19 Oct Bruce Onobrakpeya Exhibition
Onobrakpeya is arguably, Africa’s most significant living artist and it is our pleasure to present these rare deep etching artworks. The artworks present his journey over two decades from 1960 to 1977. They also present our cultural evolution in that time and his role in shaping this evolution. We hope you can join us for
19 Sep Different Expressions
‘Hairdo’ by Sam Ovraiti and ‘Beloved’ by Maxwell Boadi Two very different styles.One is so gentle it eases your soul. Ovraiti, a master of the subtle gesture, creates a painting that melds the women and their background, creating a rich, mellow interaction. Boadi’s Father figure is aggressive and bold dominating the picture with his desire.
14 Jul Ablade Glover. The scholarship to the UK. 1964
Excerpt from ‘Crowds & Queens – The Art of Ablade Glover’ by Dozie Igweze Shirley Du Bois Shirley Du Bois was, at the time, one of the most influential people in Ghana. She was the head of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, a close confidante of Kwame Nkrumah and the wife of the African American activist,
25 Mar Fresh – Gani Odutokun
Gani Odutokun worked and exhibited, mainly, in the eighties and early nineties. He studied art at Ahmadu Bello University and went on to lecture there. He was at the forefront of a new generation of post-independence artists. He was intellectual, bold and curious – rooted in a philosophical approach, while constantly evolving. His artworks were
16 Mar Justus Kyalo – Dance and Emotion
Justus Kyalo is Kenyan. He lives and works in Nairobi. Living in Kenya and being Kenyan locates his work and contextualizes it, at least, in a historical sense. But not really. Kyalo in his artistic expression does not see himself as Kenyan, or African. He is simply human – of the world. And an artist.
06 Mar Art we Love number 1. Two women, Two boys and a father
Ben Osawe created this charcoal drawing in 1965 while still in England. This is one of a fairly large body of model drawings he did at the time. It’s created in a formal style of figurative portraiture. It’s easy to see his facility with the charcoal medium, his self-assurance and the elegance that would become
21 Feb Spirits in Flight – The Art of Peter Elungat
‘Every artwork is a story about the artist’, Elungat tells me. ‘In every artwork the artist puts himself naked on a podium for viewers to inspect’. This may not be true for all artists, but it is certainly true for Elungat. We’re looking at an early artwork of his. In the painting, a bird soars
22 Dec 5 Things About ”The Passage Of Time” Exhibition
No. 5 Words We did a book on Professor Glover. He loved it. The idea was to have a book that presents his art and his life; a book that gives artists, collectors – everyone really – an insight into the events that shaped the artist. The exhibition ended on the 19th of December, 2022.
15 Dec 5 Things About ”The Passage Of Time” Exhibition
No. 4. Interactions. Exhibitions are great for talking to the artist and talking to friends. We learn a little more about the artist and his art; and we enjoy great company. The exhibition continues till the 19th of December, 2022.
14 Dec 5 Things About ”The Passage Of Time” Exhibition
No. 3. Stories You. The artwork. The artist’s story. Your story. The artist presents the artwork. But that’s not the end of the story. There’s also your story – your ideas about life, color, images… Your relationship with the artwork is a unique story. It’s been fascinating to see how viewers have interacted with Ablade Glover’s
08 Dec 5 Things About ”The Passage Of Time” Exhibition
No. 2. GreatnessProfessor Glover talked about his life and his experiences during the press interviews before the exhibition opening. He also spoke briefly during the exhibition. To listen to him is to understand that greatness isn’t manufactured overnight. His greatness comes from talent. But also from diligence, perseverance and toil. Fifty decades of consistent hard
07 Dec 5 Things About ”The Passage Of Time” Exhibition
No 1. Space.We wanted to create the right space to unfurl the amazing artistic journey of the great artist, Ablade Glover. We wanted you to walk in, feel the breadth of his art, but also feel the inter-connectedness of the artworks. We wanted to take you on a tour of the artist’s life – Accra markets,
09 Nov Rhythm and Flow: ‘The Conference’ by Kolade Oshinowo
By 1975, the most popular artworks from Oshinowo, were the landscapes detailing Lagos,Abeokuta and many other states.But there was the abstract side of Oshinowo, like this mixed media artwork titled, TheConference. In ‘The Conference’, lines replaced colour, creating movement and tension across thesurface of the artwork. It’s a dynamic, adventurous artwork that presents another aspect of
01 Nov Ben Osaghae’s ‘I Beta Pass My Neighbor’
The artwork presents two aspects of Osaghae. There is his movement towards a minimalist style that required the viewer to participate mentally in order to understand and enjoy the artwork. Then there is his understanding of symbolism – an ability to appreciate the symbols that define our times. In this artwork, it is the small,
01 Nov Four Drawings by Ben Enwonwu.
We are presenting 4 drawings by Ben Enwonwu at the gallery.The drawings span a period between 1946 and 1970, and were probably preliminary sketches for sculptures and paintings – a visual diary. They are an interesting insight into Enwonwu’s work methods, as well as, historically important documents about one of Africa’s most significant artists.
20 Oct A profile and a terrain
Like many Ablade Glover artworks, there are multiple layers to this piece. There is the elegant profile – the strong, resilient, graceful African queen. Then there is the amazing use of movement, colour and layering to create a visually compelling multi-layered canvas. It feels like a vast terrain – hills, crevices, valleys. There’s so much
13 Oct Obi Ekwenchi’s art
Obi Ekwenchi’s artworks have always had a magical quality, probably because of his nuanced colours.He has always been able to present the subjects in his artworks with warmth, compassion, and a certain dignity. Ekwenchi was born in 1959. He studied Fine and Applied Arts at the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu and got
04 Oct Visual Diaries – ‘GRA’ And ‘Mushin At Night”
Abiodun Olaku had a brief stay at the Mushin area of Lagos in his early days as an artist. He wandered the streets in the evenings, intrigued by the mix of chaos and energy. ‘GRA – Government Rejected Area’ and ‘Mushin at night’ present Mushin from the artist’s eyes. “GRA”, a night-time landscape explores the
29 Sep Have You heard?
A bittersweet artwork, The colours are warm and joyful, the figures seem connected and vibrant, the adire patterns on their clothing are bold and appealing. It’s a warm artwork with a darkish theme. Created at the end of the civil war, the artwork explores the mixed emotions of these women about the end of the
29 Sep Divine Intervention
It’s always interesting to reflect on the early years of a significant artist. This Abiodun Olaku painting from 1987, presents a fluid, almost sketch-like exploration of prayer and divine intervention.