20 Nigerian Contemporary Artists you should know.
Demas Nwoko:( Painter and Sculptor)1935. 
He was first inspired by the series of artworks on the walls of his father's palace, the Obi of the town. While attending a secondary school in Benin City, he was lucky to have an Art teacher who thaught him the basic principles of art. He later entered the Nigerian College of Arts , Science and Technology, Zaria, where he trained and graduated as a painter and sculptor adopting the expressionistic style of the traditional African art from which he draws his inspirations. He has participated in many exhibitions within and outside Nigeria. He exhibited at the Mbari Gallery in Ibadan and also featured in the Independence exhibition of 1960. Some of his works include Adam and Eve, The Philosopher and Boy.

20 Nigerian Contemporary Artists you should know.
Uche Okeke: Painter and Art Historian.
Uche Okeke was born in 1933 in Nimo, Anambra State. His interest in art started in his secondary school days when he collected Igbo folktales and wrote his first poems. In 1955, while he was working as a government clerk in Jos, he met Dennis Duerden, an expatriate artist working at the National Museum, Jos. Dennis Duerden encouraged him to study Art. In 1957, he entered the Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology, Zaria, and graduated in 1961with a diploma in Fine Art specializing in Painting. He participated in many ehibitions both locally and internationally. Some of his major designs and projects are the Mural for the Nigerian Independent Pavillion, 1960 in which Demas Nwoko and Bruce Onobrakpeya were jointly commissioned. Some of his folktale drawings are Ogadili the terrible warrior and match of the masquerades, etc.

20 Nigerian Contemporary Artists you should know.
Lamidi Fakeye: (Traditional Carver)
He was born in 1925 in Illa - Orangun, Osun State. 
After his primary education, he became an apprentice to George Bandele Areogun, a well known carver for three years. He worked in the workshop of Father Kelvin Carroll at Oye-Ekiti between 1947 and 1951 and that of Father O'Mahomey at Ondo. Fakeye visited many European and America galleries, lecturing and demonstrating the Yoruba carving method between 1963 and 1966. His commissions include among others, wood relief door panels depicting scenes from the life of Jesus Christ at the University of Ibadan in 1954 and 1955, Church doors at Oke padi, Ibadan in 1956-1957. Fakeye until his death  was teaching traditional carving techniques at the Department of Fine Art, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
P.S: He thaugth me traditional carving techniques as an undergraduate in O.A.U Ile-Ife.

Tola Wewe, Mama Bakassi and Mama Nike at a function.

Tola Wewe (extreme left), Mama Bakassi(extreme right), with Nike and Pa okundaye at a function.

Check this pix, and see if you can identify Tola Wewe, a renowned artist and Mama Bakassi, 
a renowned activist. Look at the outstanding Gele of Mama Nike too.
 Is this not beautiful?

Another "BIG FISH" in Nigerian Art promotions.

The Founder, Omooba Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon Foundation (OYASAF), Prince (Engineer) Yemisi Shyllon

This is the picture of Engineer Shyllon, a great supporter and promoter of arts at home and abroad. He is the founder and promoter of Omooba  Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon Art Foundation (OYASAF), Lagos.

 Mahmud Ahmadiyya College, Ijede, Ikorodu, Lagos visits National Theatre Again! 

National Theatre, group photograph of students of Mahmud Ahmadiyya College, Ijede and a student with Mrs Taiwo Lawal in a nice posture during the first visit.

The National Gallery of Art situated at the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos hosted the students of Mahmud Ahmadiyya College, Ijede for the second time recently. The visits were  organized by Nath Ogunyale, (nathogunyale.bloggers.com) as part of the fulfillment of  the Cultural and Creative Arts (CCA) scheme of work requirement for Junior Secondary School Students. The students confirmed that they had a WOW! time during the visits.

 A Celebration of African "Gele" (head tie)

 Look at this picture above. You can't miss it. The African touch, the elegance, the beauty. Where else can you get that if not from Africa?.

The magic of "Iyan" (Pounded Yam)

Various shades of eating "IYAN"

If a European can be savouring the delicacies of our own "Iyan with obe efo riro", Why will you not appreciate our own food. Our food speaks volume of our culture. It is an identity. We must preserve and promote it. There is no way you eat "Iyan" with a  cutllery set  and you rightly claim to enjoy it. The man has learnt that important lesson. You can see him using his god- given fingers to do justice to the bowl. Kudos.

 A Profile on Chief Mrs Nike Okundaye of Nike Art Gallery
 

Mrs Nike Okundaye and one of her paintings.

"Over the years, Nike has used her arts as a means of empowerment, fight social challenges such as prostitution and poverty by training over 5000 Nigerians free of charge in the making and designing of Nigerian textile and various creative arts."

"Many higher institutions in Lagos now come on excursion with their students studying Fine and Applied arts, to any of the four centres of Nike centre
 for arts and culture for detailed tutorials in embroidery and weaving."

"Nike says she owes everything to her grandmother who taught her the art of embroidery, weaving and the rest, because she was a great adire maker in their village."

"Nike can beat her chest and say that she has received no support from government, the niche she has carved for herself through using arts and crafts as a means of empowerment , and in tracking social challenges such as prostitution, poverty, gender issues among others has attracted the attention of governments across the globe." T.K and MamaNike

Read this: "Nike art gallery situated at Plot 2, Elegushi Road, Ikate roundabout, Lekki is open to other artists to exhibit their works free." Can you beat that?

20 Nigerian Contemporary Artists you should know.
Ladi Kwali: Traditional Potter. 
She started the art of pottery in the traditional apprenticeship at the age of Nine. 
She continued in the traditional apprenticeship techniques creating non-functional cooking pots.These pots were decorated with mythical and common creatures such as lizards, spiders, crocodiles, chameleons, and scorpions, and some were glazed with herbs in the traditional way. Ladi worked with Micheal Cardew, an English potter who opened a Pottery Training Centre at Old Abuja for a brief period. Her skills in shaping and decorating of pots earned her an Honorary doctorate (Ph.D) degree from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. She however, later dropped the traditional open firing methods and herbal glazing methods and picked up the modern kiln firing and glazing methods. This resulted in her pots being finished in a high metallic gloss. Her products can be found in museums in England, Holland, and theUnited States of America.

African Animal Fables.
Why the Tortoise is a taboo

Why the tortoise is a taboo

Story, story...s-t-o-r-y. Once upon a time , a green bird was out for hunting, And it came in contact with a sea tortoise with a scally shell just coming out of the water.
The Tortoise, though lived in the sea, told the green bird about its interest in meeting and knowing the people and the earth. The bird said that it was easily done and he would act as a guide.
So they set off for the interior. The tortoise found it had to walk, because of its flat feet, and began to complain. But the bird had no trouble, jumping from tree to tree and resting in the shade.
It made fun at the tortoise at first, but then took pity on it. The bird said it was a magician and would make better feet for the Tortoise.
This was done and they went on with their journey.
A little later, the bird dropped some dirt on the tortoise accidentally, and the tortoise called it filthy. The bird got angry and flew off leaving the Tortoise to find its way back by itself.
That is how the sea tortoise became a land tortoise.
Ever since then the land tortoise and its children have wandered about, without finding the sea.
So, its flesh is a taboo, for god made it for salt water, and men can only eat animals that live on land.

Unfinished painting, inspired by this fable. 3'x2' oil on canvas. painted by Nath ogunyale.