Female sculptor Adebisi Adebayo has distinguished herself with traditional and contemporary wood carvings. The artist who made a lasting impression at the maiden ArtMiabo Festival in 2022 will be the only female showing at this year’s edition and receive a special recognition award.
WHEN the 2024 edition of the ArtMiabo International Art Festival (AMIAF) with ‘Sculptor’s Odyssey’ as its theme opens on April 29, a female sculptor, Adebisi Adebayo, will have a pride of place.
The Ibadan, Oyo State-based sculptor with ties to Osogbo Art will not only be exhibiting at the festival running till May 1 at the EbonyLife Place, Victoria Island, Lagos; she will also be among honourees.
The full-time studio artist and founder of Bisilade Art Gallery, a commercial space that connects her work with the public, will receive a special recognition award alongside Pius Waritimi and Drs Adeola Balogun and Dotun Popoola. The late master artist Ben Enwonwu will receive a posthumous award at the same festival.
But why is the sculptor receiving the honour at the gathering of artists? Founder of AMIAF, artist and gallerist Miabo Enyadike, explained. She described Adebayo as an artist who “brought fresh air to the 2022 edition of AMIAF, captivating the audience with her live carving skills.” She added that Adebayo “has carved a niche for herself after that debut edition.”
Adebayo, too, appreciates the honour, adding that it is rare in Nigeria’s visual art scene, primarily as the only female exhibiting artist and honouree. “It’s uncommon to see ladies as sculptors, particularly with the perception that sculpture is more difficult than painting, “ she noted.
Inheriting some of her skills from her artist mum, the artist’s works of ancient and pseudo-religious outlook combine modern themes, leading to a strong followership in West African countries where traditions mix with contemporary art. Before showing at the maiden AMIAF in 2022, she had exhibited her works at group exhibitions in Ghana, the Ivory Coast, and Togo.
Her journey as a female sculptor, expectedly, has been challenging. “The most difficult part about being a female sculptor is that people find it difficult to believe I am a female carver.” She further noted that the gender factor also “makes it difficult to sell my works.”
Happily, for her, though, “things are much better now.”
Sustainability and the need to manage deforestation is now a big issue, with wood being scarce and expensive. This has made metal the preferred medium for many, yet Adebayo relies on wood. How is she coping?
“The choice of wood is difficult due to deforestation, but that has not stopped the carpenter from making chairs, tables and wardrobes. So, as a carver sculptor, you must use what you need to get what you need, as we still have good wood available. As a carver, the love and passion for the profession comes first.”
Adebayo’s art forms in stylised sculpture of human representation lean more towards what looks like religious objects. What’s the inspiration behind her style and technique in creating these forms? Could it be her Osogbo ties?
“Well, I started as an apprentice to a traditional sculptor, but over the years, I have mastered both the traditional and modern wood carving.”
Some artists are now applying AI, with others suspicious of the new tech creeping into different areas of creativity. And most vulnerable is, perhaps, painting. How insulated is sculpture from the fear of AI?
“Well, when it comes to artificial intelligence in art, as a sculptor (wood carving in particular), the AI may have its benefits and also some disadvantages too, but to me, it will never be a problem because the traditional method of making sculpture will always be relevant.”
For the AMIAF 2024 edition, Adebayo will stick to her signature by mainly showing works in a mixture of modern and traditional carving. Her works are expected to balance the primarily contemporary AMIAF space with traditional carvings.
Adebayo described herself as a “traditional and modern sculptor” focusing on wood carving. She was apprenticed for five years under carver Tairu Bankole in Ibadan.
Apart from showing at ArtMiabo in 2022 and in other West African countries, Adebayo has been rewarded with honours like the Baobao Art Awards. She is a member of the Sculptors Association of Nigeria (ScAN).
She has mentored students from the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, while promoting modern and traditional woodwork.
and then