On the day of opening, arriving at the venue- Motor Boat Club, 28 Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos State– of the latest ongoing (11th-28th, November 2021; 1 pm-6 pm daily) exhibition (THE EMBER SERIES featuring five top artists: Adewale Awesu, Ajegbomogun Damilola, Oluwaseun Okunola, Olajide Kuti, Adewale Ojo ) by Lasgidi Cultural Arts Exhibition (non-profiting organization): the Curator, Founder, and Director Abebi Akerele Abosede is seen moving in and out, to and fro before the time of the exhibition launch.
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Her impartial plan is rearranging efficiently the 25 artworks on display in the open lounges that lead to the open water of the Lagos Motor Boat Club reception to catch the eyesight of the club’s distinguished local and international members expected to come in and relax by the open water later in the evening.
For over 9 years, like that, Abebi Akerele Abosede has been power steering the artistic pursuits, desires, and passion of University Fine Arts students, fresh graduates, and undiscovered propitious professional artists in Nigeria into the focus of public attention. She augments their efforts with her art collector connections and event planning expertise as CEO of Silverline Corporate Events & Consulting.
“She does this for free without asking us to pay anything,” .
says Adewale Awesu
The sufficiently lighted white walls of the entrance into the Lagos Motor Boat Club reception are adorned gloriously with emotionally charged pieces of art (owned by the club as decorative pieces) that ignite the artistic senses of the art enthusiasts as they walk through into the exhibition space.
Perfectly, the Lagos Motor Boat Club enhances the exhibition of the artworks thanks to the architectural aesthetic appeal of wooden grounds in the reception that led to THE EMBER SERIES exhibition space very close to the open waters of the Lagos Boat Motor Club property.
The exhibition guest while engaging with the works would also find circumambient boats of different sizes interesting. It is evident that the Curator of the show, Abebi Akerele, understood the importance of setting in the attraction and success of an excellent exhibition as is THE EMBER SERIES.
THE EMBER SERIES comes less than five months after the victorious hosting of the 2021 Lasgidi Cultural Arts Exhibition FESTIVAL of COLOURS which had the anticipated aim of bringing university students from across Nigeria together to showcase their talents and make money in the process.
However, acclaimed for putting Nigeria University Fine and Applied Arts students in the spotlight, THE EMBER SERIES is an upgrade of what Lasgidi Cultural Arts Exhibition is renowned for amongst its target audiences.
THE EMBER SERIES is the first of its kind from the Lasgidi Cultural Arts Exhibition. THE EMBER SERIES exhibits thoughtfully curated artworks of the top five artists who have previously participated as students in former editions of Lasgidi Cultural Arts exhibitions.
But now they have enviable art careers; are living their dreams of becoming used to having their artworks circulated across homes and offices around the globe.
The five top artists have been carefully chosen for their intensely interesting artworks; 14 oil on canvas, 9 acrylics on canvas, and 2 mixed media. As you would bear witness to upon attending the exhibition.
While some of these artistic mediums like Oil painting employed by Okunola Oluwaseun (for all of his seven works in the exhibition), Adewale Awesu (for two out of his five works in the exhibition), Ajegbomogun Damilola ( for all of his four works exhibited in the exhibition), and Adewale Ojo (for one out of his five works in the exhibition) originated from the western world developed by the Belgian Painter Jan van Eyck in between the 15th century.
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Or invented by masters of the art as in the case of mixed media, employed by Adewale Awesu (for another two of his works on display), first introduced by Pablo Picasso during 1912 for his collage Still Life in Chair Caning.
Or first used by Leonard Bocour and Sam Golden as in the case of the acrylics paint utilized by Adewale Awesu (in another one of his works) and Olajide Kuti (in all the works exhibited in the exhibition), and Adewale Ojo (in one of his works).
Still, the top five exhibiting artists in THE EMBER SERIES exhibition uniquely used the various mediums to raise “ Conversations {Oil on Canvas, 4ft by 4ft by Okunola Oluwaseun} ” around the “ Source {Oil on Canvas, 3ft by 4ft by Okunola Oluwaseun}” of the feelings, materialistic aspirations, and emotions of Blacks, Africans, Nigerians especially teenagers and youths.
For while “ Charity begins at home {Acrylics on Canvas, 36 by 48 inches by Olajide Kuti}” they are abandoned – not cared for or being given much attention as they should- by parents, guardians, or foster caregivers who spend more of their dawn, days, and nights, in the “Floating Market” {2020, Oil on Canvas, 48 by 36 inches by Adewale Awesu} far away from home as the painting depicts; which has led to in-depth depression and anxiety in their kids and wards. Thereby resulting in an increasing thirst for any kind of“ Companion {I&II, Acrylic on Canvas, 36 by 48 inches by Olajide Kuti}.
The unpopularity and loneliness that continues to be the causative factor leading many Nigerians and Colored Africans (teenagers, youths, and young adults) around the world from good homes; as seen in the shadowed despondency of the subjects in “ Strength and Beauty { 2021, Acrylic on Canvas, 48 by 48 inches by Adewale Adesu}”, to give up their expectations underlines the works “Sunset” {2021, Oil on Canvas, 20 cm by 23 cm by Ajegbomogun Damilola;} “Hope”, Oil on Canvas, 30 by 40 by Adewale Ojo}.
But chase whatever means to gain “Illumination” {Oil on Canvas, 2ft by 4ft by Ajegbomogun Damilola } into becoming personalities of admiration in an attempt to share from the “ Cheers to a good life” {2021, Acrylic on Canvas, 4ft by 4ft} lifestyle displayed by celebrated influencers of anonymous depression on “Social Media” { Mixed Media, 42 by 42, 2021 by Adewale Adesu}.
Even though some of the works prove that not all colored Africans or Nigerians are negatively influenced by the loneliness and situation of their present unfavorable conditions inherited from their origin. Two of the artworks by Adewale Ojo: Knowledge {2021, Acrylic on Canvas, 3.5ft by 3ft} and Violin Girl {Acrylic on Canvas, 105cm by 112cm} make the points that talents and academic qualification or application of common sense can lead to a prosperous life.
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Would it be of any amazement if you knew the works are offshoots of the END SARS Protests that rocked the nation in the year 2020? Or as a remembrance of the very intelligent souls and talented spirits that were killed while making a claim to their fundamental human rights.
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The mediums should not be perceived as copied. Because the artists of THE EMBER SERIES have used them only as mediums of representations of the scarred loveliness (Beaut, {I&II, Acrylics on Canvas, 36 by 36 inches by Olajide Kuti; She’s Lovely, {2021, Mixed Media, 36 by 42 by Adewale Awesu; Projections, {I&II, Oil on Canvas, 3ft by 4ft; “Elsewhere, Oil on Canvas, 4ft by 4ft by Okunola Oluwaseun}), valor and endurance ( Strength and Beauty II, Oil on Canvas, 2020 by Adewale Awesu), survival “Efforts” {Oil on Canvas, 4ft by 2ft by Okunola Oluwaseun}, character, and optimism ( Serious Intentions, 2021, Oil on Canvas, 2ft by 3ft by Ajegbomogun Damilola) of Africans and the typical Nigerian citizen in the midst of the unseen change and turmoil that continues to rock the continent and their dear nation in a period of EMBER.
“In her prime” { Oil on Canvas, 24 by 30 inches} by Okunola Oluwaseun gives an inquisitive stare into the soul of the onlooker. The intent would be to spur a flashback in the imagination of teenagers and youths into what the now troubled continent of Africa was in her prime. In the days of economic prosperity and leadership excellence.
“ Resting” { Oil on Canvas, 20cm by 25 cm by Ajegbomogun Damilola} is a confident depiction of his full hope that one day the continent of Africa and the world would be peaceful. He portrays the subject of the painting, a Black-skinned baby, in an atmospheric surrounding undisturbed but restful in tranquility.
The curator who has supplied artworks and exhibition sales to elites internationally, in Lagos State, and given approval for an exhibition in a space in Kessington in the United States of America tells me “ it is not easy. It is not easy to organize an exhibition as these things ( directing my gaze to the setting, staff, and exhibition catalog) cost money. She must have been very grateful to secure the sponsorship of First Bank Nigeria for THE EMBER SERIES.
But she would quickly cap her achievements, “ it is all possible by the grace of God.” Stating that she is not bound by the expenses, obstacles, and challenges as long as artists who would have been relegated into the tiny spaces available when cars are jam-packed in the typical Lagos hold up to sell their artworks get deserving attention and rewarded for their passion.
It is clear that she is on a mission to serve with great courage, extraordinary ability, and moral conviction of a strong woman with big dreams. And it is only a matter of time before they are fulfilled judging by her consistency, strategic thinking, and determination to succeed.
In the Nigerian art industry dominated by men and popular artists, Abebi Akerele is an art collector inspiring students and fresh art graduates from the various Nigerian Academic Institutions.
Beyond this, using her platform, Lasgidi Cultural Arts Exhibition which she founded in 2011 to pull her weight around emerging artists who would probably never be exhibited by the big guns who majorly seem interested in the profits they can make from famous artists. Since founding the Lasgidi Cultural Arts Exhibition, Abebi Akerele has contributed more than the recognition she is getting in the Lagos and Nigerian Art scene.
This can be concretely witnessed in the change of lifestyle she has given her exhibiting artists and the previously exhibited ones who from Lasgidi have gone on to have their works displayed in different spaces and places around the world. Taking advantage of the exposure and clientele they have been given by Abebi, Akerele Abosede.
