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With the rise of technology and social media which has brought a surge of eyes to contemporary African art, there still a lacks of diversity within forms of African art on the global stage. In the words of Osei Bonsu “Art can be amazingly subjective. I can look at a painting and have an opinion and you can look at that same painting and it can give you a completely different feeling (Bonsu, 2022) this is something that always captured me as an artist the multifaceted responses everyone is able to get from engaging with an artwork. Looking back at my initial goal to come back into art I wanted to create pieces that an audience can connect to and break beyond the mold of African art.  Todd Haynes the US Film director of the recent movie far from heaven 2022 mentioned he was influenced by the painting of Edward Hopper (White, June 2004)

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 Todd describes Hopper’s paintings as immediately cinematic; and emphasizes that “Hopper’s painting is moving testaments to the simple formula that good storytelling is good capital “(White, June 2004). I always understood the importance of narration and the role of creating a story or world that feels different, but that people can connect to. I also understand the fact that in order not to be categorized in a box my narration had to be different and eccentric. However, as an artist born out of Africa, I understood the responsibility that weighs on my shoulders. Africa's future has long been suspended between the traumatic legacies of the colonial past and the glittering promise of the future. (Giroux, 2009). It dawns on you as a black artist to be conscious of the responsibility you bear in telling your narrative that has been eluded for years. You are reminded daily of the roles and sacrifices of artists, writers, activists, galleries, and curators before you played before we got to the position we are in today. 

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For more than a century, western ethnographic museums have held the authority over traditional artworks and their cultural and historical meanings; Rooted in Africa's precolonial past, these objects played a foundational role in the development of modernism in the early twentieth century. (Bonsu, 2022). A panel discussion by the decolonizing art institute held on the 5th of November 2020: In partnership with Arts Council Collection, British Council Collection and Government Art Collection explored and talked extensively on approaches to confronting and challenging colonialism embedded in the collection. This discussion put into context the systemic problems associated with representation in the past and why even with funded research we are where we are.  At a point in the conversation during the question and answer, the host Gaylene had to point out that in the room full of women there was only one lady of colour in the discussion Deborah Smith which shows our progress with diversity as a community but how much still needs to be done. 

 

Larry Achiampong in his interview with Hera Chan said “All of these artists resurrect their ancestors to empower an inheritance not strictly defined by colonial violence (Jan 2021). I resonate with this because it sums up the current realities of African artists I see and their collective expressions that have come out from Africa.  Africa is an expansive territory, shaped by diverse cultural and political forces that complicate outdated definitions of identity. Thinking beyond the limitation of citizenship and nationhood, contemporary African art today speaks to the power of self-Identification in the shaping of global and cosmopolitan identities. (Bonsu, 2022)

 

Artists were going out of Africa in the 1960s and before, but their work was received in a particularly marginalized cultural context. And shown in spaces quite different from those enjoyed by the artists of the 1990s and after. Chika Okeke Agulu stated in his book stated “I Doubt that Ben Enwonwu, arguably the most internationally famous modern African artist ever, had a show in any major commercial gallery in the United States, and that says a lot in terms of the reception of modern African art in the west. In Europe, things were a bit different, as many of the artists shown in commercial Galleries, but their works remained marginal or were even ignored”. ( Damian 2009) 

 

It’s still very evident even with so much growth that unconsciously we don’t see or recognize little things that re-enforce our biases,  how the positioning of the artworks from the continent of Africa Art seems to be located at the basement of the British Art Museum. 

 

Osei states that “Beyond mere material, art has the capacity to illuminate the ecological impact of humankind on our environment, giving shape to alternative visions of the future”. (Bonsu, 2022). The Black Lives Matter movement revitalized in response to the killing of George Floyd and the subsequent state of violence against the African American community had a profound effect on the African art market. Alert to the public mood and the ensuing cultural reverberations, art dealers, auction homes, museums, and other institutions began pulling their resources to address the gaps in their current and historical representation of artists' colours. Recent history tells shows that the political realm can be the most potent agent of cultural transition. It remains an undeniable truth that the Black Lives Matter movement provided the kind of powerful stimulus to societal change that not even the most earnest and well-meaning exhibition could hope to achieve (154 catalogue 2022)

 

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In the same space, it was pop artists are the front of the art community that brought me back into the art world. Seeing the interaction between commercial artists and the modern world. At the Pinnacle of the ladder was Picasso, His use of shapes and forms gave birth to cubism in a time when geometric shapes and form were not the norms. In context to my work, Picasso used color as an expressive element but relied on drawing rather than subtleties of colour to create form and space (Melissa, 2014).

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Another individual that got me thinking about reinventing my approach to presenting an idea was Brian Donelly popularly known as Kaws. Kaws is an American graffiti artist and designer known for his toys, paintings, and prints. He has pushed the limits of traditional concepts in painting, sculpture, and design, both physically and virtually. Pop art and culture permeate his cartoonish series of figurines called “companion”. His works inspire me to focus on the power of a singular icon/mask and showcase the length and breadth of one theme. In my reflection, I decided to use one mask and contemplated creating my own mask. However, what is certain right now is I find purpose in immortalizing the Ife bronze heads. I draw inspiration from the adaptability of his work which is still relevant to both the contemporary scene and the pop culture market. It is important to bring to light the uneasy conversation of commercialism at the expense of appreciation of traditional fine art using “Kaws” in this context. Quoting from an Article by Mutual art “With the traditional art elites KAWS was never popular though, even shunned. They do not see him as the natural heir to the pop-art giants of the late 20th century,” (MutualArt, 2022)

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Another individual that has been able to recreate an iconic distinct character and blur the line between high art and low art is Murakami . Takashi Murakami is a Japanese artist known for blurring the boundary between fine and commercial art. Often categorized alongside historic and contemporary artists working in the tradition of Pop Art such as Damien Hirst and Jeff Koons.  Murakami's work has achieved a widespread level of fame beyond the art world using contemporary Japanese art with Japanese pop culture he is indeed one of the most innovative artists today. Like Kaws, he distinctly inspires me in his approach to modernizing historical Japanese culture into familiar current pieces. He is also distinctly one artist that promotes arts as a brand in the music, merchandise, and fashion industry (Dick, 2007)

 

 

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Bringing it closer home Yinka Shonibare has a remarkable record of engaging with the link between colonization and the postcolonial condition of Africa and Europe. Throughout his practice, he articulates the complexities of cultural entanglements set in motion by colonialism with his use of Dutch fabrics (Denis, 2021). He is at the forefront of the British Nigerian art scene. One work that really felt like a conversation I was willing to explore is the Victorian Dancers which beautifully captured the dislocation of belonging. A reassuring sight interrupting the nostalgic pull – a romanticization of the past at the expense of the urgent present- that drives elitist art -historical narratives (Denis, 2021)

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The Victorian Dancers draw from Shonibare’s preceding project, creatures of the Mappa Mundi, a series of Six textile hangings based on The Hereford Mappa Mundi. (Denis, 2021). The Relationship Dynamics between the epitomical subjects of class and civility and Tigolopes hint at the absurdity of racialization and the fearful ignorance that underpins discriminatory societies, what once were Gothic Illustrations of Mythical Monsters now exist as recurrent Portrayals of blackness and foreignness. (Denis, 2021). A work layered with so much opulence as they dance, completely oblivious to the creature’s catalytic role in their unfolding story. You also begin to wonder  Is Victorian Dancers a masquerade ball or an unmasking of the fears that shape racist ideologies of contemporary life? (Denis, 2021). By centering mystifying characters in his work, shonibare carefully considers our impressions of these figures, pushing us to re-examine stereotypes, he destabilizes the effectiveness of oversimplified images by imbuing them with subversive meaning. With a title seemingly political or plainly descriptive, Victorian Dancers complicates historical narratives of that era, exposing the omission of their use of racist iconographies, which the imperialist enterprise created to condone the atrocities they carried out against other human beings. Throughout his practice, he articulates the complexities of cultural entanglements set in motion by colonialism with his use of Dutch fabrics (Denis, 2021)

 

 

This deep dive also led me to find works of African artist who are creating pieces with similarities in context to my work and look at how they express their identities thought and work. 

 

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Dawit Adnew is an artist based in Addis Ababa who occasionally works from images or models using masks in a key direction. His process is highly experimental, and his practice is informed by studies in masks and iconography, using patterns and fabric that emerge from his experiences as a textile designer. Surrounded by his characters with flowers and creeping foliage, he draws his viewers into a silent dialogue as the women depicted in his canvasses seem to communicate wordlessly with open another.

Another interesting artist whose work involves drawing as a central element is Nidhal Chamekh. His approach to drawing stood in opposition to what he saw as outdated academic traditions, which placed an emphasis on technical skills over individual expression. (Bonsu, 2022). Composed of images extracted from social media, newspapers, and archives, each figure he removes from its source, echoes our current digital age in which pictures are mediated through live stream video footage. In an Interview with Osei Bonsu Nidhal said 

 

“For me, Drawing has always been about mixing techniques, from nineteenth-century scientific drawing to modern art, The objective is to allow as many worlds as possible to coexist. Mt drawings preserve historical fragments which are taken apart and put onto paper. This mix of spaces, times, and references creates a sense of multiplicity

 

 

 

 

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Ramould Hazoume sees himself as a guardian of his Yoruba culture, in which the production of masks plays an important role. Not without a sense of humour, he thwarts cliches about Africa and criticises the theories of globalization. His most recent works which are both poetic and political, question migration and its consequences, as well as the inequality of exchanges in Africa. Hazoume assembles materials, scraps, and obsolete objects which he shapes distorts, or uses as they are to represent his vision of society and reveal a syncretism based on recycled materials. The artist re-invents history and his research results in striking works that testify to his commitment against all forms of slavery, corruption, trafficking, and current abuses. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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What drew me to Sammy Baloji is the relationship with traditional practices of scarification which are not just common to the people of Ife but to other African countries such as congo as well. The physical scars made during initiation rites as signifiers of tribal identity. The marks of scarification represent an indigenous language that has survived colonialism and the expansion of Christianity in many African countries. (Bonsu, 2022)

 

 

 

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Reflecting on this current landscape, African art now explores ways in which artists use diverse forms, languages, and materials to articulate what it means to be part of the world. We do this in ways that are both plural, singular, personal, political, local, and universal, in ways that are entirely our own. Reading an interview with Rakeb Sile about the contemporary art scene in Ethiopia and its inclusion in the international sphere he said some very true statement that encapsulates what I see as the current predicament and fears as an artist.

 

“It is very important to understand that with Africa we‘re all playing catch up. So, the dealers, collectors, and everybody else is also playing catch up and we have missed so many amazing artists” this was also confirmed in the seminar held by the decolonization institute

 

“We’re just scratching the surface, there’s so much yet to learn and discover. And the platforms in a real sense are still much nascent. There are many parts of the continent that are not accessible yet to collectors. The one thing we must be careful about is the question of whether Africa is being seen as a monolith. We need to be aware that just because certain aspects or aesthetics are being elevated and being represented as African art that doesn’t represent all of Africa”

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Unit 3 was a real inward dive into the why and reason for choices I make in regard to my work and reflect in key themes that I decided will be continuing to be in my work and the material and process behind the conversation. At a seminar at 154 with guest artist Igi Ayedun speaking about the complexities surrounding Afro Brazilian Art and how HOA Galleria has grown with the fair over the years he said 

 

“For us, the decolonial approach is a way to get our place back, to get what is ours, to take over the things that were denied to us as a community. Decoloniality is important for that because when you’re thinking about things that were denied to us as a community. Decoloniality is important for that because when you’re thinking about things that were denied, and how to re-vindicate our places in history……. We can’t obey the European renaissance or traditional fine arts way of thinking because these were the weapons that erased us without the recognition of our origins, So the decolonial approach has the perspective of reconnecting with our origins”  this drove home the point that in order to revalidate my existence and reclaim history as an artist  It may not necessarily fall into the rudimentary systems that we are all conversant with but by unconventional methods and approaches we able to stand out and revindicate our places in history. Therefore immortalizing the Ife head is important to me.  

 

In my development in Unit 3 through research and practice, I uncovered my biases to figure and the love of renaissance artists could be subtly inherited. From masters of old passed down from art school to art teachers and to institutions. Case in point in contemporary Africa Art by Okwui Emwezor & Chika Okeke was the significant shifts and realignments in the Lagos art scene, was the perception that several of the young artists: including Erabor Emokpae, Okpu Eze, Uche Okeke, and Collette Omogbami had given into the corruptive influence of abstract painting. Critics Scoffing at the amount of money paid for empty canvases that did not show substantial labour or complete mastery of figurative drawing and other aspects of academic painting. (Contemporary Africa Art since 1980. Damien 2009) 

 

 

Moreover, in a widely read essay, “Into the Abstract Jungle” the renowned contemporary artist Ben Enwonwu (1918-1996), who studied at London's renowned Slade School of Fine Art, accused the artists he saw as Impressionable dilettantes, of exposing Nigerian art too dangerous and unwholesome aspects of modern European art by embracing ‘abstractionism’. Enwonwu further argued that the “invasion of Nigeria art by abstract art (was) part of the system of artistic colonialization (sic) 

 

“First the critics of the so-called abstract tendencies in the Lagos art scene regarded this formal language as reflective of an impoverished imagination, a failure to demonstrate one’s artistic integrity, and a betrayal of the Nigerian modernist tradition established by the pioneer artist Aina Onabolu (1882-1963) and sustained by the painter and political cartoonist Akinola Lasekan (1916-1974), along with Enwonwu 

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Previously, going to art school in Nigeria, was different with emphasis on realism, motif, and the idea of perfection, “the more realistic the better” Replication from life formed most of the teaching influence. Coming back to drawing and consciously working towards breaking silent mental blocks built over time in one artist's journey has been very insightful to witness first-hand.  As I get involved in the art world in Nigeria a lot of the artists focused on realism without acknowledging the repetitive nature of its content, form, motif, or visual language. My work is which is centered on the black experience and the various narrations of these experiences with the rest of the world. The conversations consist of mainly of human figures using the Ife terracotta masks as the lenses through which we discuss this topic.  I have been striving to create dialogue either for recognition or validation of our experiences, conversations, craft, and identity to create an opportunity for reflection and growth as individuals and a collective. 

 

 

With that being said I have failed in trying to execute this, one of my tutors Marsha explained that I needed to dig deep and question my choices for content, form, and placement as such, I revisited some of the works I created during unit 2 and tried to learn what I process I needed to embark on so I do not make these mistakes. I realized my concept was well thought through, I need to invest more in materiality and context that will make the work whole.  Even though I tried to finish one of the pieces with the idea of titling it mirrors I could not bring myself to put this out as my work.  In hindsight I believe the execution process did not carry the same connotations and message as I had imagined and the final output was lesser than some of my earlier and most recent pieces (who am I, travelers head and behind the scenes ) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Learning from my mistakes and being more thoughtful in terms of process, I believe this was also the reason why I took a lot of time on my degree piece. Working on the subject matter and context to refine and strengthen the new direction of my practice. Ibrahim Mahama in an interview said his work is “A process of salvaging the past from a state of decay in order to shape a collective vision for the future (Bonsu, 2022)” and I believe this is the same goal I have but with a different approach.

 

 

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During reflection after unit 3, it became very clear to me that I will have consistent themes in the body of my work which is part of my signature and process. Going into unit 3 I took the advice from my tutors to spend time at the British Museum, to understand the origins, importance, and commonalities between the masks showcased at the museum. At the conclusion of Unit 2, I specifical focused on Ife Head as they represent royalty  (2010 P. a., 2010). My aim in using these masks is to recognize and immortalize the works of the artist that created this monument as the role and function of the mask are known but the artist who started this is unknown. This also set the stage to represent my figures as deities or royalty (BBC Radio 4, 30 Jun 2010) as they give life to characters that fit the context of my work. Drawing is at the foundation of my work and the bedrock of what  I create. Attending the life drawing class at the royal drawing academy has helped me gradually free myself from my limitation. 

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In my work, I always acknowledge the impact of popular culture as I navigate the relationship between pop artists and traditional fine art. I believe that this will be my dilemma in the coming years if I stay on the path of JeffKoons, Murakami, and Brian Donelly.  I learn by making and improving daily the more I spend time in the studio thus I need to heavily invest in my studio practice post-graduation. Working on the degree show I realized I ruminate on my concepts treating my canvas like a sketch pad, visiting exhibitions, and attending crits with tutors and colleagues this combination of events will bring a new evolution to my work. One thing that significantly changed my viewpoint on showcasing was the exhibition of Vangogh and how a piece of art became an immersive experience. I will want to strive to create such experiences because if it resonates so much with me as an artist how much more the audience that experienced it 

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Poems as a Visual Language for Engagement. This is something that came much later, I often write poems but never bold enough to share or admit out loud that it was worth anyone paying attention to. In the spirit of really giving myself to the process and experimenting, I thought, I could add it as another layer of interaction to my work. I came across a poem that was exhibited as a booth at the recently concluded Frieze and that sealed it for me to create another level of intimacy with my audience and an extension of my practice

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Chika Okeke- Agulu and Okwui Enwezor in their recent book contemporary African Art since 1980 ( Damian 2009) refer to contemporary African art as going beyond national Imagination . to connect local with global knowledge.“the way I think about it, contemporary African art can’t simply be defined as or indexed to, the fact that these artists were born in Africa, or outside, instead it’s the relationship between the artist and these continents. The nation, the continent, and one’s place in the scheme of things globally- that is crucial. 

 

My works are about the importance of narrative and calling attention to the specificities of history, whether they are autobiographical moments or recontextualizing historical moments. For me, this is about the passing out in the future, this is about tracing a line, a lineage, and an ancestry that is prismatic.

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Contemporary African art is undergoing a period of cultural and artistic renaissance. No longer confined to the margins of institutional and commercial visibility. African art finds itself at the center of a global narrative of permanent change. It is a phenomenon reflected as much in public museums and art publications as it is by pop culture and mainstream media outlets, testifying to the so-called rise of African Art (Agulu, 2009)

 

In parallel with the rise of institutional visibility, the emergence of dedicated African Art fairs in Europe and America has nurtured a growing international market for African art. Despite the significant growth in commercial activity, there remain few exhibitions of African art on the continent due to the lack of government support for public institutions. (Verlag, 2012)

 

With contemporary African artists attracting growing audiences to exhibitions, setting sky-high auction records, and collaborating with international brands, it is impossible to overlook the cultural significance of African art today. In recent years the expansion of digital technology and social media around the world has reshaped how we experience art beyond geographical borders and physical boundaries. (Bonsu, 2022)

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Moving my practice forward I intend to be more vocal in bringing awareness to this conversation by using the mask to draw an audience and create moments of reflection.  This will entail having unconventional public lectures and talks and being part of more art festivals that help to mediate and bridge the gap between contemporary artists from Africa and the global society. I also intend to reintroduce masks in more modern settings and informal or commercial sectors to build a new audience to its reception. I will be presenting a talk at the research festival at Camberwell but not using my paintings and work as the center of the conversation instead using music as the common denominator to showcase how we create a bias of individuals just from the songs they listen to. 

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In conclusion, Hera Chan had an interview with Larry Achiampong and during her reflection, she said something that stuck with me as an outtake from this Larry Achiampong’s painting does not evade the burden of representation but takes responsibility for its references, for its own mimetic folly. (Jan 2021). 

 

And Like Larry, I do not intend to hide my references but show embody them and create a great balance between high-end art and low-end art that people can connect to in order to have a deeper connection and reflection on the subject matter of my practice

 

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Bibliography

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2010, M. (2010). A history of the World in 100 Objects.

2010, P. a. (2010). Bronze Head from ife . British Museum.

Agulu, C. O. (2009). Contemporary African Art since 1980. Bologna Damien.

ArtTactic. (2022 ). Global Art MArket Outrlook p.22.

BBC Radio 4 (30 Jun 2010). AHOW: 063 Ife Head . United Kingdom. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/objects/Z1CgMudYTJWzpTi-TW1IAA

Bonsu, O. (2022). Fifty Pioneers Defining African Art for the Twenty-First Century. Octopus Publishing Group, Lewes.

Dara, I. (2022). Voice of the Collector: State of the African Art Market.

Denis, J. (2021). Relations Diaspora and Painting . Hirmer .

Fortnum, K. C. (2020). A Companion to Contemporary Drawing. John Wiley & Sons.

Griroux, F. S. (2009). Dead Aid; Why Aid is not Working and How there is a better way for Africa . New York .

Jan, E. (2021). Relationsship Diaspora and Painting. Hirmer Publishers.

MacGregor. (2010). A History of the World in 100 Objects. British Museum .

MutualArt. (2022, January 18). Mutual Art. Retrieved from Mutual Art Services.inc: https://www.mutualart.com/Article/What-Happened-to-KAWS-/2F769897240D7526

Ogunnaike, L. (2003, July 17). Celebrating the Life and Impoact of the Nigerian Music Legend Fela. Retrieved from The New York Times : https://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/17/arts/celebrating-the-life-and-impact-of-the-nigerian-music-legend-fela.html

Thomas, D. B. (2015, 12 7). Vanguard Ngr . Retrieved from https://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/12/ooni-adeyeye-enitan-ogunwusi-ojaja-ii-the-man-his-passion-and-the-crown/

Verlag, H. C. (2012). Symposium on Building Art institutions in Africa . Ostfildern.

White, C. A. (2012). Welsh Poetry of the French Revolution 1789-1805. Wales: Univerisity of Wales Press.