Artsdiscourse

Bob-Nosa, The Patriot, Acrylic on watercolour paper, 2020. Mathew Oyedele In a bid to curb and control the spread of coronavirus in 2020, the Nigerian government announced an indefinite lockdown that would reduce the transmission of the virus and protect the citizens. The lockdown restricted movements, halted business activities, and suspended all leisure, social and cultural activities. It did not leave out artists who usually work in isolation out of its wide-ranging impact. It came as a surprise to some of them. They could neither access their favourite materials nor replenish the exhausted ones. They were left with little or no income as galleries were closed; while exhibitions, auctions and art fairs were postponed. Artists had to rethink their approach to materials, subject matter and concepts in order to adapt to the changing environment. While the lockdown was gradually easing up, a youthful protest under the theme 'EndSARS' erupted on the streets of Nigeria to demand...

Abayomi Barber. Chinezim Moghalu Born 1928 in Ile Ife, Abayomi Adebayo Barber is a modern Nigerian artist and mentor of the Abayomi Barber School of Thought, an informal school of art founded in Lagos, in 1973. Barber happens to be one of Nigeria's most influential modern artists. The master artist is adept in naturalist painting, yet renown about realist, life-like, remarkably outstanding, detailed, and proportional sculpture. Abayomi is notorious for meticulous execution of sculpture. He does so with an underlying motive, zest and quest to achieve a perfectly rudimentarily proportional sculpture. His artistic practice is summed in keen attention to detail. Report has it that Barber could abandon a sculptural piece that is being undertaking by him, if such is not tilting to the artist's artistic sensibility of usually impeccable visualization. He could spend a great deal of time on a piece, in a bid to achieve the desire. Abayomi Barber's artistic and formal education was ...