21 Mar Asidere’s The Day After
Duke Asidere has always been autobiographical in his paintings and the titling of his artworks. These titles may sometimes seem misleading and at odds with the artwork itself. In the truth. sometimes there is no direct connection. He paints spontaneously, with very little planning. He simply bares his soul on canvas. This purgation involves rote
18 Feb Bruce Onobrakpeya and Ore ri Canaan
Bruce Onobrakpeya has recently started to explore some of his earlier Christian-themed artworks. The first of this series is ‘Ore ri Canaan’. He had earlier explored this artwork as a deep etching on paper in 1982. Its present incarnation is as an utterly magnificent metal foil artwork. ‘Ore Ri Canaan’, explores the turning of water
18 Feb Glover’s Sketches
It’s hard to imagine how Ablade Glover’s energetic, almost aggressive attacks on his canvas might translate to paper. Many of the elements of his art – the layering of colour, the chaos of paint, the fluid inter-connection between colours – seem to suggest that his art is suited for oil, rather than pencil, or charcoal
21 Dec Flourish
The strongest trees grow and flourish through the years.We wish you the strength, grace and endurance to flourish in the new year.
11 Dec We Frame
We’ve opened a framing section.Now you can get some really amazing frames for your artworks. Acid-free tapes, high-end mount boards, quality wood frames, water-resistant backboards…We’re ensuring your artworks get museum quality treatment.
18 Sep 2 Days of drawing and having a great time
On Monday and Tuesday, the 13th and 14th of September, members of the Guild of Fine Artists (GFA) came by the gallery for a 2-day freestyle drawing workshop to remember the wonderful Ben Osaghae – who was a member of the guild, a member of the Hourglass family in his lifetime and one of the best of
11 Aug Horse riders, elegant figures, lorry stations and a preacher
Ben Enwonwu was a sculptor. Period. Well, also a painter. But his genius was as a sculptor. In his painting he certainly applied his skill, intelligence, and philosophy to create era defining artworks. But in his sculptures, he brought a bit more. He brought all these things and the spirit, wisdom and vitality of his
14 Jun JIMOH AKOLO AND HIS LONESOME ROAD TO RECOGNITION
For Jimoh Bola Akolo, the choice was simple. It was between the pursuit of ideology and the ideals of the actual art practice. So, he chose the latter. Thus, he was said to have ended his membership of the Zaria Art Society – “for personal reasons” – after only three months. For the record, the
04 May Abiodun Olaku’s Female Figure – the past and the present.
Abiodun Olaku is, in some sense, an embodiment of Yussuf Grillo and Kolade Oshinowo. Not stylistically. He evolved his own unique art sensibility decades ago and has continued in that direction. His path has proved so alluring that it has attracted imitators, students, followers… His brand of realism has opened our eyes to the beauty
15 Mar Mills and the big blue bus. Leaving Jamestown.
There’s something about the big blue bus that engulfs and almost overwhelms the painting, ‘Leaving Jamestown’ by Nii T. Mills. The bus is a cavernous, imposing presence. As if there’s a whole other world happening inside it. And then there’s the boy, clutching his bag tightly, slightly slumped, broken by life but still optimistic… but
26 Feb Isiaka Osunde: Retracing the footprints of a legend
Perhaps, the bronze bust of a grim-faced young lady, sporting a threaded plaited hairstyle, only tangentially alludes to the zeitgeist. But with the 1964 sculpture, titled “Nigerian Girl”, Isiaka Adams Osunde earned his stripes for stunningly reenacting a period-specific trend for posterity. So much may, in any case, have changed since the Edo State-born and Lagos-raised
06 Dec Hanging with the GFA
From the 11th to the 13th of December we’ll be hosting a GFA salon at the gallery.
If you like the art of Duke Asidere, Abiodun Olaku, Alex Nwokolo, Ben Ibebe…then you’re in for quite the treat.
22 Aug Babatunde and Agose
Bunmi Babatunde and Patrick Agose are both master sculptors at the universal studio in Lagos. Babatunde has exhibited extensively and is well-known in art circles for his graceful sculptures. His sculptures have evolved over the years from the early, elegant sculptures that presented his forms as ideas rooted in African sculptural tradition and influenced by
18 May Excerpts from ‘Duke Asidere’s Sketches & Therapy’
Ogwuashi-Uku July 24, 2004 Duke Asidere’s bags are packed. Everything he needs is in his Nissan Micra car. It’s a tiny, brown car, slightly beat-up but reliable. He gets in, turns on the ignition and begins his journey to Ogwuashi-Uku. He’d just agreed to take a teaching position in the art department of Delta State
17 May Discussions and disagreements – Odutokun and Oshinowo
Kolade Oshinowo created the artwork ‘The conference’ in 1975. In the seventies and eighties, he experimented with abstract, mixed media artworks. These abstract artworks were a marked deviation from the landscapes and figurative artworks he was known for at the time. The abstract pieces, like ‘The conference’ present a more adventurous side of the great
17 May NoDistance
We hope you’re keeping safe. Unfortunately, we can’t have exhibitions at the gallery at the moment. But that doesn’t mean we can’t present interesting artworks to you. So, we’ll be sending you a series of themed show reels. The first, ‘No Distance’ is a look back at the time before social distancing using the artworks of
20 Apr Stay Safe And Inspect Those Artworks
We hope you’re safe. Who would have thought that the phrase, ‘we hope you’re safe’ would be standard greeting? But here we are. We do hope you’re safe in your homes, and our thoughts are with you. Since you’re stuck at home, this might be a good time to look at your artworks. Not just
20 Jan Onitsha and London
Uzo Egonu (1931 – 1996) An introspective, deeply private artist in his lifetime, Uzo Egonu’s reputation has grown steadily in Nigeria in the past decade or so. Part of the reason for this is the increased interest in the art of modernist pioneers like Ben Enwonwu, Abayomi Barber, Bruce Onobrakpeya, Yussuf Grillo, Jimo Akolo and
10 Jan How to love your artworks
Collecting art can be the beginning of a life-long romance. And like the best romantic encounters it needs nurture and some attention. So, here are a few guidelines to always remember in this love affair. Where to hang your artwork Artworks generally need minimal maintenance once they are displayed or stored properly. Avoid direct sunlight