A Discussion Led by Osei Bonsu with Key Voices from Nigeria’s Modernist Artist Estates
Join us at G.A.S. Lagos on December 4th 2024 for Building Artists Estates and Legacies, an afternoon of discussion led by current resident and Curator of Internation Art at Tate Modern, Osei Bonsu, alongside key representatives from the estates of Nigeria’s modernist pioneers.
This event will bring together representatives from the estates of the Zaria Art Society (1958–1961), a collective that ushered in a new Nigerian artistic expression, rejecting the curriculum and pedagogy of British colonial education. The Zaria Art Society, founded by visionary artists Uche Okeke, Demas Nwoko, Bruce Onobrakpeya, and Yusuf Grillo, challenged the colonial frameworks of art education, asserting their cultural identity and reimagining the possibilities of artistic practice.
The panel will explore how these artists' groundbreaking contributions gave rise to vital institutions like New Culture Studios, The Harmattan Workshop, Asele Institute, and The Grillo Museum. These spaces continue to serve as hubs for artistic innovation, historical scholarship, and cultural preservation. The conversation will also highlight how a new generation of cultural practitioners is safeguarding and expanding the legacies of these modernist pioneers, ensuring their impact endures for future generations. This event offers a rare opportunity to reflect on the enduring significance of these artists and their visionary efforts to shape Nigeria’s cultural landscape.
Event Details
Date: 4th December, 2024
Time: 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Location: 9b, Hakeem Dickson Drive, off TF Kuboye Road, Oniru, Lagos.
This event is free however spaces are limited therefore it is essential to rsvp to secure your spot.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Osei Bonsu
Osei Bonsu is a British-Ghanaian curator and writer based in London and Paris. He is currently a curator of International Art at Tate Modern, where he is responsible for organising exhibitions, developing the museum’s collection and broadening the representation of artists from Africa and the African diaspora. Through his writing, Bonsu focuses on the relationship between art and issues of migration, race and identity in contemporary society. In 2020, he was named as one of Apollo Magazine’s ‘40 under 40’ leading African voices.
Headshot of Osei Bonsu. Image courtesy of International Curators Forum.
Rufus Nwoko
New Culture studio began in 1969 with the building of a personal studio for painting, sculpture and a residential villa by Nigerian architect and artist Demas Nwoko. The building was later expanded to include other studio facilities, including Postgraduate teaching for the graduates of arts and theatre and print press. Two generations later, Nwoko’s grandson, Rufus is at the healm of the institution. As a photographer and theatre artist, he uses New Culture Studios’ expansive, open-air theatre to showcase his performances and those of his contemporaries.
Rufus Nwoko (Creative Director, New Culture Studio) © Ibadan Indie Film Awards 2023.
Salma Uche-Okeke
Salma Uche-Okeke is the daughter of Uche Okeke, a prominent Nigerian painter, illustrator, sculptor, and teacher. Salma is actively involved in preserving her father's legacy through Uche Okeke Legacy, a foundation with a unique structure designed to advance and preserve the legacy of Uche Okeke as an artist and educator. The Asele Institute GTE/LTD founded in 1958 by Uche and The Professor Uche Okeke Legacy Limited are the two organizations united in the new foundation to keep Uche Okeke's legacy alive.
Headshot of Salma Uche-Okeke. Image courtesy of Salma Uche-Okeke.
Morayo (Grillo) Anthonio
Morayo (Grillo) Anthonio is the first daughter the late iconic artist and art teacher, Professor Yusuf Grillo. A structural engineer, Morayo serves as the Executive Director of the Yusuf Grillo Museum. The museum is dedicated to preserving and showcasing the legacy of Yusuf Grillo, one of Nigeria's most prominent artists. It houses a carefully curated collection of his artworks, images, and writings, offering a comprehensive center for learning about his contributions to the arts and the art history of Nigeria. The museum features permanent exhibits that include Yusuf Grillo's original artworks, maquettes, designs for murals, sketches, letters, books, notes, and even his tools and instruments. In addition, it showcases a collection of artworks by other notable artists and traditional carvings he amassed over time.
Headshot of Morayo Antonio Grillo. Image courtesy of Vanguard.
Ejiro Mudiaga Onobrakpeya
Ejiro Mudiaga Onobrakpeya is the second child of renowned painter and sculptor, Bruce Onobrakpeya. He currently serves as the general manager of the Bruce Onobrapeya Foundation, an artist led non-governmental organization formed in 1989. The Bruce Onobrakpeya Foundation has been an enduring player in the visual arts scene since its inception in Nigeria. It has organized the Amos Tutuola Show, Lagos (2000), the Annual Harmattan Workshop since 1998, and participated at the Commonwealth Heads of State and Government Meeting (CHOGM) Exhibition, Abuja (2003), Art & Democracy Exhibition, Asaba, Delta State (2004), and the Harvest of the Harmattan Retreat Exhibition organized in collaboration with the Pan African University, Lagos (2004) amongst other programmes.In May 2012, BOF featured the works of 20 artists at the Exhibition Bruce Onobrakpeya and Harmattan Workshop Experiment at Kajinol Station in Dakar, Senegal during the 2012 Dakar Biennale.
Photo of Ejiro Mudiaga Onobrakpeya. Image courtesy of Ejiro Mudiaga Onobrakpeya.
Header image credit: The Zaria Art Society founding members; Uche Okeke, Bruce Onobrakpeya, Demas Nwoko, Yusuf Grillo, Simon Okeke and Solomon Irein Wangboje. Image courtesy of Uche Okeke Legacy.
Osei's residency is generously supported by Via Art Fund.
