In Search of a Winner for Centenary Art Challenge

Yinka Olatunbosun

It’s no longer news that the Union Bank Centenary Art Challenge for Nigerian professional and amateur artists has been launched. The bank’s brand identity of a stallion is the subject of this challenge. At the launch of the art challenge at the Mydrim Gallery, Ikoyi, it was revealed that contestants are expected to re-interpret and re-design that iconic stallion.

Organised as part of the 100th anniversary celebrations of the bank, the competition is a product of the partnership with One Draw Gallery, endorsed by the Guild of Professional Fine Artists of Nigeria (GFA).
The Chief Executive Officer ,Union Bank, Emeka Emuwa, disclosed that the competition would run till September. Meanwhile, in 2015, Union Bank had redesigned the stallion to reflect a more agile and energetic institution following its rebranding which also added some African motifs to the brand identity. This time, the bank will involve artists to make a creative difference.

“Union Bank has a storied history in Nigeria and our 100th anniversary is a unique opportunity to tell our story to different audiences. Artists are storytellers and this competition presents an opportunity for this community to help us tell our story from the vantage of our iconic white stallion. We are excited to celebrate the many stories that will come across through the works that will be entered in the competition,” he said.Entries rendered in paintings, sculptures or mixed media will be drawn nationwide while the panel of judges will shortlist the 100 works that will compete at the grand finale.

The CEO of One Draw Gallery, Segun Adejumo, declared that the ultimate winner will receive N1 million in the professional category while the first and second runners up will receive N500, 000 and N250,000 respectively. A sum of N250,000 is up for grabs by the winner in the student category. All contestants must not be younger than 24 years.
Head, Corporate Affairs & Corporate Communication, Union Bank, Ogochukwu Ekezie-Ekaidem remarked that the competition is aimed at talent development which forms a part of the bank’s social responsibility programmes.