Since the beginning of December, Ablade Glover, Ghana-born African living art legend, has been unraveling himself; career and life experiences with his solo exhibition titled ‘The Passage of Time’.
The exhibition, which opened on December 4, will run until December 19, 2022 at Hourglass Gallery, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The uniqueness of the exhibition, which is curated by Dozie Igweze, owner of Hourglass Gallery, is that it features works by the 88 years old painter and art grandmaster, spanning seven decades of successful art career, across academia, studio practice and mentorship.
Of the seven decades of practice, Ablade is showcasing 45 works at The Passage of Time exhibition and they are works from the last 15 years of his creative journey.
Also, the works are being presented in series including; markets, market queens, a group, which his mother once belonged to, people, forests, among other works.
“Many of the other artworks are markers of my artistic journey over the past decade and half,” Ablade said.
Yet, it is one exhibition that offers viewers beyond the works of art on display to the launch of a book titled, ‘Crowds &Queens: The art of Ablade Glover’, written by Dozie Igweze, who has followed Ablade’s works for over two decades.
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To understand the calibre of artist Ablade is and why his Lagos exhibition is a must-see, Ablade falls in the category of African legendary visual artists with the first generation artists as contemporaries in Nigeria such as Bruce Onobrakpeya, Kolade Oshinowo, Demas Nwoko, late Yusuf Grillo, among others.
As well, since the opening, the artist has been on ground to offer insights into his creative process, not just for the past fifteen years, but for the seven decades he has worked.
Ablade is ready to take you on his journey in the arts, contacts with top personalities including pioneer president of Ghana, scholarship, among other developments that combined to shape the artist he has become today. All are presented in the 45 works at the ongoing exhibition at Hourglass Gallery Victoria Island, Lagos.
Speaking at the exhibition, Igweze, the curator, expressed his delight that Ablade chose to hold his very important solo in Nigeria and at Hourglass Gallery, which speak volumes on the quality and world-class services the gallery offers to its clients.
According to him, though the artist is showcasing 45 works, he is presenting variety, as the great African painter, despite being 88 years old, still remains constant as a prime interpreter of an African energy and effervescence.
“This exhibition attempts to explore Alabde’s art from the last fifteen years. It presents an array of artworks created during that period in an attempt to contextualize his ideas and provide a frame of reference for exploring and understanding his art.
“Hopefully, this exhibition can enhance the appreciation of Ablade Glover’s genius. Genius is not a word to be taken lightly. But he is probably one of the most influential African artists of the last century.
“He has brought energy, light and dynamism to the exploration of Africanness and womanhood,” Igweze explained.
Speaking on the book, Igweze, the author, noted that he has followed Ablade over two decades and has known him well enough to write a book about him.
The book, which is well-written amid matching pictures of the artist, captures Glover’s life, his career, and other important events surrounding his successful career.
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