ARESUVA 2008... NGA appoints Nsikak as curator

As part of preparations towards the successful hosting of the First African Regional Summit and Exhibition on Visual Arts (ARESUVA), the Director General, National Gallery of Art, Chief Joe Musa, last week, announced the appointment of Dr. Nsikak Essien as the official curator of the exhibition.

Musa, who also spoke on the level of preparation to host Africa, said the choice of Essien was motivated by his years of experience in the visual art industry as well as his ability to bridge the existing gap between the old and the contemporary Nigerian artists. Though Essien was just officially introduced, Musa said he had resumed duty for a very long time.

With respect to the stage of preparedness, the NGA boss informed that the Central Working Committee, earlier inaugurated by the Minister for Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, has achieved a considerable mileage in their preparations.

"The preparation has taken a very supersonic speed in the sense that lots of foundational works have been going on. People are beginning to see some of the achievements, especially in line with the intellectuals that are coming for the summit and the artists that will be exhibiting."

He also emphasized that corporate organisations such as banks, airlines, automobile companies and hotel operators are indicating interest in the summit. "Though we have received funding partnerships from various banks and automobile companies, we are yet to announce the official bank and automobile company for the event. We have a marketing specialist who will come up with a decision as to which to stick with on the basis of who offers the best deal."

Speaking on participants, especially those from outside the country, Musa said their response has been awesome with lots of them indicating on-line that they have already registered to be part of the event. "International players and participants have been registering. A person like Eni Emmanuel from Berlin has indicated that he would like to put up a performance of his famous show, Black Man in the Oyibo Man's Kitchen for either the opening or closing ceremony. He is a very popular poet in the West and has been in touch with us. We also have gurus like Prof. Awam Akpan, who will be tagging along five other visual arts professors who want to be part of the summit."

Besides art exhibitions, other activities have been lined up for the summit. According to Musa, an intellectual segment that will bring together scholars has also been designed "because we need to talk and to know what we are doing right and not doing right. We need also to compare notes. That is why a lot of our artists in Diaspora have been challenged to contribute. We also know that we are making great waves abroad. All these are being done but not documented. So, this summit, which is the peak of the gathering, will ensure proper documentation."

Adding: "This time, we are focusing on the root of the Nigerian art. As regards the conference, the presentation is for professionals in the fields that will be discussed. Thus, we have selected professors and seasoned scholars to make presentations. Their papers are meant to generate further discussions all of which will be collated for publication."

Another component of the summit is the 'Masters School', which will serve as an opportunity for the young artists to meet and be encouraged by the older ones. According to the organizers, the concept of the summit could be compared to fathers and children relationship. "We have three major roles there and I have been contacting artists, who have inspired us like Bruce Onobrakpaye, Yusuf Grillo and a couple of others. There will be 'shrines' set up for them so that when the young artists come, they will have the opportunity of seeing a whole lot of works of these artists. As in the olden days with extended families living together, we will get the younger artists to come in to seat at the feet of the gurus, who will talk to them through their art so that they can actually see the roots of the Nigerian art. This is to reestablish family ties and we hope that this will have a ripple effect as well as the tendency to touch other areas. We hope this dialogue and interface will bridge the gap between the established artists and those coming up."

To ensure that only quality works are exhibited at the summit, the official curator and his team have engaged in intuitive curatting by visiting artists in their studios so as to monitor their works and ensure that set-down format is adhered to.

Musa expressed optimism that at the end of the day, the summit would have set in motion, a major process that would reposition the visual arts sub-sector, transforming it into a money spinning industry in the country. "We want to believe that the visual art sector will generate a minimum of $50 billion for Nigeria any time one of such programmes holds at least for the next five years."

He however used the opportunity to call on the younger generation of artists, emphasizing that the forum will serve as a meeting point between the old and the new. According to him, participation cuts across every age and era of art. "Old, middle age and the young are invited. It spans across the past, present and the future. One of the bonuses of ARESUVA is that artists who have not had any exposure will get to be nurtured and in the future it will be said that these are seeds that sprouted from ARESUVA. And so they can always make reference to ARESUVA as their springboard to success."

Musa also indicated that the exhibition covers from pop art to installation. According to him, the summit can revolve around one work or artist.

Though exhibitions will hold in several galleries within the FCT, Musa regretted that poor infrastructural development has been one of the major challenges faced by the organizers. "We do not have a site that will best showcase a visual art exhibition of this magnitude. So, we are using the International Conference Centre. In other countries, there are convention centers, which are like a multifunctional set designed to accommodate any type of exhibition. Be it furniture, automobile or visual art so that if an artist decides to have an installation of ten cars or containers piled on top one another, there is room to take them in that manner comfortably."

He however believed that with the success of this maiden edition, National Gallery of Art would have been able to communicate to the government on the need for such a space in future.

While assuring visitors of adequate security, he informed that ARESUVA was being planned as a yearly event.