Four finalists emerge in Sterling Bank’s ReCyclArt competition

It was all round happiness on Thursday evening at the grand finale of the maiden ReCyclArt competition sponsored by Sterling Bank Plc.

Held at the British Council, Ikoyi, Lagos, art enthusiasts and other guests turned up for the event where four finalists, who got N1 million each, emerged.

The finalists are Ifedilichukwu Chibuike who won from the Abuja zone with his entry, Devolution of Power; Samson Ogundeji from Ogun zone with Egungun; Udeh Charles from Rivers zone with Soiled Soil and Dudu Emmanuel from the Lagos zone with his entry Undressed Identity.

While the three present finalists were immediately presented with their cheques, Emmanuel, who couldn’t make it, was reached on the phone. He wouldn’t stop yelling for joy when he was informed he had won.

Chief Marketing Officer of Sterling Bank, Mr. Henry Bassey said ReCyclcArt was initiated by the bank to inspire a new generation of Nigerian artists who could use recycled and discarded materials to make artworks for public spaces.

“It is about using the power of the arts to awaken the citizenry to the need for a change of attitude in how they relate to the environment and rethink how items that should be recycled can be disposed in a creative manner,” Bassey said.

He disclosed that the response to calls for entries through social media, newspapers and television was remarkable with about 630 entries received across the country.  The three judges, all eminent artists, Olu Amoda, Ndidi Dike and Rom Isichei, shortlisted 16 finalists from the 630 entries received on transforming old and reusable objects into amazing pieces for public spaces.

The top 16 finalists created miniaturesversions of their proposed works which was submitted for exhibition during the recently held African Culture and Design Festival (ACDF) which had architects, designers and art connoisseurs from about 100 countries in attendance.

Bassey disclosed that each of the four winners would have a solo installation/exhibition in his community park or space within his geographical zone, courtesy of the bank.

“Their eco-friendly art forms will advocate the cause of the environment by inspiring the masses to reuse and repurpose waste which will in turn reduce our environmental challenges,” he said.

He commended the judges for a job well done while reiterating the bank’s commitment to the protection of the environment.

Earlier, Wunika Mukan, who worked with Sterling Bank on the competition, said  the winning entries would be put in public spaces being maintained by the banks in the four states. “All the finalists blew our minds; we didn’t expect such quality entries for the maiden edition,” she added.