Long drawn shadows (e brochure) by ibeananaba

Catalogue design: Ibe Ananaba Cover art: Forced Crown 3 (detail) Acrylics on canvas 40 x 50 inches 2018

No part of this e-brochure may be reproduced, stored in a retrival system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, Mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the consent of the artist.

LONGDRAWN SHADOWS An art exhibition by Ibe Ananaba Art Twenty One 1415 Adetokunbo Ademola Street Victoria Island Lagos, Nigeria 13th April - 11th May, 2018

OF LONG-DRAWN SHADOWS AND NARRATIVISED SOCIOCULTURAL CONDITIONS AND HABITS

Ibeabuchi Ananaba remains a genuinely prodigious artist of the contemporary era in Nigeria. His imprint as a painter and illustration artist remains outstanding. He now engages the public once again as he is wont to do some sociocultural truths in our society. In this way, he bears witness to the mandate of the artist whose promptings demand that what has been won for culture in a given milieu is recorded. Such records, as metaphors are bound to, have an indeterminable life of their own and the passion they stair up. The painting by Pablo Picasso entitled Guernica (1937) now in the repository of Centro de Arte Reina Sophia in Madrid, Spain, speaks to the social responsibility of the artist as the work by Ibeabuchi Ananaba is set to address us in this exhibition. The composition Guernica is constructed as a paratext to widely published photographs of the bombing of the little town of Guernica in Northern Spain during the Spanish civil war on April 26, 1937, by Nazi allies of the Spanish dictator Francesco Franco. Nine hundred unarmed civilians were killed then. During the Second World War when the German Army overran Paris in June 1940, they confronted Picasso with the words; “You painted Guernica!” Picasso responded thus; “You created it, and I painted it,” The narrative above addresses the artist as a purveyor of the truths of time which, may just have been forgotten and unspoken about. The artist, in other words, is informed by sensitivity towards the social and ideological currents of his/her time, which he or she often distills from fleeting time into the still outline of a symbol or a comparation. The artist is inspired by different narratives that float in time as stories photographs, etc. The artist draws from such realities to create a parallel visual text to such floating tales.

Ibe Ananaba is smitten by various floating narratives that the contemporary ideological frames in Nigeria stair up. These symptoms and their effects as often revealed in our consciousness as realities have remained with our sociocultural space for some time. In this exhibition, the artist attempts a clustering in the following subtitles “Give Us This Day, Our Daily Fuel”, “Cabal”, “Forced Crown,” “Waiting till infinity”, “No Holds Barred”, “These Houses Are Not For Sale”, “Shay Na Like Dis WE Go Dey Dey?”, “Rise Again”, “No More Empty Promises”, “Forlorn Hopes” series etc. By these Ananaba confronts known predilections within our cultural space identifying them in metaphors. Because metaphors are symbols, they point to various sign index. Signs, as metaphors, initiate ideas either for social action where we may be in resignation, or we are moved as social beings to act against their inherent contradictions in society. The sensitivities above as recurring metaphors of the multiple identity indexes decipherable in our clime assume the title; LONG-DRAWN SHADOWS is a comprehensible commentary, and at best a metatext. Shadows are emblematic of situations that hint at something. That hint can be the grim, shady, protectionist as it obscures reality. Ananaba thus sets out to construct a social narrative that cluster on Nigeria’s ideological pivots. The artist’s statement best explains the workings in his mind informing the ordering of his themes in this visual narrative. But, an exciting aspect of this clustering lie in the mix they project – the salutary and the non-salutary in our behaviours, acquired identities and subjectivities that range from the natural to zany via intercultural mix in public spaces and the virtual world culture (world-wideweb) powered by new technologies of the internet. In the clarifications above Ananaba stays faithful to his vocation like Picasso who gives back to his community what they have created in time. His work distils these apprehensions he generates of our diverse subjectivities into identifiable metaphorical clusters from the privilege he has of an artistic authorisation or warrant.

In the clarifications above Ananaba stays faithful to his vocation like Picasso who gives back to his community what they have created in time. His work distils these apprehensions he generates of our diverse subjectivities into identifiable metaphorical clusters from the privilege he has of an artistic authorisation or warrant. What makes an artist, especially, one who uses colour is the manipulative dexterity and choices made of the fantastic assortment of colours and the evocations they inspire looking at composition as a total design package. In Ananaba’s work, colour necessarily is of a secondary order element of design. Ananaba is an excellent draughtsman in many ways. Form and structure and the way they constitute formal laws in objects he discerns readily and renders them with deft strokes. The grounds for my claim regarding the secondary placement of the element of colour in Ananaba’s work derives from the observation above. This is that colour or the hues are merely for dressing. But the identity of a painter, which Ananaba flaunts remains extraordinary. Where Paul Cezanne did advocate Ananaba’s kind of colour appropriation and the manipulation of space and form, he is bold, daring, vibrant and convincing the way great colour pairs or combinations are substituted for local hues, yet he is able to uphold our anatomic awareness. His colours defining the structure, thus, brings about the necessary tensions that are suggestive of organic nature except that they are dressed in unusual colours. In the instance, the element of colour becomes symbolic to the theme and what is apprehended in his compositions. Ananaba‘s colour scheme remains transcendental for the appearance of colour on the structure in his work does not produce assembled planar forms. In this attainment of overall formal ordering, while Paul Cezanne hinted at reductionism colour for Ananaba rehabilitates structure or style.

The factor of style as an authoritative hand of a master-artist is what Ananaba has continued to put out with discernible constructs as metaphors. He is also an artist prodigy with an identifiable consistency that accords observable traits in his body of work. Vincent Van Gogh once wrote a letter to his brother Theophilus, stating that his choice of colours was symbolic in his painting of the Night Café. He pointed to the strategy of deploying double complementaries to highlight the way intense passion ravages human relationships. Ibe Ananaba brings vibrancy to trite realities of our daily living but stills the emotion of his characters in ambivalent expressions. In this way, we are forced to notice and question the interior psychological order contained within the packaged façade. In truth, the audience Ananaba speaks is forced to rethink the nature of essences within the construct of appearances. Ananaba’s commitment to his audience, considering societal truths his creative insights draws from the society, is to exploit the lure of the flamboyant in addressing our various subjective conditions and states of social consciousness. His ambition is to heal our society exploring the philosophical framework of the metaphor and the way they speak to us. The compositions presented in this exhibition remain personal expressions addressed to us. But they confront us each from our uniqueness immersed in society. We are thus bound to appreciate the work put out here as our makeup would permit. Despite our conditions of reception of these works, they are preferences re-presented to us where they may have been ignored as the past of our actions and inactions. Metaphors, as long addresses, can diminish the power and effect of the shadow. Metaphors unveil realities according to our capacities to apprehend. Frank Ugiomoh Professor of History of Art and Theory University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria

ARTIST STATEMENT

As an artist with interest in interrogating issues that affect contemporary living, I believe it’s my role to constantly observe activities and happenstances as I navigate my social space. Through this exercise, I gather contents that lead to creation of body of works that address a variety of things, depending on the situation, issue or context I choose to work within. LONG-DRAWN SHADOWS is a metaphorical articulation of some plaguing issues I believe are restricting our collective positive development as a people. It’s a cry-out in the bid to communicate personal heart-felt pain of a concerned citizen. It is an attempt to engage the public for a conscious dialogue with array of works inspired by frustrations as a result of our societal ills, challenges and largely- poorly managed or I dare say, a failed system. How did we get here… Who is fooling who? Who is even listening?... For how long would we live with these age-old issues that seem unresolvable?... We have a well crafted National Anthem and Pledge. Do they dwell in our national consciousness? Collectively, do we truly believe and abide with them? These questions and many more keep popping up in my mind. In response to the above raised concerns, I thought to engage the public with my feelings visually out-poured on canvas and papers.

This I did, exploiting the human figure as my main subject, expressed in both harsh and muted colour tones to relay the desired message(s). With the hunger to deepen my messages; I went a step further to compliment a series of the works, which addresses the recurring Fuel scarcity situation in Nigeria with Jerry can queue installation. With regards to the installation, I thought to paint a harsh reality we hate to live in; a situation that is born out of our collective negligence... a reality created out of greed and corrupt system, which looks us in the eyes and deals with us ruthlessly. It’s very symbolic and I hope it resonates with the viewer, as my intention is to remind the viewer that unfortunate situation that urgently needs to be fixed. The same strategy is applied on “SHAY NA LIKE DIS WE GO DEY DEY” series where fashionable models that are glamorously posed, are being clad in cut-outs of newspaper headlines bearing varieties of societal issues as their fabric. The array of other pieces (including the drawings) I hope would do justice in proclaiming desired message. In all, this is about us and for us, from the lens of a citizen who (like many) believes we deserve a more function-able and accountable system that holds productivity and respect for citizens in high regard. It is for each of us to sit up and play both our individual and collective parts responsibly for humanity sake and for a heartwarming future. Hope you feel my pulse! Ibe Ananaba Lagos 2018

NO HOLDS BARRED Acrylics on canvas 72 X 96 inches 2018

9 Â

10 Â Photo credit: Tony Nsofor

“Na now wahala start… Dem don skataa de line!” (Amidst the struggle) “My guy, sell for me naah! You know say I don dey here since morning.” (In the usual fuel attendant accent) “Afta dis one sef we no go sell again” “Hey! Abeg naaa, e don reach my gallon already. Abeg, mosquito don bite my pikin tire” (LIGHTS TURNED OUT AND FUEL PUMPS SHUTDOWN) “Dem don off gen sef… Chai! But my guy I been dey beg you since” What a shame How did we get to this point of decadence? Who ever thought that Nigerians in Nigeria would beg to buy fuel. That’s what they’ve made of us- “wealthy yet beggarly“. Even as we struggle to get a hang of what’s going on around us, we’ll continue to say the same thing-

“GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY FUEL” Kelechi James Iroha Lagos | 2018

GIVE US THIS DA OUR DAILY FUEL (1 & 2) Acrylics on canvas 40 x 50 inches (each) 2018

12 Â

13 Â

GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY FUEL (3 & 4) Acrylics on canvas 40 x 50 inches (each) 2018

14 Â

15 Â

16 Â

17 Â

18 Â

19 Â

Won’t you agree with me? We deserve better. We ought to be treated better. We’ve done our own part of the bargain. We‘ve worked tirelessly and have paid our taxes. We deserve better. We ought to be treated better like kings and Queens. IN RETURN We’ve been subjected to hardship. You’ve robbed us of this basic right to the very last drop. Even as sons and daughters of this nation, you stripped us of our pride and glory and forced on us this unwanted crown. @kelechiroha

FORCED CROWN (1 & 2) Acrylics on canvas 40 x 50 inches (each) 2018

21 Â

FORCED CROWN (3 & 4) Acrylics on canvas 40 x 50 inches (each) 2018

22 Â

23 Â

WAITING TILL INFINITY (1) Acrylics on canvas 48 x 60 inches 2018

24 Â

WAITING TILL INFINITY (2) Acrylics on canvas 48 x 60 inches 2018

25 Â

26 Â

WAITING TILL INFINITY (3 & 4) Acrylics on canvas 42 x 42 inches (each) 2018

27 Â

Oh CABAL... the high & mighty! You sit comfortably on your highly inflammable throne and watch people groan. You grin from ear to ear, robbing people of their own. You derive joy in shutting the system down, at the expense of the masses. Your actions yield to hardship of diďŹ&#x20AC;erent classes. Oh CABAL... the high & mighty!... Onye ji madu na-ala ji onwe ya o! (He who holds down another to the ground holds himself down as well). Ibe Ananaba 2018

CABAL (1) Oil on canvas 48 x 60 inches 2018

28 Â

CABAL (2) Acrylics on canvas 48 x 60 inches 2018

29 Â

30 Â

IBE ANANABA AND THE SHADOWS HE SEES… Survival in a crises-plagued society Leaves a bitter aftertaste on Ibe Ananaba’s palate and inspires his fifth solo exhibition in Lagos. Okechukwu Uwaezuoke reports

EXHIBITION Are these carefully-lined up jerrycans extending the message of the paintings looming above them? Obviously. At first, they convey the impression that this exhibition, titled Long-drawn Shadows, is all about fuel queues. But this impression soon dissipates when the viewer moves on to the other parts of the exhibition hall. Talking about the exhibition’s title, it was a product of a prolonged cerebration. The artist Ibeabuchi (better known to his friends as Ibe) Ananaba was mulling over recent poignant personal experiences. And these experiences were the inevitable consequences of living in a dysfunctional society. It was when he decided to communicate them visually to his audience that he discovered that a ghastly writer’s block was standing between him and the choice of an appropriate guiding title. It was then that Professor Frank Ugiomoh came to his rescue. Ananaba had reached out to him, because – besides being “a dear friend”, whose views he respected – the University of Port Harcourt-based professor of history of art and theory had also witnessed the spectacular progress of his studio practice. “I poured out my heart, had a deep conversation and after a few deliberations, Long-drawn Shadows was birthed as the title of the show with the help of Professor Ugiomoh,” Ananaba recalls. The title, he thought, was apt for the message he had planned to visually communicate with the audience. “I went with the title because of the metaphorical approach I toed while titling the pieces and how I wanted or envisaged the audience to receive the message. This was intentional, because I thought going satirical with a tinge of humour would be a good way to communicate the heavy heart-felt pain of a concerned citizen, because I’ve always wondered ‘for how long would we live with these age-old issues that seem unresolvable?’”

Back to the exhibition, which opened on Friday, April 13 at Art Twenty-one Gallery within the Eko Hotel and Suites premises in Victoria Island, Lagos. As the artist’s fifth solo show, it lifts a corner of the veil on the ever-shifting kaleidoscope of his creative dispositions. Indeed, the works on display could have been mistaken for works taken from the different stages of his artistic development. But this is not so. They only represent the “bits” of what he has always been doing and are clustered in such subtitles as “Give Us This Day, Our Daily Fuel”, “Cabal”, “Forced Crown,” “Waiting till infinity”, No Holds Barred”, “These Houses Are Not For Sale”, “Shay Na Like Dis WE Go Dey Dey?”, “Rise Again”, “No More Empty Promises” and “Forlorn Hopes” series, among others. “Perhaps having the pieces all in a show creates a different kind of experience…I respond to how the feelings come and what the mood at the time presents.” Then, there are the jerrycan installations. Isn’t their inclusion an overkill? Didn’t his paintings – and drawings – sufficiently convey his message? “The array of paintings (including the drawings), on their own, did justice in proclaiming the desired message but I believe in going the extra mile to bring the idea to life,” he says. “So, I accompanied the series with installation so as to help deepen my message. The reason is that it makes the message easily relatable. People saw it and it resonated with them and I’d like to believe that it’ll make the exhibition memorable. On the other hand, it’s a bit disruptive, which also helps in driving the desired message home to the audience’s consciousness.” But, conspicuously missing in this exhibition, which ends on Friday May 11, are his masterly ballpoint-pen on paper drawings, which were featured at his last major outing in 2009, titled Against All Odds and held at the former Goethe-Institut premises along Ozumba Mbadiwe Street in Victoria Island.

“The absence of the ballpoint-pen works was intentional because, first, it requires some extra time and attention to create,” the 1999 Institute of Management and Technology graduate says. “Secondly, I felt I was being a bit boxed with the label of ‘that pen-drawing artist’. So, I thought to show the other sides of me. This isn’t the first time I’m exhibiting with the pen drawing series absent. I believe an artist has the right to explore and try out new things. That way, one gets to discover some hidden things and grow in the practice. I thought to pause on the pendrawing series so I can deepen my love and learn more about paints, colours and their usage.” Ananaba is highly optimistic about the future of his studio practice. While he confesses not being able to predict what the future holds in store for him, he senses it would be “blissful”. “In the next five years, I hope to have inspired as many souls across globe as I can with my art. Thankfully, there’s technology at our fingertips to help achieve that… I see my art practice as ministry. I remain extremely thankful that God blessed me with the gift of creativity. So, it’s my main responsibility to nurture it and use it to challenge, question and reshape thoughts as well as inspire people through many art projects and ventures. The creative mind never sleeps. My next artistic project could be anything, so far it’s creative.” The Belgian-born artist, who was raised in the south-eastern commercial city, Aba, is constantly seeking new ways to hone his skills. Currently, he is engaged with an “International Watercolour Portrait face-off” with a California-based art professor David Lobenberg. “It’s our joint portrait challenge initiative where we both exchange images of ourselves and paint. So he paints me and I paint him. The exercise shines a new light on how borderless and interactive art can be. Social media brought us together, though we are based in different continents and have not physically met each other.

Interestingly, what seemed like a casual idea has gradually morphed into an incredible cross-cultural discourse. “For both of us, it has been a privilege to study and paint each other’s personality from a different culture in many sessions. Also, it’s been a great way in strengthening each other’s courage and confidence in using a delicate medium (watercolour) as the major tool for this cultural exchange. Asides the above and the future exhibitions that would come, initiatives to engage communities and our social spaces with the arts are being put in place.” Ananaba’s artistic odyssey started from his childhood years. That was the first time he noticed the magic a pencil or crayon could perform on paper. His elder brother Ugo was at that time “pulling visual stunts on paper as he recreated Super Heroes”. He must have been three years old or so. All he could recollect about that experience was that it was lovely and that he soon joined his brother in the doodling spree. This was also how it occurred to him that he could become a successful artist. Thankfully, he grew up in a family that encouraged art. “My mother was the first art supporter. I knew from childhood that she was the one buying all materials and I needed to bring my ideas to life. I’m lucky to have siblings and relatives who operate in the creative field.” Thus, he traipsed through an exciting world that has seen him work at top-notch advertising firms and feature in several group exhibitions and art projects.

Looking back years later, he owes a debt of gratitude to a host of creative kindred spirits like his brother Ugo, Okechukwu Iwundu, Chima Etu, Henry Morkah, Chamberlin Ukenedo, the late Damian Onyekuru, Uche Iroha, Kelechi Amadi-Obi, Nsikak Essien, Duke Asidere, Edosa Ogiugo, Sam Ovraiti, Abiodun Olaku, Segun Adejumo, Rom Isichei, Kainebi Osahenye and Uche Joel Chima, among others. Â Â

RISE AGAIN (1) Acrylics on canvas 48x 60 inches (each) 2018

36 Â

37 Â

RISE AGAIN (2) Acrylics on canvas 48x 60 inches (each) 2018

38 Â

39 Â

SHEY NA LIKE DIS WE GO DEY DEY? (1) Oil, Acrylics and newspaper on canvas 48 x 60 inches 2018

40 Â

41 Â

SHEY NA LIKE DIS WE GO DEY DEY? (2) Acrylics and newspaper on canvas 48 x 60 inches 2018

42 Â

43 Â

SHEY NA LIKE DIS WE GO DEY DEY? (3) Acrylics and newspaper on canvas 48 x 60 inches 2018

44 Â

SHEY NA LIKE DIS WE GO DEY DEY? (4) Acrylics and newspaper on canvas 48 x 60 inches 2018

45 Â

46 Â

47 Â

SHEY NA LIKE DIS WE GO DEY POSE? (1) Oil on canvas 36 x 36 inches 2017

48 Â

SHEY NA LIKE DIS WE GO DEY POSE? (2) Oil on canvas 36 x 36 inches 2017

49 Â

SHEY NA LIKE DIS WE GO DEY POSE? (3 & 4) Oil on canvas | Acrylics on canvas 42 x 42 inches | 24 x 24 inches 2017 | 2018

50 Â

I CAN'T COME AND GO AND KI' MYSEF (1 & 2) Oil on canvas 40 x 50 inches (each) 2018

51 Â

THESE HOUSES ARE NOT FOR SALE (1 & 2) Acrylics on canvas 30 x 30 inches | 48 x 60 inches 2017 | 2018

52 Â

THESE HOUSES ARE NOT FOR SALE (3) Oil on canvas 48 x 60 inches 2018

53 Â

FADED MEMORIES (2 & 3) Oil on canvas 48 x 60 inches (each) 2018

54 Â

OBSERVER (1 & 3) Acrylics on canvas 24 x 24 inches | 36 x 36 inches 2017 | 2018

55 Â

OBSERVER (2) Acrylics on canvas 30 x 30 inches 2017

56 Â

NO MORE EMPTY PROMISES (1) Charcoal on paper 44 x 50 inches 2018

57 Â

NO MORE EMPTY PROMISES (2) Charcoal on paper 44 x 50 inches 2018

58 Â

Photo credit: Godson Ukaegbu

59 Â

STRENGTH FROM WITHIN (1 & 2) Charcoal on paper 23 x 31 inches (each) 2017

STRENGTH FROM WITHIN (3 & 4) Charcoal on paper 23 x 31 inches (each) 2017 | 2018

61 Â

IN SEARCH OF A BETTER TOMORROW (1 & 2) Watercolour 11.69 x 16.53 inches (each) 2015 |

62 Â

IN SEARCH OF A BETTER TOMORROW (3 & 4) Watercolour 11.69 x 16.53 inches (each) 2015 | 2018

63 Â

ANOTHER BREAKING NEWS (1 & 2) Watercolour 11.69 x 16.53 inches (each) 2015 | 2014

64 Â

FORLORN HOPES (1 & 2) Acrylics on canvas 36 x 36 inches (each) 2018

65 Â

FORLORN HOPES (3) Acrylics on canvas 36 x 36 inches 2018

66 Â

67 Â

IBE ANANABA|BIOGRAPHY Photo credit: Godson Ukaegbu

BIOGRAPHY

Born in Belgium in 1976, Ibe was raised in Aba – a commercial city in eastern part of Nigeria. Growing up seeing his elder brother recreate comic characters from old comic books and magazines got his interest at an early age. This immediately led to his early love for drawing human figures, graphic designing and calligraphy. Ibe would later proceed to study Fine and Applied Arts at the Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu, Nigeria where he majored in Painting and graduated with Distinction in 1999. In his quest to find a new expression while addressing social issues, Ibe constantly experiments with endearing ways to birth fresh ideas in engaging forms. This he does by fusing traditional and non-traditional media in ways that make his pieces interactive, leaving room for audience to participate. By so doing, Ibe believes the participatory part for the audience helps etch the idea into their hearts as well as warm up their consciousness. Ibe worked in advertising for 15 years while practicing art alongside till 2017 when he became a fulltime studio artist. He also operates as Chief Art Consultant / Coordinator Studio programs for GirlChild Art Foundation – a non-governmental organization. Ibe is listed in the Smithsonian Institution Libraries Collections. He has exhibited in Nigeria, South Africa, Israel, United States and London. He has his major public collections at the National Assembly, Abuja, Nigeria. In 2016, he collaborated with the Canadian High Commission, Abuja, Nigeria on the African Child Advocacy Campaign. Asides a couple of publications about him, he is among the artists published in FASHION ILLUSTRATION AFRICA – A NEW GENERATION (Shoko Press. -2016) and ARTISTS OF NIGERIA (5 Continents Editions. – 2012) to mention a few. Ibe lives and works in Lagos, Nigeria.

IBEABUCHI ANANABA +234-803-723-0548 | ibeananaba@yahoo.com | www.ibeananabart.com

EDUCATION:

1999: Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu, Nigeria, Fine and Applied Arts (Painting major - Distinction), Higher National Diploma. 1996: Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu, Nigeria, Fine and Applied Arts, Ordinary National Diploma (Upper Class).

WORK EXPERIENCE:

2004 till 2017: Senior Art Group Head, Insight Publicis, Lagos, Nigeria. 2009 till date: Art Consultant, GirlChild Art Foundation Lagos, Nigeria. 2007 till date: Executive Creative Director, Peculiar Instincts, Lagos, Nigeria 2002 – 2004: Art Director, Blue Seal Advertising, Lagos, Nigeria. 2000-2001: National Youth Service Corps, Imo State, Nigeria. 1997: Graphic Artist (Internship), Dolphin Studios, Lagos, Nigeria.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS: 2018 – Art Twenty One, LONG-DRAWN SHADOWS, Lagos, Nigeria. 2016 - Rele Gallery, SÉLÉNSÉ, Lagos, Nigeria. 2012 - Alexis Gallery, IDENTITY CHECK, Lagos, Nigeria. 2009 - Goethe Institut, AGAINST ALL ODDS, Lagos, Nigeria. 2007 - Ice House, ED'STRAVAGANZA, Fayetteville, Arkansas, U. S. A.

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS: 2018 – Chorleywood, PORTRAIT OF A WOMAN, Hertfordshire, England. 2017 - TerraKulture, AWAKEN THE DAWN, Lagos, Nigeria. 2016 - September Gray Fine Art Gallery, THE VERNISSAGE, Atlanta, U. S. A. 2016 - Aso Villa, CONVERSATION, Abuja, Nigeria. 2016 - Nordic Hotel, AFROSPECTIVE, Abuja, Nigeria. 2016 - Wheatbaker Hotel, ARTHOUSE AUCTION EXHIBITION, Lagos, Nigeria. 2015 - Rele Gallery, STRIP, Lagos, Nigeria.

CV (cont’d)

2015 - Intercontinental Hotel, TKMG ART AUCTION EXHIBITION, Lagos, Nigeria. 2015 - Temple Muse, JOINT EXHIBITION (with Tony Nsofor), Lagos, Nigeria. 2014 - Constant Capital, JOINT EXHIBITION (with Segun Aiyesan), Lagos, Nigeria. 2011 - Alexis Gallery, GALLERY OPENING EXHIBITION, Lagos, Nigeria. 2009 - National Museum, ART EXPO, Lagos, Nigeria. 2009 – Alliance Francais, ESSENCE, Lagos, Nigeria. 2008 - International Conference Centre, ARESUVA, Abuja, Nigeria. 2006 - Givatayim Theatre, EXPLORING THE WONDERS OF NIGERIA, Tel-Aviv, Israel. 2005 - Quintessence Gallery, LINES AND REASON (Joint exhibition), Lagos, Nigeria. 2004 - Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, STROKES OF VALUE, Lagos, Nigeria. 2003 - Consulate of Nigeria, COLOURS NIGERIANA, Johannesburg, South Africa. 2003 - Quintessence Gallery, DOTS IN MOTION (Joint exhibition), Lagos, Nigeria.

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS: UNITY IN DIVERSITY, National Assembly, Abuja. Acquired 1998 TWIST AND TURN, National Assembly, Abuja. Acquired 1998 BASKET WEAVERS, National Assembly, Abuja. Acquired 1998

PROJECTS:

2016: KNOWLEDGE EMPOWERMENT (mural), African Child Advocacy Campaign #wallsCANbloom), Canadian High Commission, Abuja, Nigeria. 2013: ABSOLUT OPEN CANVAS LAGOS –, Yaba, Lagos Nigeria.

PARTICIPATED AUCTIONS: TKMG AUCTION, Intercontinental Hotel, Lagos, Nigeria. -2015 ARTHOUSE CONTEMPORARY AUCTION, Wheatbaker Hotel, Lagos, Nigeria -2016

CV (cont’d)

SELECTED WORKSHOPS/SEMINARS: ART IN ART DIRECTION, 02 Academy, Lagos (Speaker) 2017 NAVIGATING THE BRICK AND MORTAR APPRAOCH: Is Technology diluting the creative industry? Social Media Week, Experience Stage, Landmark Event Centre, Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos. (Panelist) – 2017 DRAWING DISCUSSIONS, Department of Fine Arts, Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, (Speaker) - 2017 HARNESSING YOUR ARTISTIC POTENTIAL, University of Lagos, Nigeria. (Speaker) -2014 CREATIVE PLANNING AND PERFORMANCE, Ideas Management University, Lagos, Nigeria. (Participant) -2007 CATCH THE BIG IDEA (Ideas Management Workshop) Ideas Management University, Lagos. (Participant) – 2006 LAGOS OPEN, co-ordinated by Goethe-Institut, Lagos, Nigeria (Participant) – 2005 SELECTED PUBLICATIONS: THE VILLAGER (HOW AFRICANS CONSUME BRANDS), Published byTracey McDonald Publishers, South Africa. - 2018 FASHION ILLUSTRATION AFRICA – NEW GENERATION, Published by Shoko Press, London. - 2016 DEAR JO! – POETIC REFLECTIONS ON SIR JONAS ODOCHA KSC, Published by Peculiar Instincts LLC, Lagos, Nigeria. - 2016 STYLISTIC RENDERING OF THE PAINTINGS OF IBEABUCHI ANANABA, Adefisayo Adesola Mary, Project Thesis, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Fine Arts, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Osun State, Nigeria – 2016

CV (cont’d)

AN INVESTIGATION OF COMPUTER APPLICATION TO PAINTING IN NIGERIA, Aondover Gabriel Gyegwe, Project Thesis, Post-Graduate, Department of Fine Arts, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. - 2014 DASH Magazine, UK (2nd Edition - Calling on Africa ) - 2012 CONTEMPORARY NIGERIAN ART IN LAGOS PRIVATE COLLECTIONS, Published by Bookcraft. - 2012 ARTISTS OF NIGERIA, Published by Five Continents. - 2012 A CELEBRATION OF MODERN NIGERIAN ART - 101 NIGERIAN ARTISTS, Published by Ben Bosah Books. – 2010 UNIFYING AFRICA, Published by Photo.Garage - 2010

APPRECIATION

I thank God for granting me life and this priceless gift of creativity. I thank Caline Chagoury for believing in my arts and also, the entire Art Twenty One team for their co-operation. Special thanks to Prof. Frank Ugiomoh for his incredible support each time I call on him. Thanks to Norden Thurston, Ugo Ananaba, Uchay Joel Chima, Victor Ehikhamenor, Tony Nsofor, Kelani Abass, Sola Akanji, Emezie Asogwa, Christian Iheneme, kenechi Mgbenwelu, Delphine Okobah, Kelechi Iroha, Amalachukwu Onyejike, Okechukwu Uwaezuoke, Tajudeen Sowole, Ademola Tajudeen, Godson Ukaegbu, Ayodeji Rotinwa, Tobe Ejiofor, Amandine Lobelle and Prof. Sylvester Ogbechie for various vital roles they played in supporting me on this. I truly appreciate. Big thanks to my wife… my biggest critic, for her love and always pushing me further. Babes, I love you. To our children – Ebube and Josh, only if you guys have a clue how much you inspire me. I remain thankful for the priceless insights I gain each time we play and shout. Daddy loves you!

THANK YOU