By Henry Akubuiro
From Africa and Europe, artists are converging on Lagos for ArtMiabo International Art Festival 2022, in a gathering that will celebrate photography, painting, video art, installation/sculpture and performance art.
Hosting what the organisers described as 24 of the finest artists from Africa and Europe, with gallery representation from France and South Africa, the 2022 edition, themed Remake the World, opens on April 29, ending May 1 at Ebonylife Place, 1637 Adetokunbo Ademola Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. The organisers, Artmiabo International Art Festival (AMIAF), stated that Remake the World was an expression of what and how people see the world, using simple objects, through recycling, to project that vision. Music performance for the festival will come from Pacino Royal.
Sponsored by JcDecaux, Vandyke Sports, Orijin and Multichoice Nigeria, with ‘This Is Lagos’ as media partner, the festival features works of artists, such as Bruce Onobrakpeya, Adeola Balogun, John Onobrakpeya, Tamaraemi Larry, Olufunke Esekhalu Ojukwu, Segun Okewumi, Oladipupo Adesina, Yusuf Durodola, Muni King-Keazor, Adebisi, Miabo Enyadike and Yetunde Ojatula. Other participants include The Art Room Gallery from Johannesburg, showing Robin Field, Phumzile Buthelezi, Lerato Mutau, Neil Neuwoudt and Thabo Motseki; International Art Caravan representing Clement Maduako Nwafor, Frank N’Goran, Judah Jubrin, Willem Vermeer and Iwa Kruczkowska-Król.
“Recycling, Re-purposing, Up-cycling, call it what you want, is our new reality and it sends out a message that we can remake our environment with the disposable and renew our minds on how art plays a major role in that space,” Miabo Enyadike, Founder/CEO of Artmiabo stated. “Audiences can enjoy paintings, video, photography, objects of art, sculpture and free art marketing workshops by industry experts.” Also listed as benefits are well stocked bargain art book stores consisting of new and used books on Art, Interior design, Photography, Artist biography, etc.
To expand the scope of the festival further, the organisers brought into the team a Neitherland-based curator, Willem Vemeer. “I am very proud to have the opportunity to curate this fantastic art festival which will be a first class exhibition with artists from Nigeria and other African and European countries,” Vemeer expressed his delight for being the creative professional behind the scene. “Artmiabo is an international success and has proven to organize and promote art in a very professional way not only in Nigeria but also in the UK, USA, Japan and the Netherlands to mention a few.” For the 2022 edition, he assured that the visitors have surprises waiting for them in the “high level of the works.”
Among the highlights of the festival is a prelude to the much anticipated 90th birthday of Dr Bruce Onobrakpeya.AMIAF will celebrate the life and times of the master printmaker, Onobrakpeya spanning six decades. Expectedly, Onobrakpeya will be gracing the art festival with his physical presence and artworks. “Prof. Onobrakpeya will be exhibiting a select number of artworks for this event and a birthday celebration will be held during the festival for him.”
Miabo Enyadike is an international artist, Artprenuer and Art blogg, Artworkshop organizer with 30 years experience as a professional artist. She is passionate about the festival because it reflects the need for artists to create works from their environment, thereby creating a sustainable living and clean environment. Tickets for the exhibition are available at www.tix.Africa/Artmiabo.
Included in the exhibition is Delightful Melody From Symbol Of Excellence (Metal, Copper and Wool crochet), by Mistura. The piece has been described as a magnificent art, inspired by Calley, a black woman who breaks barriers with her art. “A symbol of excellence that I will encourage diverse women to embrace and emulate,” a statement attached to the artwork reads. “Listening to Calley always gives an immense and untold joy as she has been a source of inspiration for me. Today I celebrate her creativity. It is also part of my mission to give joy and satisfaction to all art patrons and celebrate women generally.”
Also to be on display is The Man Jeans Art (mixed media, recycled art), by Enyadike, a piece that highlights fashion as the biggest polluter in the world. “What we wear and how we dispose of it matters,” Enyadike said. “As artists we can participate in creating a cleaner and sustainable world through a mind shift that encourages true creativity by resurrecting the discarded through Art.”
From the clan of the Onobrakpeya comes a piece by John titled African Market Women Gossip (medium. charcoal, acrylic and resin on canvas, 2ft by 3ft, dated 2020).
