By Chukwuma Ajakah

In a bid to create a cleaner and healthier environment through the instrumentality of arts, Shodex Art Gallery, Lagos organized a five-day art exhibition at its ultramodern complex, Shodex Gardens in Anthony Village, Lagos.

The exhibition tagged: “Life, Art and Nature” opened at 12:00 Noon on Saturday, 4 February and ran through Wednesday, 8 February, 2023.

While speaking at the well-attended opening ceremony chaired by the Proprietor of the famous University Museum, Prince Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon, the MD, Shodex Gardens, Olusola Adekoya revealed that the exhibition was organized to showcase the symbiotic relationship between arts and nature as well as the role of artists in creating a healthy environment. “The reason for Shodex Art Gallery is to advocate for the conservation of our natural habitat through the collective efforts of visual artists, textile and ceramic designers, craft-makers and so on,” he said.

Noting that the gallery was established to promote art as part of the parent company’s major concerns, Adekoya remarked: “Our aim at Shodex Garden is to make a paradise of everywhere, to reflect the styling, decoration and colour palette of the client’s home so that there is a strong visual relationship between the inside and outside spaces. We work closely with architects and interior designers to ensure that this is achieved.  We deal in landscaping as well as tree planting. Most of the artworks billed for the exhibition are advocacy tools for the preservation of the natural environment. Shodex Art Gallery is making a wake-up call to creative artists and designers through enlightenment and networking.”

Stressing the relevance of art to life and healthy living, Adekoya remarked further: “We all know that art, life and nature are inter-connected. Life is essential to art just as nature is important in health and life. As artists, designers or other creative persons, it is important to care for the environment and natural habitat, bearing in mind that they depend solely on nature for productivity. Improper disposal of paint media and chemical substances by visual artists and industrial designers may cause serious environmental problems. Likewise, indiscriminate tree felling and cutting of woods by wood carvers or furniture makers leads to deforestation.”

The exhibition featured artworks from masters and budding artists such as Dr. Peacemaker Efeoghene, Egjosa Humphrey Osabuohien, Abisola Cole, Adekogbe Adedamola, Bidemi Odusi, Kazeem Mumin Omotayo, Favour Ernest-Nwankwo and Sanusi Abdulahi. The works cut across diverse media including textile design, graphic designs, print-making, drawings, paintings, sculpture, fabrics, digital and photographic media, ceramics and wood works.

The CEO, Mansion Studio Creation (MSC Studio), a consulting partner and initiator of Shodex Art Gallery, Peacemaker Efeoghene (PhD) explained that “Shodex Art Gallery aims to establish a creative hub that will complement existing recreational facilities for visitors’ pleasure. We are using art as a medium of advocacy for the conservation of Planet Earth, nature and the environment as well as to motivate and promote art and artistic practice, especially among budding artists and designers.”

Efeoghene revealed that the maiden edition was organized to promote artistic creations and budding artists. The prolific figurative painter and lecturer in Fine & Applied Arts at Mountain Top University, Ogun State, Nigeria, glowingly commended the young participants, especially Favour Ernest-Nwankwo whom he described as a fresh secondary school graduate with a great passion for drawing in comic and cartoon forms, a passionate learner who is willing to explore metal works, painting and other expression media.

Entries from Abisola Cole, a lecturer in Fine Arts and Clothing at the Department of Fine and Applied Arts, Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, Lagos project Yoruba culture and proverbs through fabrics and household bits. Other works viewed include Efeoghene’s “Hausa Trumpeter” (oil on canvas 3x2ft), “Palm-wine Vendor”, (fabric collage painting on canvas, 3×2 ft), “Durbar Race Course” (Fabric collage painting on canvas, 2x3ft), Taiwo Abey’s Expectation 2 (oil on canvas), Eghosa Humphrey’s Eyo & Its Affiliates (sculpture-wood and foil) and Korede Joyce Beracah’s “SILENCE” (charcoal pencil on card).

Joyce Beracah, a contemporary female portrait artist and mentee of Efeoghene holds a degree in Microbiology, but crossed over to Visual Art practice, using her works for advocacy on gender parity. “I am a Talkham Human Rights Advocate for Gender-based violence and human trafficking,” she said, adding: “This inspired me to the artwork titled, “SILENCE” which shows that many women are being silenced, but their eyes and body language show that they need help.” Admitting that “It is not only women that go through emotional, psychological and physical abuse,” Joyce stressed that women are the most affected, saying: “My vision is to use art as a means of advocacy to help NGOs. We all go up by helping others.”

While commending the organizers, exhibiting artists and curatorial team for the huge success recorded, the Chief Curator of the exhibition, Mumin Kzeem Omotayo, a visual artist and art educator observed that: “Excellence is a product of perspiration. It comes by pushing human energy to the limits.”