‘Reclaiming Africa’ through an artist’s eye Chukwumah,
With shouting colours worked along and on lines eked on wooden surfaces, Chukwumah expressed the depth of his emotions and desires for reclamation of the African continent. Using prominent African patterns and symbols like uli designs typical of the Igbos, lizards, cats, dolls, and masks amongst other elements, the artist used these to express his […]
With shouting colours worked along and on lines eked on wooden surfaces, Chukwumah expressed the depth of his emotions and desires for reclamation of the African continent. Using prominent African patterns and symbols like uli designs typical of the Igbos, lizards, cats, dolls, and masks amongst other elements, the artist used these to express his feelings on the state of Africans as he balanced them in colours which created a perfect hue and expressed his hopes for a better future.
The first class graduate of Sculpture from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka according to the organisers, has successfully shifted his pictorial ground from the conventional canvas to wood panels. His philosophy that colours are the only means of conveying visions or intuition – not able to be expressed neither in ideas nor in words has also expanded over the years. Colours and texture now make it possible for one soul to communicate with another.
Opening another side of him from what crowds are used to was his installation entitled Masquerade from heaven. Combining metals of all sorts which had been crushed and reformed into different shapes and sizes along with loads of scrap materials in striking colours, he built a gigantic ‘masquerade’ hanging down from ‘heaven’.
Ingo Tegge of the Institut said “Gerlad Chukwuma’s exhibition displays unique paintings and installations, rich in colour and playful in composition. At the Goethe-Institut Nigeria, we always try not to display what has been displayed too often before. We look for creativity, new styles and techniques and I believe that Gerald Chukwuma and his wood-based paintings fit right in. I’ve just visited the UNN – where Mr. Chukwuma hails from, myself and got an insight into the great artistic potential that holds their Department of Fine and Applied Arts.”
His works showing the influence of the legendary Nsukka-based artist, El Anatsui, his teacher, Chukwumah believes that colours are the only means of conveying visions or intuition.
Chukwuma’ has won several awards including the International Committee for the Red Cross recommendation award, and the university price for the best graduating art student (class of 2003).
Meanwhile, the Institut also featured performances by the Crown Troupe of Africa tagged “Omo Dumping at the Universities”.
The piece which had been earlier premiered by the Goethe Institut in July, 2008 at the University of Lagos, depicted the effects of urbanisation and the ripple effect on the rural areas.
Uncontrolled urbanisation and the demise of rural life set the background for this multi-dimensional performance by the well-known contemporary dance ensemble Crown Troupe of Africa. Omo Dumping – meaning poor people in the ghetto who live on leftovers dumped on refuse heap sites – is a fusion of dance, installation and photography. These visual elements were accompanied by poetry, as well as life and recorded music – in order to create a performance that transcends all areas of the arts.
The multi-dimensional approach of the artists reflected the multi-facetted reality of the mega city Lagos. Omo Dumping addressed a serious topic but not without a hint of humour for the audiences at the Universities of Ile-Ife and Ibadan.