Yinka Olatunbosun
The art community has a profound reason to be happy. One of the leading artists in Nigeria, Prof Bruce Onabrakpeya has been honored with the Nigerian National Order Merit Award in the humanities. At 85, he is a revered artist who has contributed immensely to the nation’s knowledge economy with his experimental workshop that had served as a finishing school for many aspiring artists.
At a recent press briefing, the Vice President, Visual Printmakers Association of Nigeria (VPAN), Dr. Kunle Adeyemi revealed that Onabrakpeya brought honour to visual art and the art of printmaking which has been recognised internationally.
“Printmaking had always existed before his career but he started innovating and his work formed a vocabulary in that genre of art,” he explained.
“Ladi Kwali was also a recipient of this award some years back. The visual art has made substantial contribution to the visual arts and that’s one of the things we’re happy about. I am sure Bruce Onabrakpeya didn’t lobby for this award and the media didn’t lobby for him. The man simply deserves this award.”
The touring exhibition will be mounted at The Resource Place, Ikeja; Quintessence Gallery,Ikoyi; Yaba College of Technology; Abuja and Agbara-otor. The participating artists are Bruce Onabrakpeya, Uche Okeke, Salubi Onakufe, Mike Omoighe, Kunle Adeyemi, Olu Amoda, Timipre Willis Amah, Juliet Ezenwa Maja-Pearce, Ufuoma Onabrakpeya, Moses Unokwah, Bode Olaniran, Etiido Effiong Inyang, Patrick Akpojotor, Aderinsoye Aladegbongbe, Igbinovia Omon Sophia, Michael Fasakin, Tunde Oguntuyo, Adeyinka Akingbade, Afuevu Onakufe, Olusegun Oduyele, Festus Akinwande, Abiodun Okemakinde, Oluwole Orowole, Daniel Ajibade and Dele Oluseye.
For the US-based Onabrakpeya’s son, Ufuoma, Nigeria has the most developed printmaking technique in the world.
“In the US, there are so many people who do the technique of printmaking. I have understudied Baba and I know that printmaking in Nigeria is very developed. Art has a cutting edge function for us.,” he said. “We hope that the exhibition can go across borders.â€
Still on Professor Onabrakpeya’s contribution to art, Dr Adeyemi observed that the culture of collecting art in Nigeria had tended towards painting and sculptures until Onabrakpeya broke the norm with his eclectic prints that are quite affordable.
The exhibition, which opened on November 9, is on until December 23 at the Resource Place, Ikeja.
