Running a gallery is a herculean task in Nigeria- Okundaye

Mrs Nike Davis-Okundaye, the Chief Executive Officer, Nike Art Gallery, on Tuesday said
managing a gallery was a herculean task and costly, especially in Nigeria.

Okundaye told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that to run a gallery like hers was very tasking because it required one to devote time and resources for it to succeed.

She however stressed the need to acquire the necessary training on how to handle and maintain a gallery.

“Even though I run a gallery, I went to learn how to run it in Iowa in the U.S. to enable me do a good job of it.

“The first gallery I was running was opened in 1968 and I ran it for almost 10 years and was not making any progress.

“In 1978, when the opportunity came to go to Iowa, they took us to several galleries until I found the one that I felt I could learn from and I stayed back,” she said.

The artist said that in managing a gallery, a lot of efforts was needed to ensure that the artworks were in good condition and were not damaged.

“Everyday, you have to be checking the whole work to avoid damage.”

“They might be damp and or might tilt to one side or people might touch it in the course of watching them, you have to correct it.”

“If you have a work inside a glass frame, some moist might have gathered inside, you still have to do something to dry it.”

“You have to change every work in a week, look at the back to see if it is wet and faulty so you can change them.”

“So, you can see that it is a lot of hard work, but you have to devote time for the gallery,” she said.”

Okundaye said that in Nigeria, the major challenge of running a gallery was lack of electricity, which made it compulsory to run generator for long hours.

“Also, one needs a lot of space to have a good gallery and some staff because you cannot work alone,” she said

She advised anyone that planned to own a gallery should ensure that they went for some training to enable them know the nitty-gritty of the business.

“You cannot afford to be careless with people’s art works in your custody. When you are not trained, it is hard to do anything properly,” she said.

In 2002, Okundaye, a Kogi State indigene, established Arts and Culture Research Center at Jikwoyi Village, FCT, Abuja, that houses an art gallery and textile museum.

In 2007, she founded the Nike Art and Culture Foundation with the aims of fostering the Nigerian cultural heritage.

She also has Nike Art and Cultural Centre in Osogbo, Osun State, where trainings are offered free of charge to Nigerians in various forms of arts. 

The center was established in 1983.