The story of the thriving and world acclaimed Nigerian visual art sector cannot be told without mentioning some pioneer artists whose creative ingenuity and commitment to their career have created global brands and sought-after works.
Top among such visual art greats is Bruce Obomeyoma Onobrakpeya, a highly-revered Nigerian artist; a printmaker, painter and sculptor.
Of course, he has over 60 years of successful career, which is still running amid numerous solo and joint exhibitions, works in top museums and private collections across the world, while his name moves the market in art auction sales.
Well, there is a reason to celebrate the living art legend. He will clock 89 years on August 30, 2021 and the Nigerian art community, art lovers and collectors across the world and his students as well, will roll out drums to celebrate the great artist.
He is truly a very rare talent with overwhelming impacts on the development of the art scene across the country.
Going by his commitments, attention to details, innovation and discipline over the years, it is no surprise that at 89 Onobrakpeya’s creative ingenuity still shines.
The feat is after many years of breathtaking works and it baffles the new generation artists, who see his works continually linking the old with the contemporary.
However, highlighting a few of his epochal pieces will help in appreciating what influences the artist’s works and his response to various scenarios within the Nigerian socio-political milieu.
A look into specific periods in the artist’s studio practice, which spans a period of 50 years, is more revealing than anyone can imagine.
The first segment is the Mythical Realism (1957-1962), which represents paintings and lino cut prints that depict folklore themes, and northern landscapes (Zaria). This is the period of his early development as an artist, which also coincided with Nigeria’s independence.
The idea of projecting the African personality was of major importance to the artists of this period, and was also at this time that the Zaria Arts Society, forerunner of the Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA), was formed and accompanied by the propagation of the concept of “natural synthesis.”
Works in this category include the paintings of Awhaire & the Bird, Hunters Secret, A Tree in Northern Landscape, LinoCut Prints, Zaria Indigo, Two Faces, Boli Woman and Awakening (Negritude).
Read also: A day in the life of an artist
The second segment focuses on the artist’s workshop experiments and his Bronzed lino relief series otherwise known as the Sunshine Period (1962-1967). This is the period he started to attend various workshops, which culminated in some of the popular works of this period: Leopard in a Cornfield (Iino print), Scarecrow (silkscreen) and Man & Two Wives (silkscreen).
The Mask and the Cross (1967-1978) series represents the period when the artist executed several Christian themes commissioned by the Church, such as Nativity /I (Iino engraving), The Last Days of Christ (plastocast), Obara Ishoshi (bronzed Iino relief) and Pope John Paul (metal foil), as well as the Plastography Period. A time when Onobrakpeya developed a lot of ideas he conceived in Zaria in the late 50s and early 60s such as Travellers II, Songs of Life, and Rain & Cry at Otoragba.
The fourth segment represents the historical vignettes. These are pictures known as the Symbols of Ancestral Groves (1978-1984), which depict historical figures, mostly royalty from the Benin Kingdom such as Oba Aka. Other works in this period include Eghrighri and Ibiebe.
The Sahelian Masquerades (1984-1988) were pieces created to highlight the destruction of the environment, works that focus on the cultures of the Sahelian regions. Works in this period are also loaded with a lot of political undertones such as Horns Of Freedom, and Edjo Aton (principles of good governance), which draws a lot of attention to the role of government in relation to the issues of desertification.
The Mask Series (1990-1995) represent the development of images, which inspired depictions of masks treated in different print media that bring emphasise philosophies of the people.
They also address the subject of change. Social Unrest (1995-1999) is the period of strife within the society. This is represented by large paintings, which are prayers for divine help against military dictatorship and political instability. There are drawings and pictures, which focus on the murder of Ken Saro Wiwa. On the front burner are the ecological and socio-economic problems, where you have works of Ekugbe (Unity), Nude & Protest and Smoke from the Broken Pipe.
Finally, the Installations Period (1995 – Date), which is the period Onobrakpeya embarked on installations as an art form. These works are characterised by the arrangement of different discarded materials to create works of art.
These installations were essentially to draw attention to the importance of protecting the environment. Works in this category include Animals of Eve, Adjene, New City III and Voices of silenced Voices.
Clearly, the nuances of the artist and how his works have been closely tied to the Nigerian condition can be seen. Working over a period of up to five decades, the art of Onobrakpeya has gradually transformed from isolated personal view points to more nationalistic depictions as seen in Nude & Protest and Smoke from the Broken Pipe that have now become a fountain of socio-political and historical reference points from which all are free to share.
With these great works that have become reference points and more than a gallery, Onobrakpeya, the elder arts statesman, is really happy and most importantly strong at 89.
Happy 89th Birthday Sir!
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