Spirit of New Oshogbo Art: Artist Rahmon Olugunna

PRESS RELEASE

Date: 25th July 2009

FOR: IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: IFEOMA FAFUNWA
0803 525 1016

GALLERY: HARMATTAN GALLERY
MUDIARE ONOBRAKPEYA
0705 634 6458

HARMATTAN GALLERY WELCOMES THE SPIRIT OF NEW OSHOGBO ART : AN EXHIBITION OF PAINTINGS BY RAHMON OLUGUNNA

The Harmattan Workshop Gallery is pleased to announce it’s first exhibition for the summer months of 2009, an exhibition of the vivid and folkloric art of painter Rahmon Olugunna, a second generation artist of the famous Oshogbo School of Art.

Rahmon Olugunna, will show 32 vibrant works of oil on canvas in sizes as large as 42 inches x 36 inches. Despite his long apprenticeship to the painter Rufus Ogundele for several years.Despite his long apprenticeship to the painter Rufus Ogundele for several years, his recent works indicate an important and innovative departure from the Oshogbo extraordinary Experimental Workshop art style, championed by Ulli Biere in the 60’s, that has produced frontline painters like Adebisi Fabunmi, Muriano Oyelami and Twins Seven Seven amongst others.

The artist calls this forthcoming exhibition, which is also his first solo “The New Spirit of Oshogbo Art” and attempts to incorporate many of the elements of style and composition of classic modern Oshogbo art into his creations. His works, not surprisingly have themes and titles that celebrate his Yoruba worldview like Spirit people, masquerades, women, animals etc…and are often clearly treated as semi or full abstractions, with outline colours of mostly black, large brush strokes of blue and indigo colours, that can also be found in the famous tye dye cloth from Yorubaland called Adire Eleko.

Rahmon’s works according to Ifeoma Fafunwa who now lives in Nigeria, are characterized unlike a lot of his Oshogbo forebearers art, by confident images, which show sure brush strokes, that have colours of high complementality. These tonal colour qualities give a certain sense of vibration in his art, which are quite reminiscent of muted neon lights. A notable departure from earthy colours that have almost always defined the Oshogbo painters Examples of this rendition and colour appeal in his art, can be found in Monkey in the Forest, Little Leopard, Three women and Shango People.

She continues by saying “Rahmon’s works have for a couple of years now begun to enjoy quite a following since his professional start at the Lekki market, where his works were first spoted and noted as distinctively art and not craft,…..more art-lovers have since taken to to his style which often times have drawn it’s inspiration from natures beauty, his culture and heritage”

His folkloric paintings are now in the permanent Collections of the Richard Singletary Gallery, in Portsmouth, Virginia, the collection of Chike Obianwu., and some of his works are included in the important collection of Torch Taire in Nigeria, not to mention a number of prominent collectors in the UK.Worthy of mention is that his recent works represent a departure from his native Oshogbo style, this departure, may have been accentuated by his recent stint of almost 24 months travel, away from Oshogbo, freelancing, showing and exhibiting in several galleries, in U.K., and by so doing opening himself to new design formats and cultural cross influences, that may have seeped into his art.

Rahmon’s works, are clearly a welcome development to the immensely fertile artistic landscape of Oshogbo paintings, which have provided him, with a fertile bedrock and pedestal for his growth and development, as an important second generation Oshogbo artist. His art shows an eloquent command of subject matter, and indeed powerful interpretations of many Oshogbo imagery, Yoruba folklore and world view, that have been widened by his thoughts on canvas.

The exhibition will be opened by Prince Yemisi Shyllon, an avid collector of modern and intriguing art from Nigeria. This exhibition will run for 10 days at the Harmattan Gallery from the 9th to the 19th of July, 2009. The Gallery hours are Monday – Saturday 10:00 to 6:00. and Sundays 2:00 to 6:00.


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HARMATTAN GALLERY WELCOMES N. ODEBIYI

HARMATTAN GALLERY WELCOMES KALEIDOSCOPE : AN EXHIBITION OF PAINTINGS BY NURUDEEN ODEBIYI

The Harmattan Workshop Gallery is pleased to announce a solo Exhibition of the works of painter Nurudeen Odebiyi, a member of the famous Yaba School of Art.

Nurudeen Odebiyi, will show 34 works in various sizes, that mirror some facets of the Nigerian and 21st century West African Society. All of the works have been created between 2007 to date and done on oil on canvas and acrylic media.

Nurudeen is a product of several artistic influences, the most recent being the Harmattan Workshop Experience, where he attended the artist retreat and Workshop in Delta state in 2004. This experience according to him “gave me tremendous confidence to keep working as an artist, and also expanded my facility to work in several media, and draw ideas not only from urban Nigeria, but also from the countryside.” His works also show a distinct admiration for the painting styles of Yusuf Grillo and Ablade Glover, 2 important artistic personalities in West Africa, influences which no doubt may have seeped into his works since his painting days at the famous Yaba Art school.

Many of Odebiyi’s works in this exhibition seem to suggest, his fascination for urban beauty, culture and his heritage. Themes connected to the celebration of feminity, like fragmented Headgear, Dancing in the Sun and, Party Time, are explored in his work. His piece New Mode of Transport, Oshodi, Hustle and Bustle show how good governance has changed the face of transportation in the city of Lagos, over the last couple of years. Finally Thirst, Reflection and Untitled show his concern for our deteriorating environment. His paintings which are clearly located in modern society, demonstrate his powerful interpretations of his Lagos and indeed West African world view, that have been widened by his thoughts on canvas.

Odebiyi is perhaps at his best showing shapes, forms and colours in his art, that shows a portrait of everyday people. His palette is one of mostly warm colours, whch are often applied in thick and heavy layers of non transparent colours. They show his delight in the quality of sunlight found in the tropics. He has also in the exhibition, shown an inroad into experimenting in cubism, a style which was made popular by several great western artists.


Since leaving the advertising industry where he worked straight after art school, for several years, with such artists as Oguigo Edosa, Oyerinde Olotu and Kehinde Sanwo in 1992, Odebiyi has now become a full time studio and freelance artist with an impressive career record of several group shows. They include shows at Giraj Gallery, Geobi Gallery, and the inaugural maiden show held by Mydrim gallery in Ikoyi Lagos. In 2004, he also exhibited with several renowned artists at the Harmattan Workshop Exhibition titled Harvest of the Harmattan Retreat, which took place at the Pan African University, Lagos. Last year, he was one of the guest artists featured by the Harmattan Gallery at the 2008 Art Expo which was held at the Lagos museum.

The exhibition will be opened by Barrister Taslim Animashuan, a collector of Nigerian art, who lives in Nigeria, and has known Odebiyi since his days at the Yaba Art School. This exhibition will run for 10 days at the Harmattan Gallery from the 19th to the 29th of September, 2009. The Gallery hours are Monday – Saturday 10:00 to 6:00. and Sundays 2:00 to 6:00.

2010 HARMATTAN ART WORKSHOP

The 12th Harmattan Workshop
Agbarha-Otor 2010
1st Session: February 14th- 27th, 2nd Session: February 28th -13th, 3rd Session: March 14th - 27th 2010.
Venue: Niger Delta Cultural Centre, Agbarha-Otor, Delta State.

Workshop Sections
Painting, Printmaking, Metal Construction, Wood Sculpture, Stone Carving, Mixed Media, Textiles, Leather Craft, Jewelry, Drawing, Ceramics and Photography. There will be seminars, film shows and excursions. (Certificates will be issued to participants.)

Workshop Fees: N15, 000.00 per non student participant; N10,000.00 per student participant.
$300.00 for international participant.
( Fee covers 2 weeks accommodation and supply of materials only. )
Payments should be made to: Bruce Onobrakpeya Foundation acct. no. 0151050000020 Union Bank.
Only bank tellers evidencing payment would be accepted for registration.

Presentation of Papers
Interested participants who wish to present papers on Workshop themes are to apply the Workshop registrar at least 48 hours before date of presentation. Papers presented are strictly to adhere to Workshop themes.

For enquiries contact:
The Director
The Harmattan Workshop
Bruce Onobrakpeya Foundation
41, Oloje Street
Papa Ajao, Mushin,Lagos
or
10, Elsie Femi Pearse Street
Victoria Island, Lagos.
0806 079 5466, 0705 634 6458 or 0803 310 0344.

DOCUMENTARY ON NIGERIAN ART

HARMATTAN WORKSHOP DOCUMENTARY FILM ON NIGERIAN ART

Agbarha-Otor, Delta State, Nigeria 2009
Executive Producer: Bruce Onobrakpeya
Time: 22minutes
Price: $10.00

The Annual Harmattan Workshop Retreat, now in it's 12th edition, takes place at the Niger Delta Centre Agbarha-Otor, Delta State, Nigeria. It has also been described as one of the longest running workshop experiences in Africa.

The Harmattan Workshop is a forum where artists have been meeting since 1998 to learn skills, experiment, and exchange ideas for growth, particularly in the visual arts. This was initiated by Dr. Bruce Onobrakpeya in Nigeria. The inspiration for its creation came from workshops he attended at Ibadan, Oshogbo and Ile-Ife directed by Ulli Beier in the 60s and early 70s, and the Haystack Mountain School of Arts and Crafts, Deer Isle, Maine, USA in 1975, under the directorship of Frank Merrit.

Over the years the Harmattan Workshop has grown to involve local and international participants, creating a network for artistic and cultural development.
The documentary shows interviews with Prof. Perkins Foss, Bruce Onobrakpeya and several participants of the workshop Experience, and shows clipses of very rarely seen panoramic shots and views of the studio, workspace and workshop areas inside the Niger Delta, which was designed by noted architect Demas Nwoko, an old friend of Bruce Onobrakpeya.

FILM ON NIGERIAN ART

HARMATTAN WORKSHOP
Agbarha-Otor, Delta State, Nigeria
Introduction by Bruce Onobrakpeya
Executive Producer: Bruce Onobrakpeya


The Harmattan Workshop, a forum where artists have been meeting since 1998 to learn skills, experiment, and exchange ideas for growth particularly in the visual arts was initiated by Dr. Bruce Onobrakpeya in Nigeria. The inspiration for its creation came from workshops he attended at Ibadan, Oshogbo and Ile-Ife directed by Ulli Beier in the 60s and early 70s, and the Haystack Mountain School of Arts and Crafts, Deer Isle, Maine, USA in 1975 under the directorship of Frank Merrit.

Over the years the Harmattan Workshop has grown to involve local and international participants creating a network for artistic and cultural development.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN ART

ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN ART
by Bruce Onobrakpeya

I am a great believer that the artistic community will begin to fully realize the promises of this nation, when it recognises the economic empowerment that can come from the enlightened use of the arts to leverage change for the good of the entire Nigeria.

OPENING
Entrepreneurship in art maybe defined as the innovativeness and endeavours of any person to bring artistic products to the market over time with a goal of securing profit. The main goal of the entrepreneur should be to add value to the production of cultural goods like fine art works, textile etc.. in a way that make them extremely attractive to the customer, to make them want to acquire these products. Entrepreneurs are also people who enjoy the opportunity to change the world around them. They often do this by looking for areas where they can render services, to the generality of people who may not be having their needs met at all or well enough, especially in the cultural and artistic sphere. Successful entrepreneurs are therefore necessarily problem solvers, as they convert opportunities, which when solved, bring products or services to the market, that add value or premium to the lives of the customer, and by so doing make profit.

MIDDLE
Traditionally the artist has done quite a number of these activities without giving serious thoughts to them. But a cursory look at many developed societies, indicate a landscape where there are a lot of people actively involved in the enterprise of art.

The areas of opportunities are clearly in exhaustible, however new trends seem to exist in several areas.
The opportunities that exist to bring new products to the market are generally at 3 levels, which the entrepreneur can take advantage of


Individual Collectors: People often purchase fine art for their personal enjoyment, whether for themselves or the enjoyment of others such as when they give gifts. Decisions regarding how much money should be spent and what kind of piece, will be appropriate, how many pieces will be purchased are often made.
This means that the entrepreneur has the opportunity to focus the needs of the individual, and help to select works. The specific knowledge of lifestyle, preferences and needs, will enable the person to give customised attention to these clients, and in the process add value through their services to the collector.

In this category will be art dealer galleries, and art advisors who generally earn a commission from the value of artwork purchased.

Corporate Collectors: Corporations, small companies, educational institutions, non-profit organizations, purchase the arts primarily to decorate their workspace. They also give commemorative gifts to their corporate guests. Professionals are often hired to recommend particular artworks that meet a certain set of pre determined criteria set up by the company. Larger businesses may also invest in art as a means of making use of additional cash in hand. Fine art purchases are generally made when there is a major event that requires documentation through art, such as with the opening of a new headquarters, or other corporate milestone. Occasionally, Corporations have been known to buy art for investments, with large portfolios of a wide variety of art in their collection. The entrepreneur will do well to take advantage of this kind of ample opportunity to present artistic products and works of fine art.

Government At different levels whether local government, City, State or even National. The government is involved in the purchase of arts. Election of a new government, anniversary celebrations, hosting of festivals, announcements of new parks, squares, town halls or public facility, and even visiting dignitaries from abroad, create occasion to celebrate and create memorable events. This should generate a tremendous opportunity for art entrepreneurs. These events bring in quite a wide range of people, and often times the government is interested in impressing it’s citizenry through the use of art that is capable of engaging and impressing it’s people. Commissioned city squares, art in building interiors and souvenirs and various forms of documentation, create these opportunities.

Not surprising we can suggest that people who have skills or are engaged in the following areas amongst others, have opportunities to leverage the fine arts especially for profit. Galleries/Dealers, Art Advisory Services, Curatorial Services, Frame makers, Interior Design Experts, Insurance Agents, Tour guides, Book craft /Magazines Publishers, Auction Houses, Event planners to mention but a few.



CONCUSION

What is clear is that the artist like most professionals of today, need s a lot of cross training in areas other than creativity. This will guarantee a more robust platform for the arts to thrive, the artist must be prepared to take courses and classes in business, management, law, and be alert to new ideas. In doing this, we will begin to move closer to a time when most artists, will be empowered as Entrepreneurs in the Art. Indeed if history is anything to go by, the creative inspirations of the civilizations of Nok, Igbo- Ukwu, Ife , Owo, Benin and the lower Niger, also have provided a continuum in creative goods and the evolution of Nigeria contemporary art that should be a fertlile ground for Entrepreneurship in the art to thrive.

Thank you

NIGERIAN ART RIVALS THE VERY BEST IN THE WORLD

INVESTING IN NIGERIAN ART
by Prof. Bruce Onobrakpeya


being text of speech given at a reception organized by old students of St. Gregory’s College, Lagos, in the United States to the The St. Gregory’s College Alumni Foundation, in New York, on 16th August 2008, where Dr. Onobrakpeya was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award ).

More than ever before, the climate is very favourable for investing in Nigerian art. Nigerian art, traditional and modern, is regarded as some of the best in the world and our artists are creating masterpieces which are being collected in Nigeria and all over the world. There can be no better time than now for anyone intending to invest to step in and make his mark.

But why invest in Nigerian art of all art in the first instance? After all there are various areas open to investment opportunities in our dear country which has been variously described as an emerging market of late. The answer to this may not be far fetched. The very word ‘invest’ means there is a return to be expected by the investor. Art has also earned the reputation, in the way stocks do as commodity that holds value and appreciates over time, and traded when the need arises. Then, I would say, Nigerian art is a unique brand of art. Since the British invasion of Benin a little over a century ago, Nigerian art has come to be appreciated and sought after by collectors all over the world. The Benin and Ife bronze, the Nok terra cotta, the Igbo Ukwu artifacts, to mention a few, are some example of the traditional exquisite art of Nigeria to be found in leading museums in the world. We also have the work of Ben Enwonwu, Erhabor Emokpae, Lamidi Fakeye, Uche Okeke, Yusuf Grillo, and a host of others representing modern and contemporary Nigerian art in the collection of connoisseurs.

Billionaire Paul Getty, a great art collector in his lifetime described fine art as the finest investment one can make. Could he have exaggerated? He spoke of a particular painting he bought for $200 but was worth about a million dollars or thereabout some twenty-five years later. This is how art could sometimes be. In Nigeria, there are different fora where art collectors and artists meet. There are galleries with secondary art market facilities that have emerged on the scene and the art market is fairly organized. The sale of art works has now entered the phase of auctions which help to determine the actual value of works.

Buying or investing in art wisely, though not requiring specialized skills, yet is very necessary for one to go about it carefully especially if one is a novice. An individual must first make up his mind about what media and periods please him most. He should then learn about them, and the more he learns the better. Even people with modest budgets could buy of art that could turn out to be excellent investments in beauty, pleasure and, also in the financial sense. I know several individuals who have paid token prices for works of art, and have then watched the value of their art balloon. This is because it is often possible to buy good art from relatively unknown and lesser artists, and before long the fortune of the artists change and their pieces collected at modest prices suddenly appreciate in value. I also know of Nigerians and foreigners who anytime they are traveling out of Nigeria come to my gallery to buy low priced art. On getting to their destination, they sell the art at good profit.

There is a warning to sound with regard to what I have discussed above. It has to do with the issue of fakes. Fakes, counterfeits or copies exist in Nigeria as they exist elsewhere and this is for the simple reason that people would want to acquire at all cost art pieces of successful artists.

Investing in Nigerian art could be taken to another level different from merely buying art pieces. Investing in art could come in the form of provision of the right equipment, facilities and infrastructure for the artists to work with. Permit me to refer you to what I am doing back home in Nigeria. The Harmattan Workshop is an annual workshop that takes place every year in my home town in Agbarha Otor, Delta state. It is the only informal education setup for the visual art in Nigeria and has been in existence since 1998. We have been privileged to have some individuals and corporate organizations partner with us in this regard, of which the Ford Foundation is in the forefront. Opportunities still abound in the area of provision of other infrastructural facilities like museums especially for modern and contemporary art, biennales like we have in other Dakar, Senegal, Paris, France, India and Brazil. These are areas that are waiting for private investment initiatives and I can say that investors will reap handsomely in these areas. Nigerian artists want exposure through exhibitions abroad. Investors would be rewarded for it when they come into contractual agreement with Nigerian artists.

Over the years (since Nigeria’s independence in 1960), individuals like Sammy Olagbaju, Omo Oba Yemisi Shyllon, Emmanuel Olisambu, Rasheed Gbadamosi, etc, have invested a lot of money to build up enviable collections of works of art. Some have even established NGOs dedicated to art. Taken together, these constitute huge investments in Nigerian Art.

Another impetus towards investment in Nigerian art came with the introduction of art auctions, the first of which was conducted by the Nimbus Gallery at the Muson Centre about five years ago. A second public auction organized by Contemporary Art House at the new Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, in April this year fetched super prices. The event triggered off a wave of new consciousness about art as investment. As the news spread, people like Kenny DaSilva (an old Gregorian) started to dust up pieces which had been lying carelessly in his house. Mr. Remi Lasaki, a stock broker immediately called an art valuer to help assess the value his art. Artists were challenged to produce better pieces, and for the first time in Nigeria, the worth of art works, as real valuables to be desired more than the decorative purposes attached to them, dawned on people. But significantly, dealers and collectors were encouraged to invest more in art with the assurance that sales with good profit were guaranteed.

Another big step with regards to investing in Nigerian art has to do with the renaissance our culture is experiencing as it pertains to celebrating festivals. It involves the use of art by villages, towns, clans and even in our big cities as part of cultural events. A good example is art works in the Osun Grove at Oshogbo which attract a large number of people for all year round sight seeing. These art works include large sculptures, some free standing while others are worked into buildings. They were created by Susane Wenger, the Austrian born lady who has been living in Nigeria for over fifty years. The number of visitors to the town increased when the Osun Grove was given the status of World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The Oshogbo success story has inspired both the people and the government to invest in art as a way of empowering the citizenry through tourism.

In the light of the above, here are some basics rules to observe when contemplating investing in Nigerian Art. First, collect works which you like to enjoy. If such works are by contemporary artists, make sure they are signed. The older an art work is the more valuable it becomes; works of older or more matured artists tend to be more expensive. In other works, the name of the artist determines the worth of the works. Art works documented in books and the mass media have better chances of fetching higher prices. All works sent for auctions should have the provenance that would help authenticate them. If you encounter art which look like the Nok Terra Cotta, Ife, Benin or Igbo Ukwu bronzes which you suspect to be very old, show them to the Nigerian Museum or antiquities department where possible. Use the services of experts to evaluate your pieces.
To conclude, I would like to say that we are witnessing a revolution which makes investing in Nigerian Art both pleasurable and profitable. Let us be a part of it.

Thank you.