Dr Gbadamosi Adefemi Fola David, an artist, medical doctor and philanthropist, in this interview with Adewunmi Adedayo, talks about how he combines art, medicine and philanthropy, and how he facilitated a grant to support young African artists from the South African arts commission. Excerpts:
What does art mean to you?
Art to me is a language, a form of expression and a form of communication. This is why I believe art is all around us, speaking to us every day.
Which of your works is the most valuable to you?
Every one of my artworks takes the place of most valuable. I love all my pieces because they all touch very important subjects and hence very important to me.
What do you feel when you see an artwork?
Every art speaks to me. I always try to understand the artist’s view and emotions.
How do you get the inspiration on what to work on?
I am inspired by my everyday life and interaction with the world around me. Most of my inspiration comes from my daily dialogue with patients in the hospital. I see the world through their eyes and feel what they feel.
How important is art to man?
Art is all around us. It has many uses and has remained important for many years, especially as a means of self expression. Art helps build self-esteem, which can be particularly helpful for many individuals.
When I started my skin series where I depicted different skin conditions with art, I noticed the effect it had in the lives of so many people. I received several messages from people about how confident my art made them, how educative it was for people who didn’t know much about the conditions and how beautiful people can be if only they accept who they are and get comfortable in their own skin.
This way, I saw art take a whole new meaning and saw how powerful speaking through art can be. Art truly speaks beauty and emotions in ways that words cannot.
As an artist, when’s your favourite time of the day to work?
Very early. From 4:00 a.m. till I get tired.
You are also a medical doctor and philanthropist; how do you combine all these?
It gets very hard sometimes but proper planning really helps. Also, I always find a way to merge all my work together and that helps.
Tell us about your plans for a gallery?
I will be opening a gallery much later in the future. I currently work from my studio in Lekki Phase 1
You have a foundation with the motto, ‘Health and Creativity,’ how do you ensure creativity in participants?
The Foladavid Care Foundation stands for health and creativity. I established this foundation primarily for these purposes. Apart from the medical outreaches and community programmes, we also embark on creative and art projects in communities and schools. I strongly believe In starting early and if I can play my part in sensitising the young ones about the power and beauty of art, I believe the nation as a whole will be a much beautiful place.
You recently secured a $25,000 grant from the South African Arts commission, what is the grant all about and how will it benefit Nigerian adults?
The grant is aimed at providing young visual artists the needed opportunity to participate and benefit from a digital art gallery, visual art talent development and an SA-Nigeria Residency and Exchange Initiative.
It will also lead to the development of an animated cultural heritage project and animation hubs, in conjunction with Digital Canvas Academy, across multiple African countries, the first of which has been established in Limpopo, South Africa.
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