my internship with Mr. Ebong Ekwere who was a very good artist but he struggled to make ends meet. My art teacher too in Secondary School was so good but his finance was not enough. So, I told myself after seeing all this, that I will never be a full time artist.  And when I was getting out of OAU, Ile-Ife in my final year, I had an exhibition and I resolved that it was going to be my first and last solo exhibition. When I left school I went into the commercial world as I didn’t want a situation where I will be frustrated. This kept me away from exhibition for so long.

    “I didn’t want to become a full time studio artist, which took me into portraiture. It was one of those things that actually took me into design and printing because I am a graphic artist by training. There is a talent in me that have been suppressed. So, over the years, I realised that I wasn’t at home with that decision,” he recalled.

    The exhibition, which featured drawings, paintings and prints of yester years, is dominated by figurative portraits that are sometimes stylized. His images are primarily feminine and rendered in cool colours. Despite been away from exhibition circuit for a long time, Aleilo’s rendition of his artworks is still very consistent and fluid. There is no hiding place for his skillfulness as a draughtsman whose passion for feminine figures know no bound. In fact, he executes with bold strokes laced with African motifs and embellishment. One other visible trait is how he captures the mood and emotions of his subject in a natural style. 

    The exhibition, which was held at the Library, Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, featured  Rhythm, Sisi eko, After the day’s work, Longing soul, nature’s call, Rest, Bridal dance, In deep thought, Purposeful living, Resilience, Love birds, New realm and Friendship among others. The two books are So far, so challenging and Mr. Empty Class. 

  • Nigeria Info launches visual radio

    In a move aimed at changing radio listenership for better, talk, news and sports radio station, Nigeria Info, has introduced a new concept into the radio broadcast landscape.

    Known as ‘Visual Radio’, the management of the station says that the aim is to afford listeners the opportunity to watch their favorite local FM radio presenters in action on their computers and mobile devices deploying professional, multi-camera positions and angles with high-quality effects, graphics and multiple ad spaces.

    According to its management, it is a new dimension in radio broadcasting with interactive content and services for mobile radio listeners.

    In the words of Serge Noujaim, the radio network’s CEO: “We now live in an instant and content-hungry world. Modern radio must compete with multiple attention-grabbing sources to engage, maintain and grow audiences. This must not be at the expense of making great radio. It should be an addition to it. And we are proud to be the first in Nigeria to do so.”

    Speaking further, he said that with ‘Visual Radio’, listeners can enjoy engaging and exciting content: visuals, information, and entertainment of what’s playing over the air. Listeners can also participate in the radio station’s promotions, polls, contests, and interact with the show hosts and their special guests.

    Femi Obong-Daniels, the network’s Head of Stations adds; “Visual Radio presents a unique opportunity for advertisers to expand their radio advertising reach to a global audience online beyond the ears to countless eyeballs.”

    Visual Radio is already a fast-growing game-changing global phenomenon and Nigeria still has much ground to cover in catching up with the West; a quest that has now begun courtesy of Nigeria Info, with sister stations Cool FM and Wazobia FM following closely in leveraging on this new technology.

  • When visual trouble is no problem-The story of a successful visually-impaired principal

    When visual trouble is no problem-The story of a successful visually-impaired principal

    Being visually-impaired for more than 50 years and a principal of a secondary school may sound outlandish to some people. Ms Deborah Mojisola Balogun has suffered visual-impairment for this long but her handicap has not dampened her spirits. MOJISOLA CLEMENT-OMOBOWALE writes that her determination not to succumb to the vagaries of life which would have derailed her vision translated a somewhat dismal situation into success. 

    Not even a five decades visual impairment would keep her down.

    Ms Deborah Mojisola Balogun did not allow what would have been a terminal handicap to dampen her spirits. Her determination not to consent to the vicissitudes of life which would have derailed her vision translated a somewhat dismal situation into success.

    She kept her hope aglow despite all odds by proving that there is ability in disability. Hers became an inspiring story to those whose state of helplessness would have ruined their future. Her optimistic stance on life invalidated her disability.

    Being visually-impaired for 50 years and a principal of a secondary school may sound outlandish to some. But it is real. Here is reality staring us on the face.

    Although her visual-impairment is protracted, the conduct and mien of this dark-complexioned, eloquent woman would always stir doubt in people concerning her sight challenges.

    But one gets convinced that she has sight challenges when she gives out pieces of advice to her students who may have one form of challenge or the other. She would urge them to be focused and not consider their disabilities as impediments to achieving their dreams. She would advise them to be committed to whatever they do and should not allow anything weigh them down. These pieces of advice are based on her experience.

    For 30 years, she has been in teaching and is the Principal of Community Junior Secondary School, Bayeku Ikorodu with a population of over 850 students.

    A native of Ikorodu, Lagos  State Ms Balogun told Southwest Report she would be 60 years old soon and the eldest of six children. She added that she had loving parents who ensured that their children had the best they could afford.

    Any wonder she is in love with the teaching profession! Her father was a head teacher during his working days while her mother had to resign from the Ikorodu Trading Company to look after her when she lost her sight. However, she said her mother later ventured into sales of farm produce such as eggs, pigs, food crops and cassava processing. Ms. Balogun speaks English, French and Yoruba fluently.

    The vision that turned her life around

    Narrating how the incident that turned her life around began, Ms Balogun said she had a dream one day which she relayed to her father.

    She said: “In the dream, I was wearing a white garment; carrying a bell and moving round the town, calling people to Christ. I was not wearing any shoes. My father went in search of a church that could fit into that description. Eventually, he found something similar at Makoko, a suburb of Yaba, Lagos Mainland. It was a Celestial Church and I moved in to stay with them.

    “I began a new life of learning to pray every three hours. The Lord just wanted me to dwell in His house for some time. I was left in the church until the Lord was ready to do something. I was there for a year with the likes of Pa Oshoffa, Pa Bada and Pa Ajanlekoko whose wives looked after me. Upon leaving the church, I enrolled at Pacelli School for the Blind at Surulere.”

     Educational background

    At the age of five, Ms. Balogun had begun her education at the Salvation Army School, Onishigida Sabo Junction in Ikorodu.  She had no problem with her sight then. It was at the end of her primary two when she moved to the Pacelli School for the Blind, Surulere because her sight had gone bad. Six years later, she enrolled into Queen’s College, Yaba, where she obtained her Higher School Certificate.

    After then, she attended the University of Wales in the United Kingdom (UK) where she obtained a Second-class Honours degree in Education and History. She also had a Post-graduate certificate in the Teaching of History and English as Second Language. She also obtained a Diploma certificate in Biblical Studies. She came back to Nigeria, after which she obtained a Master’s degree in Education Foundation from the Department of Counselling of the University of Lagos, Akoka, and another Master’s degree in Education in Learning Disabilities from the Special Education Department of the University of Ibadan.

     How she became visually-impaired

    On how she became visually-impaired, Ms. Balogun stated that it was a sudden occurrence.

    She said: “My sight went overnight. Then measles was widespread. There was an epidemic of small pox as well. When I was examined by specialists at an eye clinic in London, they confirmed that my eye problem was not as a result of either of the two ailments.

    “But I had stopped worrying about the situation. Rather, I was adjusting and trying to adapt to my current situation. After visiting some medical facilities such as the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Lagos and University Teaching Hospital, Ibadan, I decided to live with the situation.”

    Career

    On her career, she revealed that she worked for roughly one-and-a-half years as a typist at Ikorodu High School under the late Pa Akinwunmi and Rev Odejide. That was after her Higher School Certificate examination. She noted that she has been a Principal for the past three years. But before the appointment, she was a Vice-Principal at Ipakodo Senior Grammar School and a teacher at Odogunyan Grammar School. In all, she has about 31 years’ experience in teaching, administration and counselling. At various times, she had taught English Language, Literature in English, History, Christian Religious Studies and occasionally French in the junior schools.

     Why in the teaching profession?

    But why did she choose to be a teacher? She explained that “I didn’t really set out to be a teacher. There was nothing like counselling when we were in primary school and even in early secondary school. So, professions were chosen especially by the Prophets. My being a teacher came as a result of prophesies from more than four people and that was from the age of seven. My parents were told that their child was going to be a teacher; that the Lord is going to use her to set students free from their helpless situations.”

    How I teach

    As visually-impaired teacher, what methods does she adopt while teaching? The Principal told our correspondent that she, at first, engaged the services of a brilliant non-teaching member of staff who would first read what she had written. If she is convinced he or she read it completely, she will then type with the old typewriter.

    So, after typing, she will pass it on to the non-teaching member of staff who will read it again. When she is sure it is somewhat error-free, the member of staff will write on the chalk board for her with the permission of the Principal. As the non-teaching member of staff writes, the students will get up and read each paragraph. That way, she was able to know students who were very good in reading.

    My first day of teaching

    “My first day of teaching at Odogunyan Grammar School, Ikorodu was quite easy. The Principal, Pa P.O. Adebayo who is now retired, studied in Manchester, England. He knew what it entails to be visually-impaired. Secondly, I met teachers some of who lived in my area. They knew me and were helping me out, particularly in terms of mobility.  All that helped. The issue of discipline was taken seriously. So, it was easy for me to fit into the system,” she said.

    About marriage and children

    “I have brought up a lot of children in and outside the family, particularly those with learning difficulties. They stay with me from JSS1 and leave after their SS3 examinations. Getting married as visually-impaired woman then was on trial-and-error basis.

    “Most families did not accept it. It was much later that people began to truly accept it. So, I never got married. But personally, I have nothing to regret at all. To be candid, it is better to remain single than to be married to a wrong man because it could pose some challenges which could jeopardise one’s future,” Ms. Balogun said.

    My typical day

    For her, the day begins at 5:30 in the morning every day. Though she lives very close to the school, she wakes up that early to begin preparation for the day’s business. She ensures that her home is organised by getting everywhere neat.

    By 7:15 a.m., she is out of the house and in the next 15 minutes, she is already in school. By 8:00 a.m., she will go round to check on the teachers in order to know how they feel. She does this because she understands that teachers’ feelings are also important. If any of her teachers is not happy, she would want to know why and proffer some solution. By 5:00 p.m., she goes home.

  • Achieve a visual balance

    INTERESTINGLY, this is one area that Temitope Olagbegi, Creative Director, Sixth Sense Décor, is passionate about. Some of her creations adorn the homes of the rich, mighty and people who have a great sense of class. “Two things come to my mind. The first is what an amazing job this is and I draw some inspiration from it or there is a lot that could happen here. Every part of the home has its own function and that is actually why they exist. Most women would say their kitchen. Most men would say their libraries or study, the children would probably say it is the upper living room where they can watch TV or their play areas, so it is really relative.”

    Happily, Olagbegi goes on to talk about her source of inspiration and how she transforms empty spaces to wonderlands.

    “The typical Nigerian will say it is the living room and in a sense you might want to agree that it is important because it is a space that speaks about who you are as a person.”

    She adds that “If you enter a person’s living room, you can tell if the person travels, you can tell the person’s passion, the person’s taste, you can tell the person’s aesthetic appreciation. There is so much you can tell from walking into a person’s personal space.”

    Clutter is unnecessary stuff. Clutter is unnecessary things that should be disposed of and anything that should be disposed and is kept is toxic. Not chemically toxic, but clutter disallows the brain from functioning properly.

    Olagbegi then talks about the current trend in interior décor is the classics. “They are coming back, but before now, we used to think that the classics were more for our parents. But you see young people embracing classic just that the fabric will be a little more playful.”

    One of the principles of decor is balance, and balance has to do with even visual distribution of your elements. Across a table, for instance, you want to evenly distribute the weight of the items so that one side of the table doesn’t look heavier than the other part of the table. One part of the room doesn’t look visually heavier than another side of the room; that is what balance is about.”

    Next, she talks about giving young people exposure through the interior decorating academy which is ongoing. “We have started the academy and the whole point is to empower young people and empowerment in things that they love to do so it doesn’t seem like work because they enjoy it and they have a natural flair for it. Our new session runs for the next nine weeks and we are starting this week. We will give students exposure to various modules such as Introduction to Design, Principles and Fundamentals of Design, Colours and

    Psychology of Colours. Beside the fundamentals, students are subsequently introduced to the nitty gritty of designs, the business aspects of running a design outfit and a terminal personal project.”

  • Atiku demonstrates visual art

    Atiku demonstrates visual art

    Jelili Atiku has successfully established himself as one of the most revered performance artists in the world.  A visual artist by profession, he chose from day one to use his visual works as a platform to perform some series of art works on stage to capture his audience.  This was why he took his time to create his own form, style and message.  Today he is a brand.

    A performance artist well gifted in the area of conceptualization, so far he has won the Prince Claus award as Africa’s most consistent performance artist.  This Netherlands based award listed him as one of its 2015 laureates.  Awardees are chosen every year in the area of creative works emboldened by the artist himself.  To them, his works provoke debates on the issues of climate change, desert encroachment, oil spillage, environmental degradation and such ugly happenings that deplete the earth.

    To him, art is the best way to capture the world.  It is not only to draw, paint and sculpt or even do installations in different forms, but to try to condense the message of his art works through demonstrations, performances and acts.

    During the last Lagos Book and Art Festival, held at the Freedom Park, Lagos, Atiku’s works were spectacular in a way no other artist could equal him.  Indeed in the past two editions of the festival, Atiku’s visual works have been used to establish some landmark impressions of how a real performance fine artist should exhibit his trade.  The pictures of his shows, his own person and what he stands for, have been so conspicuous that Atiku himself has been accepted as a phenomenon.

    In a statement in the brochure of the festival titled they have asked us to smile, it described him as an artist “whose creative sensibility is directed towards using art to critically interrogate man’s actions.”  Today its resultant effects within socio-political, economic, cultural and environmental space have been quite remarkable.  Atiku asserts also that his art has been of immense use to take his numerous “viewers into the true realisation of the consequences of crises, human rights abuses, conflicts and wars.”

    This way, it has been easy for the people, mostly the uninformed to grasp the issues he raises, his approach to topical world issues, why he has chosen this route to demonstrate his art and so on.  “This way too, the world can come to understand the environment better, expand their experiences and consequently activate and renew their lives and the environment,” he said.

    For instance, this art has taken him to most parts of the world.  In those places, he introduces arts in a way to draw the people to him.  In Earth with Trees and Water I Am, Atiku takes three elements that are critical and intrinsic to the sustenance of life to showcase his concept.  What is the concept of life itself?  Why wouldn’t the earth and water be too intricately connected to give man his whole essence?

    Now resorting to the usage of his body as the conveyor of his message the artist in him comes to the fore.  Of course, his attitude is to show that this concept is approachable and should therefore be made to be closer to humanity.  His body is the medium as well as the embodiment of experiments.  To him, tree, earth and water can go hand-in-hand to give man his true bearing.  But man has to use them to achieve enduring environmental preservation.  It is man’s efforts that can maintain, sustain and preserve the environment.  And through his works in forms of demonstrations, it is quite obvious that these issues are brought closer to realisation.

    In other words, visual arts can be used in the way Atiku has formulated it to reach out to the world, campaigning to save the earth.  Environmental degradation has to be avoided.  And an artist has brought himself to the level where the oil companies and their allies have to listen to this sort of campaign formula.

    When he first took his work to Germany to do his stage stunt, most of his audience were to behold this noble and innovative approach to art.  His first demonstration kept them spellbound and showed too that this is what he can take further than that.  In truth, Atiku has furthered his art that today he is well accepted in many parts of the globe.  He is seen as a trail blazer in performance art.  He is even expected to go further than this since creative art needs to be explored continually.

    A graduate of Fine Arts from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, Kaduna State, and the University of Lagos, Atiku believes that expressive art is the most potent way to convince humanity.  “Its potency cannot be overlooked.  It brings visual art to the consciousness of the people and the society,” he said.

  • FirstBank promotes visual arts

    First Bank of Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of FBN Holdings Plc and a prime promoter of the creative arts industry in Nigeria, is supporting the visual arts festival in Enugu tagged: “Life in my City”. The bank is supporting the event driven by the quest to promote the arts and preserve cultural heritage.

    “Life in My City” is a visual arts festival targeted at young Nigerian artists below the age of 35 and will provide opportunities for participants to make significant statements about their environment through art exhibitions. This festival has created another opportunity to support Nigerian youth and encourage the growth and developments of natural talents in Nigeria.

    The bank is supporting the event to build capacity, enhance wealth creation for the youth and enable Nigerians to compete favourably at the international art market.

    Through First@arts, FirstBank has encouraged home-grown human capacity development and enhance the creation of employment opportunities within the arts industry, thereby creating a sustainable value chain and contributing to the growth and development of an evolving art economy in Nigeria. The Bank believes that promoting the arts and preserving contemporary culture is essential for our generation and the future generations.

    According to the Bank’s spokesperson, Folake Ani-Mumuney, the lender has through the years influenced the history and growth of the country through the sponsorship of several arts initiatives across diverse cultures. “We intend to promote the arts as a veritable vehicle for interconnection in our nation while we solidify our position as the leading brand in this space through our First@arts initiative,” she said.

     

     

  • Visual artist performs on stage

    Recently, a conceptual Nigerian artist was compelled to create a piece of an artwork live on stage. The audience watched him for more than three hours as he occupied his white canvas with layers of acrylic paints and other objects.

    When the artist mounted the stage of the main auditorium of University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos; he asked the audience to provide for him any item with them which they consider useless. Biscuit papers, nylon, newspaper and other wastes were dropped on the stage for him.

    Not minding the short period given to him, the image you are looking at was the result of Kelani Abass’ effort on the stage titled Hear Us, which is also the theme for the maiden edition of Art Through 2015.

    It takes an artist a minimum of one week and maximum of three months if not even more to create a piece of artwork in the comfort of his studio. “It was difficult for me to accept to paint in front of the audience on the stage for about three hours,” he said,  “Ordinarily I spend close to four weeks on a piece of art, but I took  up the challenge because I wanted to step out of my studio.”

    Abass described his experience as wonderful. The work would be sold later and the money will be donated to charity so said Ini Dan Nkang, the CEO of Brother Art Production and the man who conceived the whole idea. “This event is as a result of a burning desire I have long conceived within me and to the glory of God we are all here to witness this burning desire of mine,” he said.

    The visual arts and the Nigerian artists have been demoted, according to Nkang, to the background in comparison to other creative arts such as the music arts, comic arts, theatre art and other performing art. He said the aim on the concert was bring the visual artist, music artists, theatre artistes and other performing artists to perform together on the stage, and this he was able to achieve.

    Though attendance was not encouraging but the organisers were optimistic that the hall will not be enough to contain people in subsequent editions. Tony Biyi Boyede was project manager while Durodola Yusuf was the Creative Director of the concert.

    Present at the concert were Samuel Bassey who represented the Akwa Ibom State Ministry for Culture and Tourism, The President of Society of Nigerian Artists, Oliver Enwonwu,  Akeju Temidayo Oluseun who represented The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Management Service) University of Lagos, Professor Duro Oni, amongst others.

  • Visual sensation: A break from the past

    Visual sensation: A break from the past

    The visual art sub-sector in recent times, has taken a new dimension, as new movements and forms continue to emerge. These have also resulted in a new burst of creativity and enthusiasm from many artists.

    Keeping breast on these developments is Aladegbongbe Aderinsoye, an artist and Head of Department, Visual Art, Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, (YABATECH), Lagos who said it is only by moving forward and experimenting that an artist can continue to truly create new concept.

    Aderinsoye will exhibit about 62 artworks featuring paintings, metal foils and wood; titled: Visual sensation, in two locations starting on Saturday at the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos; while the second opens at the YABATECH on September 30.

    “Visual sensation is a presentation of collections of five different bodies of work that have been of intrigue to me presently, these works I hope expose a paradigm shift from my previous approach to solo or group exhibitions which are sets of works on experimentation, a way far from the normal paintings I do. Theme and titles of the works reflect socio-cultural and economic activities in the nation,” he said.

    Aderinsoye’s new experiment with new medium has led him to become more versatile, making it possible for him to break even further out of the restriction he found with painting thus giving his works a new perception, something entirely different from his previous exhibition, Water and Reflection. “I have decided to move out from my usual painting to other medium,” he confessed.

    “Aesthetics is a sensational appeal created through visual perception of works of art, in the case of these works, they are from nature and natural objects. In comparison to what I have previously been occupied by, this show is a door to new sets of experiment going on in the studio presently.

    My purpose is to draw attention to the uniqueness and spontaneity celebrated in exploration of materials and methods used in this production,” he said.

    The works that will be on display include paintings, metal foil, sliced blocks of wood with engraving, decorated trucks of tree backs, burnt wood of various sizes. Some of the works are; Elders’ Forum, Royal Discourse, Ethnic Dignity, New-yam Festival to mention but a few.

    “The sets of works done in metal foil are evidentiary of my interest in printmaking. My present experimentation employs the use of simple lines and curves in a reaction to the socio-economic activities going on in my immediate environment.”

    One important aspect of his works is the sliced wood that buttressed his view about deforestation which he said is one of the major causes of global warming. Elders’ Forum is not just another piece of artwork it serves as instrument to warn people on the implication and dangers of deforestation. The messages in the work which is in series will make people to think twice before cutting down any tree or burning it down.

    “I have this style of painting, my works are not realistic; they are abstract paintings. By the time you look at the paintings, they are not as real as expected and the form are only represented by the details of the body. I liquidize my colour, I then paint with brush to create form, what you see has to do with what you have in mind.

    His opinion on if art is profitable in Nigeria, he said: “The pricing of artwork today in Nigeria has to do with the artist, how constant the artists is, is the artist known, how many exhibition an artist is putting up, is the artist known in the scene of art, the contribution the artist has made and the impact the artist has made in the Nigerian art sector.” Adding that, “If sealing of work is the vision of the artist, it will be difficult for the artist to create new ideas.”

    He obtained Ordinary National (OND) General Art in 1989 and Higher National Diploma (HND) Fine Art (Painting) in 1992 from YABATECH.

    In 2008, he bagged a Masters in Fine Art MFA (Painting) from the University of Benin. So far, he has featured in various solo and group exhibitions.