African Maritime Arts to tell stories of Nigeria’s $296bn blue economy sector

Nigeria’s blue economy has enormous potential, which is estimated at over $296 billion in value. This potential that is yet untapped holds huge investment opportunities that could create wealth and jobs if properly harnessed.

To bring these opportunities to the limelight, the African Maritime Arts Exhibition (AMAE) in Lagos will for the third time in a series, tell African and Nigerian maritime stories to the world through art pieces.

Adegboyega Oyetola, minister of Marine and Blue Economy, is expected to lead maritime industry stakeholders to the African Maritime Arts Exhibition in Lagos.

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Ezinne Azunna, programme director and lead curator for AMAE, said that arts can tell stories of different areas of maritime including ports and jetties, ships and the sea, rivers and estuaries, coastal communities, beach scenes, seafaring, marine life and science, seascapes and all.

“We also showcase policy drives by organisations, campaigns and causes on sea piracy, Nigerian Navy’s historical assets, marine plastics, marine environment, search and rescue, oil spillage, climate change, women in maritime, research and marine investigations, International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974 to mention a few,” she said.

AMAE is an annual Art Exhibition built around the succinct portraiture of the Blue Economy and its causes, using creative aesthetic and semiotic elements.

It will commence on Friday, November 22nd at the Naval Dockyard, Lagos with the theme: ‘History & Trends: Seascapes from Nigeria’s Blue Economy, ’ and feature a public presentation/ reading of maritime short stories developed by children under the Maritime Writes Project, a sister initiative of the company.

Curated by the National Gallery of Art, AMAE this year will have an exquisite formal opening of the exhibition; private/ executive viewing for special guests; live drawing/ painting; and Blue Economy in Art for Children and Schools.

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The event, which is a blend of three worlds Africa, Maritime and Art, has in the last two years explored various kinds of art for the promotion of the Marine/ Maritime/ Blue Economy in Nigeria and across Africa.

AMAE is put together by Hazi’s Art, an arm of Maritime TV Africa to tell Africa’s marine/ maritime story using images and artistic impressions, painting, drawing, digitised photography, textile print, sculpture and many more to steer public interest towards the Blue Economy.