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The third annual
Grillo Pavilion Visual Arts Fiesta, billed as a celebration of painter,
sculptor, architect and designer, Demas Nwoko, was held in Ikorodu,
Lagos, on Saturday, April 23.
The reclusive
Nwoko, whose wood sculpture ‘The Wise Man’ fetched N9 million at a
Lagos auction last November, made a rare trip from his Idumuje Ugboko
hometown in Delta State with members of his family to attend the Grillo
Pavilion event.

Timeless paintings,
sculptures, terracotta and architectural designs by the artist were on
display during the fiesta. ‘Agbor Dancers’ (1968), a terracotta piece
showing a seductive Niger Delta dance; and a painting ’Hunter in War
Scene’ (1967) were among the many works on display, spanning the career
of the artist, who is one of the famed Zaria rebels.

The well laid-out
garden of the pavilion formed the setting for massive images of Nwoko’s
architectural designs (buildings and decorative carvings). Guests could
take leisurely walks across neat lawns for closer inspection of the
buildings, which attest to the artist-architect’s unique vision as
manifested in poetically composed buildings across the country. The Oba
Akenzua Cultural Centre in Benin City; Bishop’s Court in Issele-Uku;
the Dominican Chapel in Ibadan and the New Culture Studio in the same
city – featured prominently in the large photographs on display. On a
raised platform beside one walkway, were pieces of wood tables and
chairs, also by the artist. Of particular interest to viewers inside
the exhibition hall of the pavilion were a pair of large wood
sculptures of a nude couple, ‘Adam and Eve’, that formed a centerpiece
on the ground floor of the storey building.

Universal Artist

The enterprise and
creativity of Nwoko, described as a ‘universal/total artist’ because of
his ability to combine architecture with literature, philosophy,
politics and the performance arts, were acknowledged by guests at the
celebration.

A special guest was
Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, who said, “There is something spiritual
about his painting on canvas which is the universal essence of artistic
interpretation.” He disclosed that he would get one of Nwoko’s
paintings, and ensure that “Demas’ works are involved in the [2012]
Black Heritage Festival in Lagos.”

One of the Nwoko’s
protégés, Oba Gbenga Sonuga, the Fadesewa of Simawa who also studied in
Zaria, noted that, “There is no better teacher than Demas. With him,
there could never be a wrong design in architecture and the same
principles he applies to theatre.” Sonuga also disclosed that ‘Child of
Paradise’, the play performed on the opening night of FESTAC ’77, was
directed by Nwoko.

Art historian Dele
Jegede urged the federal government to set up an endowment in support
of visual artists like Nwoko. He noted that, “Nwoko’s art is an
assertion of independence despite the lack of support from government…
One can only imagine what he could have done if there was such a
support.”

Jegede recalled his
first encounter with Nwoko’s work around 1984, asserting that the
latter has “shaped painting, despite his exit since 1974.”

Artist of all frontiers

The first Zaria
rebel celebrated at the annual fiesta (2009), the renowned Yusuf
Grillo–after whom the pavilion is named–described Nwoko as an artist
on all frontiers. “All the creative endeavours of Demas have the same
denominator, which distills everything from dancing to drawing to
poetry to painting. So Demas Nwoko is somebody that cannot be caged.”
Grillo also affirmed that “[Demas] was always ready to go out to do
extraordinary things.”

The arts editor of
Compass newspaper and anchor of the interactive session, Chuka
Nnabuife, defined the celebrant as a “cross-breed between Nigeria’s
modern art and post modernism.” He marvelled that Nwoko had stopped
producing art since the ‘70s yet “his paintings are still very
contemporary even with modern-day art.” Nnabuife further described
Nwoko’s designs as “revolutionary, [in] that they reduce architecture
to environmental things.” He also wondered why the artist withdrew from
public and has refused to “communicate his ideology to the new
generation.”

Hit me in the eye

In response, Demas
Nwoko expressed his gratitude to the organisers and guests for the
honour; and did so by translating a sentiment from his mother-tongue
into English. “In my language, when we want to say we are surprised, we
say: it hit me in the eye,” he said but added that, “it did not blind
me.”

He disclosed that
the basis of his art is demystifying things, “[to] make things so
simple that everyone understands it.” The artist, who touched on the
roots of the Zarianists, claimed the movement was not unique because it
arrived at independence and everyone was keying into it. “So what
happened in Zaria also happened in the University of Ibadan and that
was what led to the throw-up of Wole Soyinka, JP Clark and many others.”

Nwoko explained
that the variety in his creativity was enhanced because he resided in
Ibadan where he interacted with art students in the University of
Ibadan during his holiday breaks.

He noted that what
set him apart as an architect was that, “I have always set out to be
one since childhood when I always played with building houses.”He
revealed that his father was an architect and “I took after him.”
Though he went ahead to study fine art, Nwoko admitted he did so
because “I also loved to draw but I could always come to architecture,
because it was natural to me.” He described his works as ‘classic art’.
“I was born free; I just did what I wanted to do. I was complete,
unrealistic, not thinking I will earn anything off what I did.
Therefore, I completely enjoyed what I did,” he said.

He recalled that
his works once attracted derisive laughter from his colleagues when he
was setting out but observed that, “now, that story has changed and a
different song is sung by everyone.”

Finishing school

Nwoko called for
the creation of a ‘finishing school’ for architecture graduates, to
arrest declining standards in the country. He noted that “formal
education in the university does not provide the [opportunity] for
practicals.” The finishing schools, he suggested, “will let the
graduates practice the skill.” He disclosed that he is negotiating with
the federal government to sponsor a creative workshop to assist
architects in Ibadan, “where it all began” – and in Idumuje Ugboko.

Rounding off the
event, the host Rasheed Gbadamosi disclosed that it was a long-drawn
effort to get Nwoko out of Idumuje-Ugboko. “We are celebrating you
because we want something from you which we might lose soon,” he said.
Gbadamosi revealed that another Zaria ‘rebel’ also present, Uche Okeke,
will be the next artist to be celebrated at the Grillo Pavilion.

Among the many
artists and art figures in attendance were, Adeola Balogun, Mufu
Onifade, Sammy Olagbaju, Yemisi Shyllon, Bolanle Austen-Peters, Ndidi
Dike, Kolade Oshinowo and former Miss Nigeria, Helen Prest-Ajayi.
Popular highlife musician, London-based Tunji Oyelana, was on hand to
serenade guests with classic old school tunes and he rendered a special
track for Nwoko.