Yinka Olatunbosun
The members of the faculty at the Department of Fine Arts, Lagos State University of Education (LASUE) are mounting a group exhibition of works spread across several areas of specialty. At a recent press briefing in Lagos, the acting Head of Department, Dr. Abiodun Kafaru revealed that as an institution, freshly upgraded to a university, the show is to build awareness on the art programme as a distinct course of choice. LASUE is an amalgamation of the former Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education and Michael Otedola College of Education.
“We are an art institution that has existed for over 16 years as college, technical college, college of education before transmitting to a university of education,’’ Kafaru began. “Since I became a lecturer there, my passion has been to set a standard and it is evolving and manifesting as time goes on. Governor Babatunde Sanwo-Olu felt that there are a lot of qualified hands in many areas of endeavor in the institution and felt we could upgrade into a university. We have over 80 PhD holders spread across the faculties.’’
The process of the upgrade which began in 2003 almost reached its climax in 2008, the year many thought that the announcement would be made.
“In 2018, it did not happen,’’ he continued. “Eventually, in 2022 February, we were given the approval by NUC to run Bachelor in Fine Arts, pure arts programme without the education courses.’’
To reflect the motivation for the show, the theme is ‘Transmutation.’ 16 members of the faculty including Dr. Kunle Adeyemi will participate at the show which runs run December 10th to 17th at the National Museum, Onikan.
In his intervention, Kehinde Jagun, one of the participating artists/lecturers revealed the variety of expressions awaiting the art audience to feast on.
“We will be showing all our areas of specialisation: painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking and more. We are expecting feedback from other schools of arts and critics,’’ Jagun said.
Twenty per cent of the proceeds received at the show would be donated towards the development of the department.
