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Photographer
Akintunde Akinleye, the first Nigerian prize winner in the prestigious
World Press Photo (Netherlands 2007) is among 30 shortlisted candidates
for the third annual National Arts Competition. The competition,
‘Chronicles of a Great Nation at 50,’ is being organised by the African
Artists’ Foundation (AAF) in partnership with Nigerian Breweries PLC.

In a press
conference held on July 13, Ageni Yusuf, Corporate Affairs Adviser,
Nigerian Breweries PLC, represented by Vivian Ikem, Public Affairs
Manager, NB PLC, announced that a final exhibition of the works of the
shortlisted candidates will open on Wednesday, July 21 at the Civic
Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

“The winners of the competition will be announced that day, and their prizes presented to them,” Yusuf said.

The competition had
made no age restrictions and, since the call for entries in March 2010,
organisers have received over 300 works from “budding and emerging
artists”.

The entries were in a wide range of visual art genres including: New Media, Photography, Video, Painting and Sculpture.

According to Zainab
Ashadu, coordinator of the competition, unlike the previous editions,
“this year, three overall winners will be chosen from any of the
genres.”

The prizes are 1.5
million Naira, I million Naira, and Five hundred thousand Naira for the
first, second and third placed winners respectively.

A week-long
training workshop will also be organised for the 30 shortlisted
candidates, during which they will be taught by local and foreign
experts who will be invited to facilitate the workshop. The idea, Yusuf
said, “is to facilitate the development of talents, so that apart from
the prizes they may win, they will also gain in terms of knowledge and
skill.”

As regards the sale
of shortlisted works during the exhibition, which will be open to all
members of the public, Director, African Artists’ Foundation, Azu
Nwagbogu, leaves the subject to the prerogative of the artists,
assuring that there is no obligation on the part of the candidates.

“We do not own [the
works], and do not want to own them. The artists own their works, so if
they want to sell it, it is up to them. If we can broker a sale for
them, that will be fine, but that decision is entirely up to them.”

The judges, who
will be deciding the winning entries, were not revealed. As according
to Ikem, “The winners are yet to emerge, so at this point, we can’t be
open about the people who constitute the jury.” On the criteria to be
fulfilled by winning works though, Nwagbogu opined that, “Originality
is one thing that should stand out. It is the main standard for winning
art.”

Addressing the
query concerning the shortlisting of a seemingly established
photographer of the status of Akinleye, whose works have been exhibited
in Washington, Los Angeles, New Mexico, Lagos, Amsterdam, Graz and
Madrid, in a competition specifically targeted at budding and emerging
talents, Nwagbogu said, “As far as I know, Akintunde Akinleye hasn’t
achieved the reputation of a George Cole. He has won an award, but as
far as I know, he is emerging and hasn’t had a solo exhibition yet.”

However, Akinleye
is not the only wave-making artist on the shortlisted. Also contending
for coveted prizes in the competition are: Osogbo artist Sangodare
Ajala, Stanley Dudu, Lucy Azubuike, Adolphus Opara, Taye Idahor and
Jude Anogwih.

Nwagbogu concluded
the press briefing by expressing AAF’s appreciation to Nigerian
Breweries PLC “not only for financial contribution but also for its
investment in time and commitment” in the annual arts competition since
its first edition in 2008.

Studio Visit returns next week.