Two artists connect for “Connections in Lagos”

Veteran Curator, Sandra Mbanefo-Obiago, who spoke at a press briefing to unveil the new art exhibition in Lagos, said art lovers and adventurists are in for great time as two artists whose subtle lines and texture, kinetic colour and unique materiality bring the vibrant Lagos art scene closer to the global need to keep connected, […]

Veteran Curator, Sandra Mbanefo-Obiago, who spoke at a press briefing to unveil the new art exhibition in Lagos, said art lovers and adventurists are in for great time as two artists whose subtle lines and texture, kinetic colour and unique materiality bring the vibrant Lagos art scene closer to the global need to keep connected, linked and inter-dependent.
According to Mbanefo-Obiago, the exhibition which is currently on at Temple Muse, Victoria Island comprised the body of 37 expertly crafted works on canvas and wood, some of which touch on important social issues including gender equality, girl child education, and security.
“Apart from the fact that the two artists bear ‘Uche’, they have similar roots and in Connections we are not just promoting those similarities but also those expressions that re refreshingly different,” Mbanefo-Obiago said.
A mid-career artist, Chima graduated from the Institute of Management & Technology (IMT) Enugu in 1997 majoring in painting. He had staged and participated in numerous successful shows and art residencies in Canada, the United States and Europe. His works had also featured at the Museum of African Culture in Maine, USA this year, and have been part of numerous international auctions including Bonhams in the UK.
“When I do works that have to do with relationship or human connections, I look for materials that I believe are synonymous with the notions of bonding, togetherness, intimacy, entanglement and ones.
These materials include strings, ropes and thread along with painting materials.
“I believe that the resonance of my preferred materials infer a need to revaluate and, more importantly, to strengthen our relationships with those around us, in the interest of supporting one another through current global difficulties. We are very much attached to one another with much string regardless of our differences,” Chima said as he offered insights to some of his works on display.
On the depth of efforts that often go into pre-conceiving, preparation and eventual execution of some of his artworks, Chima said he is not the type that gets constrained by unavailability of materials to work with.
“Each project often consists of multiple works, in a range of different media, grouped around specific themes and meanings. During research and production, new areas of interest arise and lead to the next body of works,” Chima, a fulltime studio artist whose award winning experimental works include painting, sculpture and video art, said.
Presenting with Chima is Nwanne. A Nigerian artist based in Germany, Nwanne graduated from the prestigious Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka with a degree in Fine and Applied Arts in 2010. In “Connections” he presents large portraits of people in thought and motion on finely textured canvases that come alive with an amazing application of colour and finely inscribed poetry.
Through his works, Nwanne deftly highlights different aspects of the human condition such as dreams, liberation, despair as well as competition through emotionally charged poses.
“As an artist, I use my art to dream and respond to contemporary issues. I let my thoughts and imagination run far and wide before I try to grab a hold of them through painting, this is the essence of my art, using both craftsmanship and originality to create,” Nwanne said.
Just like many other artists, the young artist said he is often influenced by a number of values the society wherein he lives dictates.
“Art gives me the freedom and platform to express my thoughts aesthetically through imagination, impulse, vision, intelligence, bravery and skills. The only limitation to this freedom is restricting my own mind,” he said.
Juxtaposing the works of the two artists, the curator said: “Chima’s subtle figure drawings alongside his chunky, heavy newspaper and charcoal diptychs juxtapose seamlessly with Nwanne’s intense paint dripped canvases which have a dense, heavy quality”.  
She added that “Connections” is her third show in 2014 through which she had showcased  Nigerian artists’ activeness in the country and in the Diaspora.
In her assessment, Lisa Crothers of The Art of Maine Portland, Maine United States said even though she is not a fan of multimedia art, she however feels compelled to pay attention to Chima’s works which she said have intricate designs constructed with intimate images of humanity.
“It is believed that the string, used in his art, is what connect us all and as humans, we have a larger capacity to our world than the machines that replace us,” she said.
Another artist, Chidi Kwubiri who is also based in Germany said right from the first time he saw Nwanne’s artworks, he was simply blown away by the professionalism and the power of his works based on a rich vocabulary of art and a great synthesis of perfection, drama and emotion.
On his part, the Director of Temple Muse, Avinash Wadhwani whose design and fashion concept store is gaining international recognition said the art house is proud to showcase Chima’s amazing experimental art and host Nwanne’s first exhibition in Nigeria.
Organisers said Connections is supported by Ruinart and will be on display until November 25th, 2014.