Chairman’s Opening Speech
At the
Commissioning of the
Art Exhibition in honour of Late Prof Stella Idiong
University of Uyo
It is an
honour and privilege to be the Chairman at the commissioning of an art gallery
and a commemorative exhibition in honour of late Prof. Stella Idiong here in
the University of Uyo. I am particularly happy to be part of the process of immortalizing
Stella Idiong because she was one of our very own. As an alumnus of the Harmattan Workshop, an informal
educational forum, which I founded in Agbarha Otor, Delta State, her participation and creative innovations
in printmaking during several workshops she had attended, have been of great
inspiration to us. Indeed this connection opened the way for my many visits to
Uyo, and my claim as a son of Akwa Ibom.
Stella
Idiong was a great teacher with vision, she commissioned an etching Press to be
built in Lagos for Printmaking here in Uniuyo Art Department. She knew the
important role that art galleries play in the education of the artists, and
actually established the first gallery of Art in the University art department,
where she encouraged art exhibitions.
With the
commemorative Exhibition “Artforms” the function of an art gallery in a
University has started to be made manifest. We can see and appreciate beautiful
artworks which are not inhibited by
pressures of commercial art that Prof. Idiong, art works and those of faculty
members and students are now been
showcased.
Prof. Idiong’s art particularly the prints are timeless.
Equally great are pieces by A. John Sampson, Dr. Anselem Nyah, Dr. Okonofua
who I already know from their participation in the Harmattan workshops. Works
of other members of the faculty include
Efiong Asukwo, Eyefiokio, Dr. Emoidem Udoh, Udom Bassey, Utom Obong – Ajuzie,
J. Akim, Itoro Ekong and Ibrahim Bai are also
great.
The students
works show great promise. I urge them to take art as a journey of discovery,
adopt mentors and patrons and by so doing not even the sky will be their limit.
Unuiyo
should be proud to be one of the very few Universities in Nigeria, to establish
their own art gallery. I hope in the future, this gallery which is being commissioned
today will be a full fledged department with its own director.
University
art galleries own collections which along with changing exhibitions attract
visitors from outside the university
community, thereby promoting the idea of
” the town meeting the gown” To this effect I hereby donate my artwork
titled Thanksgiving to the Stella Idiong
Art Gallery. This is in thanks to God for her life and her contributions
to humanity.
Finally we
are grateful to the family of late Prince Sampson Idiong and Late Princess
(Professor) Stella O. Bernard Idiong for the magnanimous gift.
We pray that
the legacy of Stella idiong, art teacher, Lecturer, Educationist and a distinguished
fine artist, may last forever.
Bruce
Onobrakpeya NNOM
29th
January 2018
