At 75 years old, Ludovic Fadairo has seen it all in life and career, amid many success stories to tell.
Of course, with over four decades of illustrious career in the arts, the incredible outputs of the Beninese art master obviously rank him among the most prodigious in contemporary art within and beyond Africa.
From being recognised as one of Africa’s major painters, Fadairo has impressed the global art community with his incredible creative ingenuity that speaks volume of his African heritage, amid contemporary outlook.
With all these going for the Zinvie-born Beninese art master, it will be a great honour to have him in Nigeria, where he traced his roots from.
In line with that and to the excitement of the Nigerian art community, Fadairo will be exciting in Nigeria for the first time.
The master painter will be making a grand appearance in Nigeria with his first solo exhibition and first-ever show titled ‘What We Don’t See’.
The solo exhibition of paintings runs from March 4 – April 2, 2023 at Soto Gallery, located at #10 Omo Osagie Street, South West, Ikoyi, Lagos.
The exhibition; a first major survey of Fadairo’s work in Nigeria and English-speaking West Africa, takes a close and comprehensive look at the illustrious career of the Beninese master, who is equally, a well-known and respected figure within artistic and intellectual circles in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
As well, Fadairo’s Nigerian debut features a selection of over 20 works across different media that showcase the artist’s unflagging vitality over the years and his continued interest in the interplay between the creative and the spiritual.
Explaining the rationale for the exhibition in Nigeria at the virtual media parley, Fadairo said he was excited to bring his show to Nigeria, having had great shows within and outside Africa in recent past, except Nigeria, which is neighboring to Benin Republic.
The painter, who was in Nigeria during the Festac 77 show, noted that coming here is like homecoming for him, as he noted that his roots are from Ife, Osun State.
Speaking on the title of the exhibition, What We Don’t See, he explained that he is a great believer in spirituality and African heritage; hence his works are spiritually inclined.
“We hardly see God because of our different ways of perceiving Him. So, I try to bring what I see that others don’t see in my images.
“You can get 1,000 meanings in an image and that is what I do with my paintings,” he said.
A boost to his spirituality is his rich African heritage background, which also influences his works.
“I grew up in a family that has a revered spiritual background. We have Oro, Egungu, among other traditional heritages.”
Speaking on Fadairo’s upcoming exhibition during a virtual media parley heralding the show, Tola Akerele, director, Soto Gallery, expressed her excitement, saying that the master painter is one of the pioneers of African art and that Soto Gallery is honoured to exhibit his works in its space.
“We are incredibly honored to present Ludovic Fadairo’s work for the first time in Nigeria. With this exhibition, we hope to help begin the process of reevaluating Fadairo’s place in the canon of African art,” she said.
According to Akerele, Fadairo is a pioneer whose contributions, given due assessment, should remain relevant for at least another few generations.
“His paintings have been shown in the great art capitals of the world so we consider this exhibition evidence of Lagos’ rising esteem as well as a significant achievement for Soto,” the gallery director added.
Explaining the rationale for the exhibition in Nigeria at the virtual media parley, Fadairo said he was excited to bring his show to Nigeria, having had great shows within and outside Africa in recent past, except Nigeria, which is neighboring to Benin Republic.
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The painter, who was in Nigeria during the Festac 77 show, noted that coming here is like homecoming for him, as he noted that his roots are from Ife, Osun State.
Born on August 21, 1947, at Zinvie, Fadairo is a Beninese master respected in the contemporary African art scene and indeed the world. He had a traditional education at the Art School in Amsterdam, returned soon after, and developed a unique language in trans materiality and texture.
Fadairo’s oeuvre encompasses painting, installation, sculpture, and works in mixed media. He seeks to understand the media he employs, which range from the traditional to the highly unorthodox including chalks and natural pigments.
His 3-dimensional figures are imaginative, emotive, and charged with immediacy. Fadairo’s perfect control of detail emerges and develops as the artist breathes life into various symbols and compelling themes. Fadairo’s work has been exhibited across Europe and Asia.
What We Don’t See runs from March 4 – April 2, 2023 at Soto Gallery, at #10 Omo Osagie Street, South West, Ikoyi, Lagos.
