‘The Last Pictures Show’ has had its seventh run
For the second year running, works by Nigerian and Cameroonian artists were on display at The Last Pictures Show, organised by Catherine Pittet's company, Gondwana.
The five-day exhibition kicked off on October 29 with a cocktail at Terra Kulture, venue of the show. This was the seventh edition of the yearly event, which had run its first five exhibitions solely in Cameroon.
Present at the opener were artists Ndidi Dike, Alex Nwokolo, Jean-Marie Ahonda and Terra Kulture's Bolanle Austen-Peters.
The exhibition opened to the public a day after. On display were works of various media from 55 artists including Nigeria's Richmond Ogolo, Duke Asidere, Babalola Lawson, Fidelis Odogwu, George Edozie, Kehinde Balogun and Cameroonian artists Elolongue Weti, Bekoun Calaudee François, Louis Epee, He Zoul, Guillaume Makani, Francis Budin, and Maurice Tchinda Tchim.
The works shown
For lovers of art, it was a mixed grill of the abstract and the realist, ranging across various media.
These included works in acrylic on canvas by Bob-Nosa Uwagboe and Aser Kash, metal sculptures by Fidelis Odogwu and Agose Patrick Ighogbedhere.
Blaise Bang, Joe Kessy and Cheupine Njoya all had mixed media pieces; and there was photographic art from Pierre-Alain Bignalet, which captured city life in Cameroon. Mostly untitled, one of these featured stevedores on a boat and two women dressed in traditional attire. Rural life appeared to be the thrust of Mathieu Mbainaissem's works: cows grazing, corn fields, and village men and women in trade.
Amongst other interesting pieces was Nwokolo's ‘Congestion.' The piece done in oil on canvas depicts the overcrowded state of a Lagos province. ‘Manhood,' also by the same artist features, four young men apparently in the nude.
Weti from Cameroon made use of bottle tops to create captivating images; one titled ‘Le Monde' (The World) and another piece, ‘Unity in Diversity.'
Jean-Marie Ahanda's dual-purpose mixed media sculptures were also a sight to behold. Turned right-side up, upside down, front or back, the pieces depict a mother with a child tied to her back and a calabash on her head; or a young maiden with a long, slender neck. Marbles and sea shells were other components of the works. The artist also had a series of abstract paintings on display, but the sculptures stood out.
At the heart of Emmanuel Ekong Ekefrey's art was both modern and traditional African existence. One of his works, ‘Molue Bus', portrays the Lagos city bus in its usual overloaded state. Bodies dangle from the windows and faces peep out through the fender. In the midst of the chaos, one passenger can be seen brandishing the Benin traditional sword. Birds and giraffes were the focus of Sabastiene Berenyny's animal-themed paintings.
Catherine Pittet
According to the organiser Pittet, her outfit and the featured artists were satisfied with this edition of the exhibition, which closed on November 2.
"We are very happy because at Terra Kulture, we had the opportunity to display most of the works and I think everybody was very happy. It was better than my first time in Nigeria. This is my second time presenting the works in Nigeria and we had a better (place) to show the works," she said.
In her words, the sales and appreciation for Cameroonian artists was also better than the first time, when the show took place at The Civic Centre in October 2009.
"Many people bought (the artworks this time round). Cameroonian artists are happier this year because last year people did not know them. (At the initial edition) Nigerian artists were very happy in Cameroun but it was not the same for the Camerounians in Lagos. But they are better known now and (sales) were better."
Consequent editions of the show will take place for the first time in Cote d'Ivoire in February 2011 and in Paris (for a second time) in October 2011. While looking forward to taking it to other countries in the future, Pittet maintains that the exhibition will keep its home in Lagos. "I think we are coming back here because Terra Kulture has a gallery and I like to stay where I feel good."
Pittet feels good enough to be grateful that support for the exhibition has grown in Nigeria, but she hopes for a bit more. "We have small support and I wish next year we will have more. (I hope that) people like Coca Cola, Samsung and the telephone companies will support the exhibition."
She believes arts across the West Coast will receive a huge boost if funds are available to allow more artists feature at the exhibition. Pittet is however positive that lack of support will not dampen her spirit. "This is my life. I am a designer. It is part of my life."
With no preference for any particular artist, she says her exhibitions are open to all; either those who approach her or those she approaches. In her words, "It's a big family. We are all friends."
‘The Last Pictures Show' opened in Cameroon on November 26 and runs till December 1.
Source:234next.com
The five-day exhibition kicked off on October 29 with a cocktail at Terra Kulture, venue of the show. This was the seventh edition of the yearly event, which had run its first five exhibitions solely in Cameroon.
Present at the opener were artists Ndidi Dike, Alex Nwokolo, Jean-Marie Ahonda and Terra Kulture's Bolanle Austen-Peters.
The exhibition opened to the public a day after. On display were works of various media from 55 artists including Nigeria's Richmond Ogolo, Duke Asidere, Babalola Lawson, Fidelis Odogwu, George Edozie, Kehinde Balogun and Cameroonian artists Elolongue Weti, Bekoun Calaudee François, Louis Epee, He Zoul, Guillaume Makani, Francis Budin, and Maurice Tchinda Tchim.
The works shown
For lovers of art, it was a mixed grill of the abstract and the realist, ranging across various media.
These included works in acrylic on canvas by Bob-Nosa Uwagboe and Aser Kash, metal sculptures by Fidelis Odogwu and Agose Patrick Ighogbedhere.
Blaise Bang, Joe Kessy and Cheupine Njoya all had mixed media pieces; and there was photographic art from Pierre-Alain Bignalet, which captured city life in Cameroon. Mostly untitled, one of these featured stevedores on a boat and two women dressed in traditional attire. Rural life appeared to be the thrust of Mathieu Mbainaissem's works: cows grazing, corn fields, and village men and women in trade.
Amongst other interesting pieces was Nwokolo's ‘Congestion.' The piece done in oil on canvas depicts the overcrowded state of a Lagos province. ‘Manhood,' also by the same artist features, four young men apparently in the nude.
Weti from Cameroon made use of bottle tops to create captivating images; one titled ‘Le Monde' (The World) and another piece, ‘Unity in Diversity.'
Jean-Marie Ahanda's dual-purpose mixed media sculptures were also a sight to behold. Turned right-side up, upside down, front or back, the pieces depict a mother with a child tied to her back and a calabash on her head; or a young maiden with a long, slender neck. Marbles and sea shells were other components of the works. The artist also had a series of abstract paintings on display, but the sculptures stood out.
At the heart of Emmanuel Ekong Ekefrey's art was both modern and traditional African existence. One of his works, ‘Molue Bus', portrays the Lagos city bus in its usual overloaded state. Bodies dangle from the windows and faces peep out through the fender. In the midst of the chaos, one passenger can be seen brandishing the Benin traditional sword. Birds and giraffes were the focus of Sabastiene Berenyny's animal-themed paintings.
Catherine Pittet
According to the organiser Pittet, her outfit and the featured artists were satisfied with this edition of the exhibition, which closed on November 2.
"We are very happy because at Terra Kulture, we had the opportunity to display most of the works and I think everybody was very happy. It was better than my first time in Nigeria. This is my second time presenting the works in Nigeria and we had a better (place) to show the works," she said.
In her words, the sales and appreciation for Cameroonian artists was also better than the first time, when the show took place at The Civic Centre in October 2009.
"Many people bought (the artworks this time round). Cameroonian artists are happier this year because last year people did not know them. (At the initial edition) Nigerian artists were very happy in Cameroun but it was not the same for the Camerounians in Lagos. But they are better known now and (sales) were better."
Consequent editions of the show will take place for the first time in Cote d'Ivoire in February 2011 and in Paris (for a second time) in October 2011. While looking forward to taking it to other countries in the future, Pittet maintains that the exhibition will keep its home in Lagos. "I think we are coming back here because Terra Kulture has a gallery and I like to stay where I feel good."
Pittet feels good enough to be grateful that support for the exhibition has grown in Nigeria, but she hopes for a bit more. "We have small support and I wish next year we will have more. (I hope that) people like Coca Cola, Samsung and the telephone companies will support the exhibition."
She believes arts across the West Coast will receive a huge boost if funds are available to allow more artists feature at the exhibition. Pittet is however positive that lack of support will not dampen her spirit. "This is my life. I am a designer. It is part of my life."
With no preference for any particular artist, she says her exhibitions are open to all; either those who approach her or those she approaches. In her words, "It's a big family. We are all friends."
‘The Last Pictures Show' opened in Cameroon on November 26 and runs till December 1.
Source:234next.com
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