‘I sometimes sell personal assets to fund my career’
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27.Nov.2014 DISQUS_COMMENTS Adewale Oshodi and Oluwaponmile Orjia
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Olugbenga Akande was recently recognised as one of the best artists in the world in Paris, France; before that, he had won several awards, with most coming from Europe. In this interview with ADEWALE OSHODI and OLUWAPONMILE ORJIA, he speaks on his works, why he is not well-known in Nigeria and what he tells upcoming artistes when their paths cross. EXCERPTS:
WHEN did you actually discover your artistic talents?
I would say since I was young; I grew up to know myself as an artist. As young as five years, I was always making sketches and drawings; I also want to say that my parents assisted me in developing the talent once they saw what I was doing.
Most parents won’t support their children being artists, rather, they (parents) would tell them to focus on becoming medical doctors or lawyers. Why was your case different?
At a particular point in time, when I finished my secondary school at Lagelu Grammar School, Ibadan, and opened my first gallery at Bodija, my parents came one day, telling me to focus on furthering my education so that I could do something different. However, my passion for arts override whatever they wanted me to become, and that is why I am still an artist today.
You’ve won quite a number of awards; can you share some with us?
I have won a number of awards, however, the most important was the one I won last October 27, La Grande Exposition Universelle, where I was honoured as one of the best artists in the world; the event took place in Paris, France, and there were 81 of us from 31 different countries; only three Africans were among the awardees, including myself. I have also attended several exhibitions and expositions all around the world, particularly in Europe. After the award ceremony, we all exhibited at the Louvre Gallery, also in Paris, the following day; so it was a thing of joy to be recognised among the best artists in the world. I also have international curators in so many countries across the world.
Why are you so respected in Europe and little is known about you in Nigeria?
A lot of things come into play here, and one of such is the value we attach to arts here; the economic situation in the country is not so favourable for the average family to be thinking of acquiring artworks. Again, art is not being supported well in Nigeria by the government and the corporate organisations, so there is little one can do in this regards. However, I am very lucky; I take my work as my passion; I don’t go about chasing clients, and maybe that is why I am less known in Nigeria. I don’t paint for profit; I paint because I need to express myself. I am, however, glad that my paintings are in galleries all over the world; unfortunately, I don’t really exhibit much in Nigeria because I know it might not be encouraging.
You once had to sell your car because you needed to exhibit; can you tell us more about this?
I had sold my cars twice to promote my career. The first time was in 2010, when my curators in the United States wanted me to have an exhibition in Nigeria. So I had a booking with Polo Club in Ibadan; it was during that year’s annual Polo competition, and I needed to raise money to get an exhibition stand, which went for N250,000, and to also do other things, but money was not forthcoming from anywhere, so I just had to dispose the car for less than the real value. The second time was when I was going for the award in Paris; I had no sponsor, and I needed to be in Paris, so I just sold my car, which was worth over N1.5million for just N350,000.
That meant more to me than riding a car. I’ve also had to sell my shares in banks just to travel for exhibitions abroad. However, I need to commend people like Professor Bolanle Awe, Professor Isaac Adewole, Prince Adelowo Adedeji, Dr Elisabeth Vanucci, Drs Saviero and Francesco Russo, Roberto Gioncada, and many others for their support towards my development.
When you first sold your car, did you make much money from the exhibition?
I didn’t make any money, but a friend later came to buy two paintings for N40,000, and that was a couple of days after the exhibition had ended. However, it is not selling the paintings that matter to me, but achieving my primary aim, which is to exhibit for the sake of my international curators who want to identify me with my motherland.
Don’t you think instead of selling your assets, you can reach out to corporate organisations for sponsorship?
Everything in Nigeria still depends on who one knows, and I don’t believe in haunting anybody for a favour. I think if the government and the corporate organisations are serious about assisting artists, then they know how to check out the standing of artists and reach out to them. However, I just want to face my job and be good at it. I want to excel in my creativity by promoting the African culture and tradition; that is of utmost concern to me than merchandising, which is the selling of my works.
Apart from art, what else do you do?
There was a time I was into the mobile phone business; I was getting mobile phones from Europe and selling here, but when I discovered it was taking me away from my passion, I stopped.
What type of art do you do?
I mostly do oil on canvas, although I also do metal and woodworks, but a lot of stories need to be told, and the easiest way I can do it is through oil on canvas. So I am more comfortable with painting on oil on canvas, and that is the medium through which I am being recognised all over the world.
Do you see art thriving in Nigeria in the nearest future?
That is if the government and the corporate organisations would support the sector. It is also important that the government should make the country conducive for living; it is when this happens that we would start getting private art collectors. It doesn’t make any sense for someone who is struggling to pay his rent, or pay his children’s school fees to be thinking about collecting artworks.
So a whole lot of things come into play if we want art to thrive in Nigeria in the nearest future
Wednesday 26 November 2014
See the best artists in the world who sold his only car to attend exhibition !
‘I sometimes sell personal assets to fund my career’
font size decrease font size increase font size Print Email
27.Nov.2014 DISQUS_COMMENTS Adewale Oshodi and Oluwaponmile Orjia
Rate this item1 2 3 4 5 (0 votes)
Olugbenga Akande was recently recognised as one of the best artists in the world in Paris, France; before that, he had won several awards, with most coming from Europe. In this interview with ADEWALE OSHODI and OLUWAPONMILE ORJIA, he speaks on his works, why he is not well-known in Nigeria and what he tells upcoming artistes when their paths cross. EXCERPTS:
WHEN did you actually discover your artistic talents?
I would say since I was young; I grew up to know myself as an artist. As young as five years, I was always making sketches and drawings; I also want to say that my parents assisted me in developing the talent once they saw what I was doing.
Most parents won’t support their children being artists, rather, they (parents) would tell them to focus on becoming medical doctors or lawyers. Why was your case different?
At a particular point in time, when I finished my secondary school at Lagelu Grammar School, Ibadan, and opened my first gallery at Bodija, my parents came one day, telling me to focus on furthering my education so that I could do something different. However, my passion for arts override whatever they wanted me to become, and that is why I am still an artist today.
You’ve won quite a number of awards; can you share some with us?
I have won a number of awards, however, the most important was the one I won last October 27, La Grande Exposition Universelle, where I was honoured as one of the best artists in the world; the event took place in Paris, France, and there were 81 of us from 31 different countries; only three Africans were among the awardees, including myself. I have also attended several exhibitions and expositions all around the world, particularly in Europe. After the award ceremony, we all exhibited at the Louvre Gallery, also in Paris, the following day; so it was a thing of joy to be recognised among the best artists in the world. I also have international curators in so many countries across the world.
Why are you so respected in Europe and little is known about you in Nigeria?
A lot of things come into play here, and one of such is the value we attach to arts here; the economic situation in the country is not so favourable for the average family to be thinking of acquiring artworks. Again, art is not being supported well in Nigeria by the government and the corporate organisations, so there is little one can do in this regards. However, I am very lucky; I take my work as my passion; I don’t go about chasing clients, and maybe that is why I am less known in Nigeria. I don’t paint for profit; I paint because I need to express myself. I am, however, glad that my paintings are in galleries all over the world; unfortunately, I don’t really exhibit much in Nigeria because I know it might not be encouraging.
You once had to sell your car because you needed to exhibit; can you tell us more about this?
I had sold my cars twice to promote my career. The first time was in 2010, when my curators in the United States wanted me to have an exhibition in Nigeria. So I had a booking with Polo Club in Ibadan; it was during that year’s annual Polo competition, and I needed to raise money to get an exhibition stand, which went for N250,000, and to also do other things, but money was not forthcoming from anywhere, so I just had to dispose the car for less than the real value. The second time was when I was going for the award in Paris; I had no sponsor, and I needed to be in Paris, so I just sold my car, which was worth over N1.5million for just N350,000.
That meant more to me than riding a car. I’ve also had to sell my shares in banks just to travel for exhibitions abroad. However, I need to commend people like Professor Bolanle Awe, Professor Isaac Adewole, Prince Adelowo Adedeji, Dr Elisabeth Vanucci, Drs Saviero and Francesco Russo, Roberto Gioncada, and many others for their support towards my development.
When you first sold your car, did you make much money from the exhibition?
I didn’t make any money, but a friend later came to buy two paintings for N40,000, and that was a couple of days after the exhibition had ended. However, it is not selling the paintings that matter to me, but achieving my primary aim, which is to exhibit for the sake of my international curators who want to identify me with my motherland.
Don’t you think instead of selling your assets, you can reach out to corporate organisations for sponsorship?
Everything in Nigeria still depends on who one knows, and I don’t believe in haunting anybody for a favour. I think if the government and the corporate organisations are serious about assisting artists, then they know how to check out the standing of artists and reach out to them. However, I just want to face my job and be good at it. I want to excel in my creativity by promoting the African culture and tradition; that is of utmost concern to me than merchandising, which is the selling of my works.
Apart from art, what else do you do?
There was a time I was into the mobile phone business; I was getting mobile phones from Europe and selling here, but when I discovered it was taking me away from my passion, I stopped.
What type of art do you do?
I mostly do oil on canvas, although I also do metal and woodworks, but a lot of stories need to be told, and the easiest way I can do it is through oil on canvas. So I am more comfortable with painting on oil on canvas, and that is the medium through which I am being recognised all over the world.
Do you see art thriving in Nigeria in the nearest future?
That is if the government and the corporate organisations would support the sector. It is also important that the government should make the country conducive for living; it is when this happens that we would start getting private art collectors. It doesn’t make any sense for someone who is struggling to pay his rent, or pay his children’s school fees to be thinking about collecting artworks.
So a whole lot of things come into play if we want art to thrive in Nigeria in the nearest future
