Prof. Bruce Onobrakpeya: and the Zaria Rebellion goes on

Prof. Bruce Onobrakpeya talking about his plastocast works

A black woolen beret let some cloudy white curly hair emerge. A pair of dark rimmed glasses hide a curious pair of eyes above a white moustache. Professor Bruce Onobrakpeya stands in front of us in his traditional outfit of black african print brightened up by vivid blue and red lines looking like electronically modulated laser beams. He is lively talking about his art displayed in the small courtyard of his three-storeyed studio of Oloje street in Mushin. He works there since 1973 and probably moved in around 1976. First, he looks intimidated by the crowd before warming up as he answers the first questions about his art. He is humbly talking about the technic he uses to form casts in which he pours coloured fiber glass to create a bas-relief.

fiber glass coloured and painted

He mentions the work he does with copper sheets on which he is applying some patine. We see also a panel of African lace collages, apparently a recent and yet unfinished piece. Next to it, a column of fiber glass meant to be one of the three columns at the gate of a ranch in Niger Delta. The theme of the column is protection and means that people who pass the gate will be provided with sufficient food.
Prof. is telling us that he has used different technics along his long career. He studied art at the ABU University in Zaria in the 1950's with some now famous professors like Ben Enwonwu. He studied with J. Grillo, Demas Nwoko and Uche Okeke.
The idea was to rediscover their african heritage using the western techniques they were taught at the University. This deviation soon earned them the name of "Zaria Rebels"

Bruce Onobrakpeya is now one of Nigeria’s most celebrated contemporary artists whose long career of creative leadership spans over 50 years. His international recognition as a “Living Human Treasure” by UNESCO, the Smithsonian National Museum of Africa Art in Washington DC, the Venice Biennale, and Nigeria’s highest honor, the prestigious Nigeria Creativity Award are a testimony to his place in the world of art.

"Nudes and protest" by Bruce Onobrakpeya

His creativity is ever evolving in its medium and message: always modern yet deeply rooted in his indigenous culture. And what is truly unique to Bruce is what he has given back to the art community of Nigeria. He was saying that he is now coming back to painting. One of his famous painting is hung in the staircase of his studio. It is called " of Nudes and protest" which is seen as supporting the condition of women by feminist movements because it display female nudity and their role of pillar in the society.

In front of another installation, he was referring to the power of objects which may have no particular interest when taken separately but put together they would radiate a particular aesthetic. That is the logic for accumulating ritual objects in shrines.

Talking about the aesthetic of object accumulation in shrines

Bruce Onobrakpeya was describing himself as an artist and also a teacher coming from a farmer's background. Prof's father was also a part time artist who worked during holidays, when he was not engaged in the farming season. He was then raised near Benin City. His family is originating from the Niger Delta. For many years he has run a residential art program called the Harmattan Workshops in his family home in the Delta. These workshops have inspired and challenged both seasoned and emerging artists. Artists from across the country and the world come together to share their creative energy! Theses workshops have inspired most of the great artists of Nigeria!

Bruce Onobrakpeya, plastograph with metal foil

Bruce Onobrakpeya, plastocast with metal foil

The Ogiamien family in Benin City: about wood and history

Roland Ogiamien in his wood-carving workshop Wood Roland Ogiamien is a renown wood carver. He is now retired in his home town of Benin City and is now in his 80s. We met him in his simple workshop, a barn opened on the surrounding greenery. A part of the studio is used to store wood pieces and make sure they are well dried. He is using a collection of german ustensils to carve and polish the wood. He spent most of his career working out of Lagos before relocating to Benin. Roland was explaining that the wood he uses today is different that the one he worked on in his early days. Ebony has become rare and wood carvers have had to switch to other types of wood. Traditional heritage is a large part of his inspiration which he translates on wood with his own particular style, exploring various techniques for the finish of his pieces. Roland Ogiamien and two of his favourite masks History Ogiamien is the name of an important royal family in Benin Kingdom. Towards the end of the

The mysterious stones images of Esie

turned into Stones Chief J. Agbo Ooye had been waiting in the shade of a large tree, in front of the National Museum of Esie, dressed in ceremonial costume with a velvet hat incrusted with crystal beads sown in the shape of his title and his name. He was sitting next to his wife on a bench, expecting our arrival. His wife, he would tell us later, was his best friend and she was actually demonstrating it by guiding his frail body from one place to another and guiding his hand when it came to sign autographs of his books. Chief Agbo Ooye is the author of two booklets on the Esie Stones. The first one, called A Personal Account of the Esie Stones is giving an overview of the differences between the scientific and the traditional interpretation of the Esie Stones. The second one is called the History of Esie and gives a brief account of Esie's history from the early settlement of Yorubas in various groups (Esie, Oro, Eku Apa, Igbonla, Edidi, Igbesi, etc...) to the present day. Thos

The Ejiogbe Twins, fine stone carvers

Kehinde and Taiwo dancing hand in hand Taiwo and Kehinde Olabode Ejiogbe: now and then Drums could be heard in a distance as we approached the open compound of the Ejiogbes. Two slender white-clad silhouettes, those of two Obatala followers, were dancing forward in our direction, sometimes hand in hand, sometimes not, but synchronised at all time. Taiwo and Kehinde Ejiogbe, the stone carver twins of Inisa, Osun state, were now greeting us and welcoming us in an open courtyard where a marquee had been arranged with rows of plastic chairs. Taiwo's simple lines I had met the Ejiogbe Twins about a year ago in Iragbiji and had bought some of their carvings which I still like very much. So it was natural to go and meet them again in their abode. The compound was decorated with the many stones carved by the Twins. Taiwo's works were displayed on the lawn separating the road from the house. Large pieces with an asiatic touch in the simplicity of lines of the carvings.

DewRespect18 May 2017 at 00:09
Pa Bruce Onobrakpeya is certainly one of the very best in the world for which Nigeria should be proud, This is a very good piece but could you kindly let us know which University made him a Professor and when?
Unknown27 October 2017 at 07:47
An artwork of Africans cultures, give deep meaning of believing the past wild lands and life.

Nigeria, the land of plenty

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