Nigerian Taofeek Baderu Emerges 2022 ABSA L’Atelier Winner
Charles Ajunwa
Taofeek Baderu, a multimedia artist known for his ever-evolving style with a specialty in sculpture and textile, has emerged the 2022 winner of the prestigious ABSA L’Atelier art competition.
Baderu is a graduate of the Federal College of Education, Abeokuta and later Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State where he subsequently obtained a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree and Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in Fine and Applied Arts, majoring in Textile Design.
The ABSA L’Atelier art competition is one of the prestigious art competitions in Africa, hosted annually by ABSA in collaboration with the South African National Association for the Visual Arts (SANAVA).
The competition features artists between the ages of 21 and 40 and has been in existence for 36 years.
In a statement, Managing Director, ABSA Securities Representative office in Nigeria, Mr. Bamidele Sadiq Abu, said that each year dynamic, inspiring and young visual artists from across Africa are afforded the opportunity to develop their talents abroad through the ABSA L’Atelier competition.
He said the prize package for the ABSA L’Atelier Ambassadors include; a month-long mentorship programme with a mentor of their choice (guidance from ABSA & SANAVA), 10 masterclasses discussing relevant topics with professionals in the field, a laptop containing Microsoft office kit, a group exhibition, the opportunity for a solo exhibition within the next five years in partnership with ABSA, in the ABSA gallery.
“Additionally, the competition offers them the platform to explore themes and contemporary issues that will bring their possibilities to life,” he said.
He listed previous awards received by the winner to include; the First Prize (Tertiary Institution Category) Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library Foundation, National Art Competition (2013), First Runner-up Etisalat Photography Competition (2014), Foodmeet Art by Minimie Noodles (2016), Dr. Pius Okigbo Prize, and Life in my City Art Festival (LIMCAF) (2017).
Taofeek, the ABSA chief said, also won the LIMCAF’s Best Textile Artist Prize three times (2015, 2016 and 2018) and the Young Talent Award from the Alliance Française Network in Nigeria (at LIMCAF 2018).
“He was among the LIMCAF 2017 Best 4 sponsored by the 13th Dak’Art Biennale (2018) in Senegal by Professor El Anatsui, and also a part of the First and Second Ibadan Art Fair (2018 and 2019).”
ABSA is one of Africa’s largest diversified financial services groups with presence in 15 countries. It offers a universal set of products and services across retail, business, corporate, investment and wealth banking, as well as investment management and insurance solutions.
