Edo Govt. Seeks Viable Arts Sector, As Nigeria Goes to Venice

Tony Usidamen

As the Nigerian participation in the forthcoming Venice Biennale looms, the Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has called for concerted efforts in the development of the local art industry. This, he said, will be good for a more inclusive and sustainable economy.

Obaseki, who – as “Commissioner” of the Nigerian pavilion at the Venice Art Biennale 2017 – is leading efforts towards the country’s first showing on the world’s biggest art stage, made the call during a stakeholder event in Benin.

According to him: “Nigeria is blessed with an abundance of creative talent. By leveraging our rich human capital and cultural resources in arts and crafts, we can generate job opportunities for our youths and create a more robust and viable economy.

“As a progressive government we recognize the immense potential that a developed art sector holds for the state, and we are already exploring avenues for collaboration with the private sector in arts and crafts training, as well as financing opportunities, that will foster increased, better quality artistic output and a thriving market for trade in art, both locally and globally.”

“Our ultimate aim is to restore Edo’s pride in the arts by developing the state’s cultural capital, including the building of a world-class museum of the arts in Benin City. Besides creating jobs for our people, and the economic gain from increased tourist activities, a vibrant art space contributes to social cohesion and nation-building through the promotion of intercultural dialogue and collaboration.”

Venice Art Biennale is a defining platform where nations of the world showcase the best of their art and seek to exert some level of socio-cultural influence. The platform offers Nigeria a great opportunity to develop a positive narrative for the country and to re-establish its national pride by showcasing our unique art and rich cultural heritage to the world.

Edo-born painter, Victor Ehikhamenor, is one of three contemporary artists representing Nigeria as the country makes her debut at the 122-year old biennale. Others are sculptor Peju Alatise and choreographer Qudus Onikeku, and each artist will showcase a unique work centred on the theme “How About NOW?”

An earlier statement by the Nigeria in Venice team explains: “’How About NOW?’ places a poignant emphasis on the passage of time: time long gone, time that shapes the contemporary zeitgeist, and time that the hopes and faith of a people are hinged on. The question of NOW and Nowness asks us to reflect not only on our myths, history and heritage but more so, on how we chose to champion contemporary narratives in a fragmented, interconnected, and distributed present.”

Ehikhamenor presents a large-scale work fusing abstract shapes with traditional sculpture, informed by an investment in classical Benin art and the effect of colonialism on cultural heritage.

Alatise presents an installation of eight winged life-size girls, based on the story of a ten-year old girl who works as a housemaid in Lagos while dreaming of a realm where she is free, who belongs to no one but herself, and can fly. The installation is a concise meditation on the nature of survival, here connoting a defiant journey into the imagination.

Onikeku showcases a trilogy of dance films, presented as an investigation through dance of the workings of body memory and its connection to national consciousness.

The Nigerian pavilion at the 57th Venice Biennale is curated by Adenrele Sonariwo and Emmanuel Iduma. The exhibition, whose preview holds on May 10, will be opened to the public on May 13 and runs till the end of November.