Why I invented eco-friendly wood for my sculptures — Phillips Nzekwe

Phillips Nzekwe is a Lagos- based artist championing the cause of environment-friendly artworks. His quest made him invent a unique eco-friendly wood that has remained his signature in the art industry. In this interview, the artist, who holds a Bachelors in Fine Arts degree from the Delta State University and Master of Fine Arts from […]

Phillips Nzekwe is a Lagos- based artist championing the cause of environment-friendly artworks. His quest made him invent a unique eco-friendly wood that has remained his signature in the art industry. In this interview, the artist, who holds a Bachelors in Fine Arts degree from the Delta State University and Master of Fine Arts from the University of Benin, says his dream is to see an environmentally cautious Nigeria where sustainability is a top priority and eco-friendly wood is used in all households. He also talks about why he pulled out of a PhD programme and why artists should help the earth by using eco-friendly materials.

How will you describe your journey into art?

I grew up knowing as much as I can remember that I am an artist. I have always expressed myself from drawing on the wall to paper. I also created my dream houses and cars from discarded packages of beverages and household items. But I come from a relatively large family of educators where there is a structure for every child to follow and that was going through the process of formal education till you obtain not just a university degree but with excellent grades. So, there was a limitation to my play and free expression because at my early teenage years, I wanted to become a rapper or pop- artist and do something that presented a radical shift from the norms. I wanted to have dreadlocks and be different. But there was a limitation from family and society. A child was to be seen not heard. I had a bachelors and a masters in Fine Art specialising in sculpture at ages 21 and 26 respectively. I had gone halfway into a PhD program at 30, then I discovered that I had been boxed up within the academic four walls. I dropped out of the PhD program and started unschooling myself to operate outside official circuits.

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Are you considering going back for your doctorate degree?

I am not considering going back to school for a PhD. The school system puts you in a box. According to Albert Einstein, the benefit of a college education is not the learning of many facts but the training of the mind to think. The higher school system, especially in the developing economy, teaches facts that aren’t relevant to living in contemporary times. Critical thinking and result oriented research are not the focus. That is why, despite the proliferation of graduates, Nigeria remains plagued with unemployment, high maternal/ infant mortality rate, poor environmental management and food shortage. My studio experiments and findings are more result-oriented and relevant to today’s living than the academic PhD research from which I dropped out. How can I go back to a system that I managed to escape from?

How will you describe what you do in your studio?

I am a global artist living and working in 21st Century Nigeria. I am using my art as a tool to highlight the ills that I find inimical to human existence. A major issue is the overexploitation of our natural environment, especially through deforestation and harmful gaseous emissions, which cause climate change and adverse weather conditions across the world. Through my studio experiments, I was able to produce sustainable wood – eco-friendly wood – from wastes. I use wood for the production of my sculptures and hope that architects and designers will adopt it for their products. This will mitigate the effects of climate change.

I also, through my visual forms, highlight the problems of lack of free expression amongst children and people living in the so-called democratic societies across Africa and the world using Nigeria as a reference.

How did you make wood from waste?

It is quite a scientific/material-based research. I collect cellulose waste materials. They include wood pieces and particles and cartons. The process of recycling starts when I put the waste into a bio-digester. The emitted methane gas can be used to cook while the solid waste is eco-friendly wood.

How will you describe Nigerians’ reception of the eco-friendly wood?

Although there is little awareness of the need for environmental sustainability in Nigeria at the moment, the aesthetic appeal of eco-friendly wood sculptures has been highly appreciated and sought after within the art scene. The majority of art enthusiasts and collectors are from the elite class of the society. My dream is to see an environmentally cautious Nigeria where sustainability is a top priority and eco-friendly wood is used in all households.

 What do you plan to achieve with your works?

I will want my art to go beyond mere aesthetic masterpieces and contribute meaningfully to humanity. I hope that they become visual archives that will endure human generations.

What is it you love about art?

Art for me is a lifestyle, not a business. What I enjoy about this artistic lifestyle is its flexibility and freedom in terms of expression, imagination and experimentation with materials. And still getting paid in the end for having fun.

You are one of the few artists in Nigeria making good use of waste, what do you have to say to others on the benefits of ‘helping’ the earth?

The earth is the only habitable planet for humans. As creatives, we are torchbearers of our generation. We have an obligation to protect our planet using the arts as a tool to advocate for sustainable environmental practices such as recycling and tree planting.

What plans do you have on improving what you do?

I don’t have a laid down plan to improve my practice. All I know is that as long as I remain true to my passion, the quality of my work can only get better.

What are some of the challenges you face in the industry?

The major challenges in the industry are the unavailability of seasoned cultural professionals like curators and critics. And also, a lack of government policies that can help grow the culture industry in Nigeria.

The major exhibitions, awards that impacted you

I have participated in several exhibitions locally and internationally but a turning point in my career was when I got a Dutch/Triangle Trust Grant in 2012-2013. I am also happy whenever I get contacted by people from across the world for collaborations and the acquisition of my works.

What would you say to artists that are still trying to find their identities in the industry?

They should keep living artistic life. Fame and fortune should not be their motivation. They should be true to their local environment and contribute to the global discourse from their local standpoint. With time they will become global.