Ugwuoke, others win national art competition

Sebastine Ugwuoke, alongside two other artists have emerged winners at the 8th edition of the National Art Competition in Lagos. The finale, which took place at Kongi’s Harvest Gallery, Freedom Park, Lagos, had Ugwuoke emerged overall winner out of 12 contestants who had their works screened at the finale. His winning work was titled: ‘‘No […]

Sebastine Ugwuoke, alongside two other artists have emerged winners at the 8th edition of the National Art Competition in Lagos.
The finale, which took place at Kongi’s Harvest Gallery, Freedom Park, Lagos, had Ugwuoke emerged overall winner out of 12 contestants who had their works screened at the finale. His winning work was titled: ‘‘No Rest, No Comfort and Confusion Everywhere.” He won N2 million in cash prize.
May Okafor’s ‘Dear Contents” emerged runner up and landed her  a cash prize of N1 million; while Ngozi Omeji, for ‘Against All Odds’ came third.
This year’s edition themed ‘Future Histories’ was organized by the African Artists’ Foundation.
 According to the organizers, ‘Future Histories’ seeks to provoke the thought of artists on how innovation and creativity can be utilized as a tool to shape and mould the future history of Nigeria.
They maintained that the future starts from the premise that the artist is a barometer and prognosticator of society and is able to design, create and narrate a future for the nation based on experience and knowledge of the past and that artistic quality that allow her to imagine newer narratives that are yet explored.
Following deliberations by an artistic selection committee led by professor El Anatsui., the finalists were chosen, and the winners emerged from three categories—-First Place Winner, Outstanding
Production, and Outstanding Concept.
During the chat with the winners, Sebastian said that he knew he would come out the winner because he took so much time to bring out the art work.
He said his works, took him three months to complete and talked about the restiveness in Nigeria’s northeast where insecurity is an issue. The work predicts that if the menace of Boko Haram and other related security issues are not critically addressed ,the whole country will one day be thrown into anarchy when the challenge is spread all over the country.
Ngozi, whose work also lasted three months, said that in the past, histories have shown how human beings in attempt to determine and know the time, created the hourglass, and their  hands will continue to manipulate, search, research and experience to reshape beliefs, culture and future.
“This therefore has shown why Nigerian citizens have been able to survive amidst the political imbalance, insurgence, financial and infrastructural quagmire as they toil day and night to meet their daily needs,” he said.
Okafor said that the crisis, wars bombing and other turmoil faced across the globe today were, before their manifestations, mere ideas in the imagination.