An Art exhibition in the city brings artists and art lovers together, by Alkasim Abdulkadir
It is early evening in Abuja, and the sun is setting on Harrow Park Golf Club, the city’s new, picturesque and exclusive clubhouse. The guests begin to arrive with expectation and excitement boldly scrawled on their faces. They all have unbridled passion for the arts and have come to honour the invitation of Rosemary Madubunyi, whose BlackPearl Collections is behind the exhibition titled New Traditions in Contemporary Nigerian Painting.
On display at this vibrant exhibition are the works of contemporary artists such as Ndidi Emefiele, an award-winning female artist, who is based in Abuja and is seen as a good bet for savvy collectors. Others are Gerry Nnubia, a graduate of the Institute of Management Technology, Enugu who describes himself as an experimental and convention-breaking artist; Olu Ajayi, a graduate of the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi who has evolved from an illustrator and cartoonist into one of the most significant artists working in Nigeria today; Pita Ohiwere, a US-based Nigerian artist whose work has been widely exhibited and collected across Africa, Europe and North America; and Sam Ovraiti, who graduated with distinction at the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi and is a lecturer in drawing and illustration at the same school and has held several solo exhibitions in Nigeria, US and UK.
Anezie Chiwuba took Art modules in his undergraduate days at Knox College, Illinois, USA, and he is bothered that there are too few art exhibitions in Abuja where he now resides. For him, attending the opening of Blackpearl Collections’ maiden exhibition in Abuja didn’t need a second thought. He finds Emefiele’s works very exciting, especially their reliance on contemporary pop culture and the diversity inherent in her abstract messages.
Halima Mohammed walks briskly from one painting to the other, stopping to reflect momentarily at some pieces. For Mohammed, the works are very avant-garde and ground-breaking for the Abuja arts scene.
“The organizers have done a good job,” says Kayode Are, an arts aficionado. “This is high style, high living and high ideas.” Chet Mbadinuju, another guest, says “I find the exhibition very impressive. As you can see, the collections are pretty contemporary.”
The exhibition, according to Madubunyi who put it together, is part of a series of an initiative designed to expand appreciation and demand for high quality, contemporary Nigerian and African art. She is translating her passion for the arts into a business after obtaining a law degree in France. These days, she likes to describe herself as an arts consultant –someone who sees arts as an investment, ensuring a steady supply of art works to corporate organizations and individuals.
The exhibition is the first outing for her company BlackPearl Collections.
Pictures by Godswill Ayemoba below:
Blackpearl Collections' founder Rosemary Madubunyi
A couple examine a piece of abstract art
Art at the Blackpearl Collections' exhibition
Guests at the exhibition react to a painting
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