‘I love experimenting with art’

I was not exposed properly to art in my primary and secondary education so I did sciences in my secondary level and ended up as the laboratory prefect, but I still drew as a hobby then, so when I got to Enugu after my SSCE and JAMB exams, I saw some artists making life out […]

I was not exposed properly to art in my primary and secondary education so I did sciences in my secondary level and ended up as the laboratory prefect, but I still drew as a hobby then, so when I got to Enugu after my SSCE and JAMB exams, I saw some artists making life out of what I played with so I became interested. They took me to Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) Enugu where I saw Art school for the first time in my life. This kindled my passion for art so I abandoned my JAMB result I had to study in Imo state University and entered into IMT to study Art and till date is still doing Art.

What is your area of specialisation?

My area of specialisation is ceramics and I chose it to prove a point. When I was in school I was the best student in painting and sculpture and this brought misunderstanding between lecturers in the area I should major because both wanted me. So I chose ceramics in order not to offend any and prove that I could do it. But that was a tough decision because it left me as the only ceramics student in the whole institution. I really enjoyed ceramics because of my science background which gave me room to understand the science in ceramics.

I produce different types of ceramics like pottery, domestic wares, sculptural ceramics, glaze formation, and industrial ceramics like mould making, prop, etc. The materials I work with are mainly Aluminum silicate i.e. clay and other metallic oxides but lately i started using material that I source locally for my ceramics production.

What is art to you?

I see art as my life, I talk with my art, I educate with my art, I inform with my art and equally inspire with my art. As an artist I discovered that “it is the creator (God) that created the creature (Artist) that performs the power of creation (Art)”.  

What is unique about your art?

I think that the difference between my art works and others are the uniqueness of my purpose in art the world. I keep that judgment to art appreciators and art critics while I keep on producing my art as I am inspired by God, environment and people. Whatever idea I get I apply, I love experiment that’s all.

 I am a member of Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA), Craft Potters Association of Nigeria (CEPAN) and I have exhibited in Nigeria, USA, Belgium, UK, London, I have executed many projects in public and private places and today I have an art Gallery in Enugu by name Kuntash Art Gallery. I equally do interior decoration, art training class, talk shows, workshops, entrepreneurship program, etc.            

 You are winner of the professional level of the NGA’s visual arts competition. How has the recognition affected you?

The national award I got as the 1st prize winner in the professional category of the first national visual art competition organized by National Gallery of Art was like a dream come true. I could remember when i was in IMT as the only ceramics student my lecturers and fellow undergraduate who taught I could do better in painting or sculpture said to me that this is the worst mistake I have ever made but I told them in confident then that one day a ceramicist will win an award in an art competition where painters and sculptors will compete and they laughed at me then but today after eight years it came to pass. Thanks to NGA that decided to organize such a competition for the first time in Nigeria which I happened to be the winner. This has impacted my life by exposing me to media and to people who have started to appreciate my works and value what I am doing.