Transforming waste to art in unn

Like a blacksmith who knows best how to put together pieces of metals to create an object of appreciation, some lecturers in the Department of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Nigeria Nsukka, (UNN) have demonstrated their mastery of the art of ‘chiselling together’ bits and pieces of fabrics, fibres, paintings, woods, cane, strands from […]

Like a blacksmith who knows best how to put together pieces of metals to create an object of appreciation, some lecturers in the Department of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Nigeria Nsukka, (UNN) have demonstrated their mastery of the art of ‘chiselling together’ bits and pieces of fabrics, fibres, paintings, woods, cane, strands from rubber slippers and other objects that were regarded as ‘waste,’ transforming them into admirable works of arts worth millions of naira.
About 30 of such works are currently on exhibition inside the main hall of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Library at the Nsukka campus of the university after the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Benjamin Ozumba declared it open penultimate Tuesday as part of the activities marking the 45th convocation ceremony of the university.
In his remark while declaring the exhibition open, he said the Department of Fine and Applied Arts has been making UNN proud over the years, noting that he is particularly impressed by the works.
Dr. Chuu Krydz Ikwuemesi head of the department told Daily Trust that the exhibiting artists were mainly lecturers in the department, as well as some past post-graduate students.
Some of the works on exhibition include Dr Chukwuemeka Nwigwe’s ‘African Elegance,’ Dr. Akabuike Chikelu’s ‘Come Let us Reason Together,’ ‘IDENTITY,’ by Dr. (Mrs) Okpara Tochukwu Felicia, Dennis Onyeishi’s  ‘Struggle for Survival,’ Chuu Krydz Ikwuemesi’s ‘Before the Wall Crumbles,’ ‘Neighbours,’ by Chijioke Onuorah and  ‘Self Judgment,’ by K. C. Ngwu.
Again, Ikwuemesi described the exhibition as “a full banquet that we have set up,” and expressed the hope that people will have time to have full view and appreciation of the works.
Nwigwe, said his work  was inspired by the African weaver birds that weave beautiful nest even though nobody taught them to weave. “I studied the weaver birds and I discovered that they painstakingly construct a very complex nest,” he told Daily Trust.
Nwigwe used colouful slippers, cut them into long strands and pieces, and created a wonderful weaving which transformed into about three objects in one; hence there is image of agbada, kente, ijere Masquerade.
In ‘African Elegance,’ is reflected all the seven colours of the rainbow and even much more, giving the work a mind-boggling, splendid appearance.    
“I tried to depict the weaving style of these weaver birds. Then coming up again, I translated it into another technique of production of art works called felting – it’s a textile technique,” he explained.
Nwigwe further explained his work: “The message here is that Africans love colourful things; even birds from Africa are industrious. You can see the weaving technique of the African weaver birds explored here. That is the message about this work.”
Another message communicated in the work, he said, is improvisation. Nwigwe demonstrated the fact that a skilled and talented artist could create a colourful work of art without strokes from his brush and painting.
“Again, the colours also depict the colours our women put on their body to make them look beautiful and elegant. The modern African women put different colours on their lips, eye brows and fingernails. And if you look at our wrapper, you see different bright colours.
‘Identity’ is a splash or spread of flowing pieces of fabrics created by another lecturer, Dr (Mrs) Tochukwu Felicia Okpara, who lectures in the fashion section of the Department of Fine and Applied Arts of the university.
“I have two works here and both of them are one work, hence they are sharing the same title, ‘Identity’ whom do you think you are? Personally as an artist, a female artist, I try to depict or reflect myself. That’s why I used female dummies and trying to showcase the ability to create something out of nothing,” Dr. Okpara said in a brief chat with our reporter. She composed a fantastic un-wearable feminine wear from the tiny bits of various fabrics she gathered from here and there.
“You can see all these are pieces of different fabrics but after the composition, you can call them now a unit. There is a lot of creativity in it. It’s not actually wearable because you can’t wear this and walk in the street but it’s for installations for galleries, airports – just for people to appreciate. So that’s basically what two of them are communicating,” she said.
Calling upon world leaders and organizations such as AU, UNO, and the rest of them to see to the end of the crises that have be-devilled some parts of the world today, Dr. Akabuike Chikelue, another artist through his work ‘Come Let Us Reason Together,’ made a passionate appeal for peace and unification of human race.
The work is made of pieces of wood with different colours representing the human race. “The woods are linked to one another by the joints, not nails,’ Chikelu explained.
Adding that: “The wood in the timber shades are waste but because of the nature of work and what I’m exploring – I’m trying to find a way to reclaim something that would have been wasted.”
According to him: “The philosophy behind it is that the woods came in colours and these colours represent various shades of human beings – some are white, some are black, some are red.
“I am saying that these people should come together and we discuss how to bring about world peace, world unity and begin to dismantle things about wars. So, if we can come and reason and find a way to make peace, I think it will be worthwhile,” he said.
On “Self-Judgment,” which is a blending of wood, cane and mirror, the artist, K.C. Ngwu said: “Is about depicting our culture which is being neglected by some people. The idea is to allow our culture radiate and beam to the world.”