By
Udemma Chukwuma
 |
| Obiago |
One
topic which keeps sprouting up time and again is whether full-time studio artists should
diversify. This question hangs over any discussion, especially now that the
economic situation in the country has become unpredictable. Many have put
serious question marks on the future of artists who are not selling and
practically living from hand to mouth, through the proceeds of their
artworks.
“Artists who are into full-time studio practice have
to be patient or they diversify. They should be up and doing, they should use
their artistic knowledge and skills for a broader range of issues,” said Sandra
Mbanefo Obiago, an art curator.
Obiago thinks that artists who
can teach should do so and those who can write, or do other works should, rather
than wait for a collector to buy their work, before they eat, which might not even
be immediate. “Obviously,
the whole economic downturn is affecting the art industry, we are not immune to
the situation, but we continue to hope that things will pick up,” she said.
Despite the challenges the sector is facing, Obiago who
has curated numerous art exhibitions said, “We must continue as social and
artistic advocates to ensure that despite the difficult times that we are all
going through, art is still being promoted. Art can give a higher
calling, give us hope, help us to aspire to the good society; reflect our mood
and serve as a source of inspiration.”
When asked the criteria she uses when considering curating
for an artist, she said; “Over the years, we have an artistic calendar and the
artistic programme allows us to say we are going to focus on two or three
masters to show, one or two senior artists and we also give an opportunity to
emerging artists, who have not done any exhibition before. We could make a range of career artists. During the year, we try to pick high and low artists, and also
pick different artists for a different theme for the different exhibitions. I am
always looking for creativity, I am looking for an artist that can present
something from a fresh angle and also looking for new media.
What is art to her?
“Art to me is beautiful and the inspirational aspect
of life. Without art, we will not have colours. You look at God’s creation. What
inspired us to be artistic in our own way. We are artistic beings. Humanity is
artistic, whether we show it through our fashion, through the way we make our
hair, through our Jewellery, we may sing the way dance. Art is part of our DNA,
art makes life rich and colourful. It is part of our moral fabric, whether
times are good or bad we sing. Whether times are good or bad, we draw… Art is a
reflection of our mood, it is a reflection of our national psychic and how we see
life.”
About
Sandra Mbanefo Obiago
Sandra Mbanefo Obiago is a
multi-faceted art curator, writer, photographer, poet, art collector and award-winning filmmaker. She has curated art shows and worked with the local creative
industry to promote the best of Nigerian art.
Obiago ran the communications
program in Sub-Saharan Africa for the environmental group, WWF International for
eight years before founding and running Communication for Change, a media for
development social enterprise in Nigeria for fourteen years. She is a social
activist and her campaigns, films, radio programs and publications have touched
on themes such as human rights, women’s empowerment, health including HIV and
AIDS, environment, democracy and good governance. She organized conferences, workshops,
and symposia for Nigeria’s growing film industry and helped develop a course on
Media Enterprise at the Pan African University.
Obiago produced and directed
many films over the years, including a five-part documentary film series, Red
Hot: Nigeria’s Creative Industries, featuring artists from the film, music,
performance and visual arts sectors. She was Associate Producer of the feature
film, Half of a Yellow Sun, adapted
from the award-winning novel by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
She has been involved in many
community initiatives and served as a trustee of the Convention On Business
Integrity (CBI), she was a member of the Advisory Council of the Nigerian
National Film Institute and has served as a member of the jury of the Nigeria
Media Merit Awards and African International Film Festival (AFRIFF) awards.
Obiago is a Fellow of the Aspen Institute’s African Leadership Initiative for
West Africa (ALIWA) and has served as a Sunday School teacher since her teens.
She received an M.A in Telecommunications from Michigan State University, and a
Bachelor of Education degree in English and German from the University of
Manitoba, in Canada. She is happily married with three children.
No comments:
Post a Comment