By The Nation
The Osogbo Art School has celebrated its golden age with pomp and ceremony at the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding (CBCIU) in Osogbo, Osun State and the Thought Pyramid Arts Centre in Abuja. The golden anniversary exhibition, which came after almost a three-year wait, also featured the launch of the centre’s journal and DVD of Orisa Dances. Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME reports.
IT was an echo from the past. Activities that shape contemporary Nigerian art dating back to the early 60s, were highlighted at Osogbo and Abuja when a group exhibition of paintings by pioneer members of the Osogbo Art Movement was held to mark its 50th anniversary. The golden anniversary also offered an opportunity for the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding (CBCIU) to return to the consciousness of Nigerians after years of inaction. The three-in-one event was held at the CBCIU in Osogbo and the Thought Pyramid Arts Centre in Abuja, on January 17 and 24.
Interestingly, when the late German linguist and teacher, Ulli Beier and his wife, Georgina, began organising art workshops in the early 60s for talented young people in and around Osogbo, little did they realise they were laying a strong foundation of what would become a global phenomenon. The products of the very successful 1964 workshop included Muraina Oyelami, Jimoh Buraimoh, Taiwo Olaniyi (Twins Seven-Seven), Adebisi Fabunmi, Rufus Ogundele and Jacob Afolabi who became foundation members of the Osogbo Art Movement. The Osogbo leg of the exhibition featured 23 artworks by three of the pioneer artists: Muraina Oyelami, Jimoh Buraimoh and Adebisi Fabunmi.
Chairman, Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding (CBCIU), Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, described the anniversary as a significant achievement by the movement, recalling that what started as an innocuous experiment on the elasticity of the creative mind and its innate ability to adapt to the vicissitudes of the environment has become a global phenomenon.
“The genesis of what is known as the Osogbo School of Art today is rooted in man’s belief in his own ability to re-invent itself with expressions, symbols and representations in form of murals, paintings, sculptures, beads, textiles and other art forms catching the global attention. What we are gathered here to celebrate today is also the fertile imagination of one man, Ulli Beier (of blessed memory), and his partners in thought, late Susanne Wenger and Georgina Beier.
“It is very interesting that their experiment in informal education metamorphosed into an art movement that has survived for more than half a century. From early to middle 60s, just after Nigeria’s independence in what we can truly call an age of innocence, Osogbo art began to have a trademark that uniquely distinguished it from other art forms. The Osogbo artistic movement, as an informal art offering, coincided with the advent of the formal art school referred to as the Zaria Rebels. However, this did not in any way diminish its independent accomplishment,” he said.
According to Oyinlola, Osogbo Art has boosted the corpus of knowledge in the field of creative arts and validated the richness and vitality of Yoruba culture as part of the common heritage of mankind. “Osogbo Art has become a trademark comparable to any other art form anywhere in the world. This is why we celebrate the 50 years of such a unique brand,” he added.
According to Oyelami, the exhibition was actually planned to hold in 2014, which would have been 50 years of Osogbo Art Movement. But because of lack of sponsorship, it was stalled until till now. “The movement started in 1954. One of the main reasons for the exhibition is to remember the historical background of how it all started and the contributions of major catalysts such as Georgina Bier, Ulli Bier and the forerunners of Mbari Ibadan,” he said.
Among the guests at the event were Deputy Governor of Osun State, Mrs. Titilayo Laoye-Tomori, who represented the Governor Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Nigeria’s former Ambassador to UNESCO, Prof. Michael Omolewa, Dean, Faculty of Arts, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Prof Remi Adeoti; Chief Ifayemi Elebuibon, Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun, the Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Oba Abdulrasheed Olabomi; the Oba of Ilobu, Ashiru Olayoye Olaniran; the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi who sent a representative; and Legushen of Ode-Ule in Ogun State, Oba Adesina Adekoya, the chief presenter.
In Abuja last Tuesday, the event was a bigger one as more works from the movement were exhibited in a much more convenient venue. Prince Oyinlola was represented by the secretary of the Centre, Mr. Femi Adelegan, with Director-General, National Gallery of Art, Abdullahi Muku, Acting Director-General Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation Mrs Mariel Rae-Omoh; Director-General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments Abdallah Usman; and Director- General, National Council for Arts and Culture Mrs Dayo Keshi in attendance.
It also provided opportunity for arts enthusiasts and collectors as well as culture workers in the ministry, departments and agencies to savour the rich collection. In particular were the works of Twin Seven-Seven, which are a rare expression of the late musician’s inner feelings about his environment and the Yoruba heritage. Of the five large panels of pen ink on wood cut by Twin Seven-Seven, two which are abstract in composition were red tagged few minutes after opening of the exhibition. Other works include Merry maker, Osun (water Goddess), Character, The entertainer, Village Life under Cocoa tree and Blessed Voyager. The works which are well preserved behind framed glass simply refresh viewers’ memories of the rich heritage of the Yorubas, especially the place of Osun in the socio-economic life of the people.
Unlike Twin Seven-Seven, Oyelami a poetic painter of a sort presented some of his recent works that also reflect his style and subjects sometime influenced by folktales. His colour scheme remains a high point of his paintings that show stylised faces and human figures. Among his works on display were Single parenthood, Opaque journey, Approaching summer, Beauty of old, Pensive mood, Princess and Habitable slum. While Buraimoh presented his regular beads painting such as Peacock, Togetherness, Reunion and Return of drummers that are very contemporary, Adebisi Fabunmi had three untitled works.
Rufus Ogundele though late had works produced between 1987 and 1993 and it included Animals in the jungle, Dancers, Puppetiers, Queen, Beauty in wilderness and Man in trance. There are strong indications that the travelling exhibition will be heading to US later in the year.
Social Media Links
Facebook – www.facebook.com/osundotlife
Instagram – www.instagram.com/osundotlife
Twitter – www.twitter/osundotlife