Comments on the 13th Harmattan workshop

Mr. Sam Ovraiti

 The recently ended 13th Annual Harmattan Series, has continued to receive high praise and accolades from several observers of the arts. The first came from Chief Wanda Ibru, a local community leader and supporter of the Annual Harmarttan festival of the arts. She spoke on the choice of Mr. Sam Ovraiti as this year’s artistic director as excellent, based on his track record as an artist, teacher and administrator. Also, the noted collector of West African Contemporary art Mr. Fred Spinnler said in commenting on this year’s workshop that “It is also great that Sam Ovraiti has the director ship, since I know him as a serious hardworking artist who has visions for steps forward in the Nigerian Contemporary Art, and the representatives from Ghana, Benin etc. will also add value in the frame of the West African Art Development” The Ghanaian artist, Kofi Dawson a first time participant at the workshop, commended the workshop as being “lofty, noble and life transforming because it brings in artists from all over the world to share their experiences in an atmosphere of brotherhood and camaraderie”.


The Annual Workshop Series is unique in the sense that it is the only institution of it's kind in Africa that has consistently sought to bridge the gap between the formal and informal trained artist annually, to enable shared and accelerated learning between these two groups. This year’s workshop had over 100 participants in attendance from Belgium, Canada, Ghana, Republic of Benin and Togo and Nigeria.


The Chairman of the Bruce Onobrakpeya Foundation, Prof. Bruce Onobrakpeya MFR, in making a case for the need for the Annual Harmattan Workshops to continue, stated that the workshop is in the business of producing tomorrow’s great artists, today. This is done through cross fertilization of ideas, interaction, inspiration, team building and a great and conducive learning environment in the countryside for participants. Despite dwindling funding, support has continued to come from credible corporations with a high sense of social responsibility to the West African sub region.

Golden Jubilee Dance Celebrating Nigeria at 50

Dance of the Golden Jubilee
Installation by Participants of the Harmattan workshop Series under the Auspices of Bruce Onobrakpeya Foundation (BOF)

The work which is an installation, represents the celebration, aspirations and challenges of the Nigerian people for political, cultural, social and economic emancipation since independence.
These aspirations are reflected in the group work which is centered around an organic tree growing that is used as a metaphor for the growth of Nigeria. It is also a metaphor for the concern for environmental issues, which become necessary as a result of the delicate balance of nature and the environment, which like Nigeria needs to be protected.
It is this protection of the tree and the environment that becomes the guarantee for our long term sustenance as an entity and a people. Chief amongst these reasons, is that it erases the problem of environmental hazards like oil spillage and social concerns like youth restiveness. Another reason is the economic one of large scale unemployment which can be the result of a monolithic economy instead of a diversified one, which is based on the chief exploitation of one resource. Understanding the need for the delicate balance in the environment, allows for and promotes the diversified and varied uses, of a lot of our God given resources in Nigeria to empower her people economically, instead of its chief reliance on one product.

These ideas have also been filtered through in the Annual workshop Experience which is arguably one of the best examples of an artist collective that seeks to renew its creative ideas by going back to its roots and fundamentals to sustain itself. The Harmattan Workshop is participatory in its approach to creativity and problem solving, and points towards the values of the following:

●Conflict resolution and problem solving by participants of the workshop as a potent instrument for engendering peace and friendship.
●Team building irrespective of gender and place of origin.
●Research and experimentation and cross fertilization of ideas

The mixed media installation is a joint effort by few participants of the Harmattan workshop series at Agbarha-Otor Delta State Nigeria. The workshop series itself is the flagship programme of the Bruce Onobrakpeya Foundation with branches at Papa Ajao and Victoria Island, Lagos.

The central piece (a hanging) which gives the installation its name is called “Dance of the Golden Jubilee” composed by Bruce Onobrakpeya who is the initiator of the Annual Harmattan Workshop Series since 1998. It is made up of plastocast vignettes and stained fibre. The stones works at the base were carved by Godwin Onobrakpeya, Andrew Onobrakpeya, Alaric Oviri, Uwa Usen, Ojo Olaniyi and Taiwo Sulaimon. Two wood carvings at each side were done by Anyandepo Abiye. The two pieces symbolize emergence and celebration, the trees on both sides of the pictures are encrusted with beaded jewels symbolizing the wealth of our environment. Lastly the circular disk at the foreground is a metal foil plastograph produced by Moses Unokwah.

The workshop advocates sustainable and renewable use of ideas and materials for creativity and leadership in the arts, some of these ideas are derived from the countryside. In the same manner, Nigeria must completely harness its diverse resources where ever found, for her long term sustenance, protection and renewal of land and people. In this way Nigeria will be guaranteed long term survival, translating into prosperity into the next century and even beyond.

Guest Artist of the Month: Midahuen Yves (Midy)

Midy is an emerging West African artist from The Republic of Benin. He
got his initial impetus for creating professionally from training
with Ludovick Fadairo, to whom he was apprenticed for several years.
In artistic circles, Fadairo's name bears with it a mark of
distinction, as he is widely recognized as a master painter. Midy got
further exposure from his academic training in Ghana.

Midy is widely traveled in the West African sub region and has also
featured his works in Paris, France, where he also visited. In Nigeria
his works have been shown at the Harmattan Gallery 2007 and The Art
Expo in 2009 and 2010 respectively.His works have also been featured
at the 2009 edition of ARESUVA, an important biennale of visual arts
which takes place in Abuja

Midy's current works imbibe with it the institutional philosophy of
the Harmattan Workshop Series, an Annual event organized by the Bruce
Onobrakpeya Foundation. At this art gathering and retreat for visual
artists, which he has attended several times, best practices in the
formal, informal and traditional arts are shared with participants.
These ideas serve to sustain and rekindle their artistry and
creativity. Midy's current works show examples of the gains of this
vision and therefore must be commended.

Midy and a host of others artists like Ovraiti and Duke Asidere, who
show demonstrable examples of understanding this important and
critical fusion of best practices in the arts, deserve our support and
commendation. Midy and artists of the Harmattan Workshop
Experience, serve the important role of not just being relevant in our
collective search for community, but also answering the question, by
redefining the issues, of what new Role the Contemporary arts of
Africa must fill, to produce it's most enduring images.


"http://www.addme.com/submission/free-submission-

Exhibition by Midy

The Bruce Onobrakpeya Foundation will be delighted at your esteemed presence
as you honour us at a Solo Art Exhibition of Multi-Media Paintings

Titled: Freedom

BY YVES MIDAHUEN (Midy): An Emerging International Artist and Harmattan Workshop artist based in Cotonou, Republic of Benin, West Africa

Father of the Day: Prof. Bruce Onobrakpeya MFR
Founder of the Annual Harmattan Workshop Series



Guest of Honour: Emmanuel Inua, Executive of Art Galleries Association of Nigeria (AGAN)
Opening at 3:00p.m.


on 27th of November, 2010

@ The Quintessence Gallery, Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos

Exhibition runs till 11th of December 2010
9:00 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily

On Saturday 9:00p.m. – 4.00p.m.

RSVP

MOSES 08033857151
Curator
Quintessence Gallery

This exhibition is supported by the Bruce Onobrakpeya Foundation, Art Galleries Association and the Harmattan Group of Artists

Ekiti Kete: Exhibition by Olusegun Fayemi

The Government and Good People of Ekiti State

Will be delighted at your esteemed presence
as you honour us at an Outstanding Art Exhibition and Celebration of our Cultural Essence

The Exhibition is a Solo Exhibition of Multi-Media Paintings and Photographs on Canvas

Titled: Ekiti Kete


By Prof. Alfred Olusegun Fayemi Renowned International Ekiti Artist based in New York

The Exhibition shall be declared opened under the Distinguished Leadership of the Executive Governor of Ekiti State.
His Excellency Engineer Segun Oni

Opening at 10 a.m.
on 28th April 2010

@ The Governor’s Office Reception and Foyer, Oke Baraki, Ado Ekiti,Ekiti State

Guest Of Honour: Barrister Gbenga Oyebode MFR
Chairman Access Bank PLC

Father of the Day: Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, OFR

Exhibition runs till 2nd of May, 2010
9:00 a.m. - 4 p.m. daily

On Saturday and Sundays 2:00p.m. – 4.00p.m.

RSVP only

Bolanle Bruce Mudiare Onobrakpeya
080 33041856 0705-634-6458