Toasting to the Masters…

ARTS & REVIEW

With an opening date fixed for Saturday, June 29, the sails of the recently announced annual art exhibition to celebrate Nigeria’s art lecturers are finally set to be unfurled, Okechukwu Uwaezuoke reports 

All that was needed was the announcement of an opening date for the highly anticipated My Lecturers Art Show. Otherwise, a fog of uncertainty regarding the exhibition’s prospects of taking place this month as promised could have settled on an already expectant segment of the Lagos art scene, thus dampening the vestiges of enthusiasm aficionados may have had for it. That is, of course, if the organisers hadn’t suddenly announced that Saturday, June 29, would be the opening day.

In any case, Femi Williams, the Lekki Phase I, Lagos-based Iwalewa Gallery of Art’s, with whom Ogirikan Art Gallery in the adjoining upmarket Ikoyi neighbourhood is collaborating on the exhibition, seems to think the timing is just right. “It’s a perfect weekend, and a lot of people would have time around the date,” he enthuses.

Still, to be fair, when the prior announcement about the exhibition was first publicised, no specific date in June was explicitly provided. The organisers only vaguely hinted at its opening sometime in early June, leaving room for conjectures. Understandably, astute observers already sensed, through the non-committal tenor, the looming possibility of a postponement, even with the reassurance that the event would hold nonetheless. 

Surely, no aficionado should want to miss this rare impressive gathering of such accomplished artists as Auchi Polytechnic lecturers: Omodamwen Eguasa, Wale Ajayi, Shola Kukoyi, Emmanuel Ikoro, Samuel Viyaje, and Kent Onah; Lagos State University’s Olojo K. Kosoko; University of Benin’s El Dragg Okwoju; University of Nigeria’s Oluwafemi Oloidi; Niger Delta University’s Timipre Willis Amah; University of Lagos’ Bolaji Ogunwo; and Yaba College of Technology’s Kunle Adeyemi and Adeola Balogun under one platform. 

For one thing, the creative credentials and visibility of these artists, as many can readily attest, transcend their exalted roles in academia. Indeed, some are already familiar—or even household—names in the local exhibition circuit. For another, discerning viewers should be able, through the exhibition, to better understand the provenance of many of the academically trained artists operating in the local scene. “As educators, our artists have nurtured countless students, guiding them on their own creative journeys,” corroborates the lawyer and art collector, Dapo Otunla, in the foreword of the exhibition catalogue. “Now, we have the privilege of witnessing their own artistic expression, which serves as a reminder that teaching and learning are a two-way street.” 

These are good reasons why this one-of-a-kind fair of visual offerings deserves the tag “a labour of love,” as respected culture activist and former newspaper editor Jahman Anikulapo succinctly describes it in the exhibition catalogue. “It deserves the applause of all, just as the 13 artists featured deserve the love, kindness, support, and patronage of us all,” he writes.

Talking about support and patronage, it is expected that both host galleries—Iwalewa Gallery of Art and Ogirikan Art Gallery—and their sponsors should be able to count on and amply leverage the goodwill of the art community. Still, attendance at Saturday’s opening of the event, tagged the Premiere,  which opens at the Iwalewa Gallery of Art’s premises along Chris Madueke Drive in Lekki Phase I from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., is expected to cut across generations of artists and enthusiasts. 

Such rare celebrations and recognitions of dedicated art educators are priceless, in any case. This is since they often serve as transformative forums for thought-provoking conversations, in-depth explorations of creative fields, and genuine admiration for the rich repository of Nigerian creativity. So, beyond its stated goal of highlighting the works of art teachers from tertiary institutions across Nigeria, the exhibition offers itself as a researcher’s goldmine.

According to the Ogirikan Art Gallery’s founder, the event “stands as a tribute to the luminaries within our esteemed tertiary institutions, whose tenures span over fifteen years, who have not only imparted knowledge but whose passion has transformed art and lives within and without academia, shaping, nurturing, and inspiring countless protégés.” 

To this end, he and the Iwalewa Gallery of Art’s founder, Femi Williams, have resolved to “accord them their due and rightful recognition” through the platform. “While some have retired and others continue to grace us with their presence, the legacy they leave behind is profound, rich, and indelible. With each passing day, we witness the infusion of creativity from both past and present masters; this continues to be a tribute to their enduring influence and awesome legacy.” 

Beyond the haze of media publicity and sentiments, a burden of expectations weighs heavily on the organisers, compelling them to up the ante with this event to ensure that it doesn’t just fleet by like one of those drudgeries often dignified with the tags of art exhibitions.