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After a 14-year exhibition hiatus, the duo of Gbenga Ajiboye and
Ayoola Mudashiru are set to re-ignite the Nigerian art space with new works,
using mainly oil and acrylic on canvas and paper. A wide range of
experimentation with watercolour, sawdust, and linear painting will be on
display in 60 works of art that will be on show at the week-long exhibition,
which opens at Wangbojes Art Gallery in Lagos, next weekend.

Ajiboye and Mudashiru, graduates of the Department of Fine Art
in the old University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) where they
majored in Painting, last held a joint exhibition in 1996.

Genesis

Following their graduation in 1992 and 1993 respectively, the
two discovered that they had an artistic connection, and their 1996 exhibition
at the National Museum, Lagos, was titled ‘Genesis’. They have maintained their
individual levels of art production over the years, but the success of the
Genesis exhibition has remained a high point. And so, after requests for more
from visitors to that earlier exhibition, the artists decided to do a
long-awaited follow-up with ‘Resurgence’.

Works to be exhibited include paintings inspired by different
cultural influences. Ajiboye’s new works incorporate signs and symbols of the
Yoruba culture from centuries ago. His pieces like ‘Mother’s Love’, ‘Not Our
Will’, and ‘Family Portrait’ take their cue from what he calls ‘Cave Paintings’
from the Yoruba stone age.

Mudashiru, who has been resident in Abuja, describes himself as
an artist who is highly attracted to the “linear way of painting”. His works in
‘Resurgence’ are inspired by motifs used in the Hausa/Fulani styled hats or
caps. The ‘Hula (cap in Hausa) motifs’ inform his various mediums and
expressions in the coming exhibition.

With careers in the civil service for Mudashiru and a stint in
advertising for Ajiboye, the artists acknowledge that the combination of their
day-jobs with art has not been a fulfilling experience. After a thorough
evaluation and self-discovery, they have decided to stage a sustainable
comeback in the art world.

“There are a lot of paintings in me that are crying out for
expression and, listening to this inner voice, I started dolling them out and
now I have a collector’s item,” Ajiboye said of his exit from the advertising
world. “We now plan to be holding this exhibition annually henceforth,” he
confirmed.

Ajiboye and Mudashiru’s works are, to a large extent, inspired
by music; they are great lovers of jazz. “Whenever I listen to jazz, it takes
me to another world entirely and when I am back, I flow with diverse ideas for
my expressions,” said Ajiboye.

While Mudashiru also favours jazz, he admits that some of his
works are inspired by everyday music, such “a painting based on MI’s recent
line in one of his rap songs: ‘I’m a chicken, not a rooster…'”

Challenges

Among difficulties encountered in planning ‘Resurgence’ is the
unsuccessful bid to hold the exhibition where it all began for them as joint
collaborators: the National Museum where ‘Genesis’ held 14 years ago.

To Ajiboye’s dismay, “We were told by officials [that] the
Museum is now to be used for ‘their own thing’ of preserving the nation’s
relics; yet, they have a gallery that now looks like a graveyard.”

“I wonder how they want to attract the crowd to the museum if
the gallery cannot be opened to exhibitors who will be lured to other departments
of the museum after a viewing pleasure.”

The duo agree on what they consider to be the bane of the
Nigerian art community. As Ajiboye observed, “We don’t build young collectors
and new collectors, such as someone who has just gotten a job and needs to
decorate a new home.”

“No matter how expensive a piece of furniture is, it can only be
complemented with an art work on the wall or elsewhere in the room, which will
bring out the true value of the furniture. Therefore, people should imbibe the
habit of purchasing art works, which will always appreciate in value as times
goes on, whereas the expensive furniture depreciates,” Ajiboye said.

The two artists also argued that a curriculum should be
introduced in schools for people to appreciate art, as is done overseas. This,
they believe, will help to develop people who know “the art behind the art”, so
that professional critics will come to the fore.

“It is unfortunate that artists are also the critics in this
part of the world. We need to have professional critics who, with few words,
can add an eternal value to a piece of art,” opined Mudashiru.

“The essence of art needs to be resurged in our country, to
enhance our thinking mentality, as artworks are interactive and engaging with
people continually. This is what we aim to achieve with our exhibition,” he
added.

The exhibition’s opening event will be chaired by Idowu
Falekulo, CEO, Addlo Properties Nigeria Limited; with Babasehinde Ademuleya;
Senior Lecturer, Department of Fine Art, OAU, as special guest of honour.
Speaker at the occasion will be ‘Araism’ artist, Mufu Onifade.

Resurgence opens at 3pm on
Saturday, November 27, at Wangbojes Art Gallery, Foreshore Towers, 2a Osborne
Road, Ikoyi, Lagos. It is open to the public until December 3.