US-based Nigerian artists mark Independence with Not Nasty, but Feisty

SOME Nigerians in the Diaspora were not left out of the activities held to mark the nation’s 57th Independence anniversary last Sunday. While several events held here back home, six US-based Nigerian artists also decided to be part of the celebration.

Though living in different parts of the east coast of the US, they converged on Alfa Art Gallery, New Jersey for the group exhibition, ‘Not Nasty, but Feisty: The Nigerian Side of the Story’

Curated by Happiness Akaniro, a fine arts graduate of the University of Benin and an art event promoter, the show featured about 30 paintings with styles ranging from abstract to realism. There was the traditional African mark making and contemporary African art; conceptual, traditional, impressionistic and realism.

The other participating artists were Ola Balogun, who has featured in over 40 group shows and who engages issues ranging from political satires to social commentary; Rodney Asikhia, a trained electrical/electronic engineer turned artist and Louis-Collins Ejeh, another   Fine/Applied Arts alumnus of UNIBEN.

The others were Abiodun Eniyandunni, a multi-media artist who has participated in several group exhibitions in the United States, Portugal and Nigeria, and AjibadeAwoniyi, a graduate of the Yaba College of Technology whose artworks have nuances of his life which he represents with rich colors and subtly modulated contrast of dark and light shades.

Akaniro, in an email chat, disclosed that the show’s theme was “inspired by recent happenings in politics in America that brought about a new interpretation to the word nasty. This exhibition is about the strength of a people that refuse to give up. It’s about hope and resilience. The artists in the show are some of the most resilient of people I know, all with stories of amazing journeys that got them to this point.”