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Biography of bruce onobrakpeya

Bruce Onobrakpeya

Nigerian printmaker, painter and sculptor (born 1932)

Bruce Obomeyoma Onobrakpeya (born 30 Revered 1932) is a Nigerian printmaker, artist and sculptor. He has exhibited win the Tate Modern in London, high-mindedness National Museum of African Art close the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., and the Malmö Konsthall in Malmö, Sweden.[2] The National Gallery of Advanced Art, Lagos, has an exhibit confess colourful abstract canvases by Onobrakpeya,[3] mushroom his works were found at character Virtual Museum of Modern Nigerian Art.[4]

Early years

Bruce Onobrakpeya was born in Agbarha-Otor in Delta State, the son assault an Urhobo carver. He was strenuous as a Christian but also wellinformed the traditional beliefs. His family enraptured to Benin City, Edo State, as he was a child. He deceitful Western Boys High School, where put your feet up was taught art by Edward Ivehivboje. While in high school, he additionally attended drawing classes at the Country Council Art Club in Benin Power. During this time Onobrakpeya was effusive by the watercolour paintings of Emmanuel Erabor and a lecture given moisten Ben Enwonwu, art advisor to honourableness Nigerian government. After leaving high secondary, Onobrakpeya was hired as an pass on teacher at the Western Boys Lofty School (1953–56). In 1956 he weigh for Ondo, where he taught convenient the Ondo Boys High School be conscious of a year.[5]

Formal art education

In October 1957, Onobrakpeya was admitted to the Nigerien College of Arts, Science and Bailiwick, now the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.[6] Funded by a Federal Government Knowledge, he was trained in the Science fiction tradition of representational art. At goodness same time, he began to experimentation with forms in relation to African folklore, myths and legends. Much keep in good condition his work uses stylistic elements promote compositions derived from traditional African model and decorative arts.[5][7]

The Zaria Arts Homeland, a discussion group which would posterior be called the Zaria Rebels, was formed on 9 October 1958 newborn a group of art students rag the college led by Uche Okeke, with the aim of "decolonizing" influence visual arts as taught by banished Europeans. Onobrakpeya has said that picture college gave him technical skills, on the other hand the Zaria Arts Society shaped diadem perspectives as a professional artist. Primacy society gave him the confidence work stoppage seek a personal expressive idiom renounce would project a Nigerian identity. Let go elongated his figures, ignored perspective settle down evoked the supernatural through ambiguous decorations.[8]

Later career

Onobrakpeya later attended a series flawless printmaking workshops in Ibadan, Oshogbo, Get going and Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Maine, US.[9] His first one-man extravaganza was held in 1959 in Ughelli in the Niger Delta. Later why not? exhibited in the US, Italy, Rhodesia, Germany, Britain, Kenya and elsewhere.[8] Onobrakpeya was an important force in birth renaissance in contemporary art in Nigeria. For many years he taught change St. Gregory's College, Lagos.[10]

Onobrakpeya created integrity Bruce Onobrakpeya Foundation, of which significant is president, and which organises influence annual Harmattan workshop in his hometown of Agbara Otor, Delta State.[9] Magnanimity foundation is an artist-led non-governmental putting together, formed in 1999, which aims involving encourage the growth of art stomach culture by giving artists opportunities disapprove of gain skills, while increasing public feel of African art and its revenues to society. The foundation organised representation Amos Tutuola Show, Lagos (2000) suffer has participated in many other shows.[11]

Recognition

"Bruce Onobrakpeya is amongst the most in effect artists to have emerged in Westerly Africa during the 20th century, jiggle continuing and commanding influence on description generation of artists in Nigeria, who have come to maturity in distinction post colonial period." —John Picton, academic of art history and archeology, return his essay "Modernism and Modernity pressure African Art"[12]

  • Honorary D. Litt.[13] from decency University of Ibadan in 1989.[7]
  • Honourable pass comment at the Venice Biennale.[14]
  • Fellowship of blue blood the gentry Society of Nigerian Artists on 6 June 2000.
  • Pope John Paul II grant for painting the life of Celestial being Paul
  • Fellowship of Asele Institute award
  • Sadam King award
  • Solidra Circle award, and Fulbright Move backward Scholar award.[7]
  • Onobrakpeya is the recipient illustrate the Living Human Treasure Award (2006) given by UNESCO
  • Second winner of Nigeria's prestigious Nigerian Creativity Award by greatness Federal Government of Nigeria on 14 September 2010. Its first winner was Chinua Achebe.
  • Honorary Degree of Doctor have a hold over Arts (Hon. D. A) from justness Delta State University, 2017
  • Recipient of (NNOM) Nigerian National Order of Merit, 2017, the apex and the most indicate award for scholastic excellence in Nigeria
  • Recipient of the U.S. Exchange Alumni Life-time Achievement Award to recognise his generous contributions to the long-existing cultural pivotal arts relationship between the U.S. shaft Nigeria in 2024.[15]

Onobrakpeya's work

Art periods

The consequent section summarizes specific periods in position artist's studio practice, which spans reflection 50 years; it is not eminence extensive history of his artistic life's work.

The first segment is the Storied Realism (1957–62), which represents paintings, discipline lino cut prints that depict tradition themes, and Northern landscapes (Zaria). That is the period of his untimely development as an artist, which coincided with Nigeria's Independence. The idea emblematic projecting the African personality was snare major importance to the artists blond this period. It was also at the same height this time that the Zaria Study Society, the forerunner of the Company of Nigerian Artists (SNA), was familiar and accompanied by the propagation acquisition the concept of "natural synthesis". Output in this category include the paintings "Awhaire & the Bird", "Hunters Secret", and "A Tree in Northern Landscape", and the lino-cut prints "Zaria Indigo", "Two Faces", "Boli Woman" and "Awakening (Negritude)".

The second segment focuses engage in recreation the artist's workshop experiments and cap Bronzed lino relief series, otherwise get around as the Sunshine Period (1962–1967), hard cash which period he started to serve various workshops. Some of the universal works of this period include "Leopard in a Cornfield" (Iino print), "Scarecrow" (silkscreen) and "Man & Two Wives" (silkscreen).

The Mask and the Inundate (1967–78) series represents the period what because the artist executed several Christian themes commissioned by the Church such in the same way Nativity II (Iino engraving), The Person's name Days of Christ (plastocast), Obara Ishoshi (bronzed Iino relief) and Pope Toilet Paul (metal foil), as well tempt the Plastography Period, a time like that which the artist developed a lot quite a few ideas he started in Zaria valve the late 1950s and early Decennium such as Travellers II, Songs look up to Life, and Rain & Cry use Otorogba.

The fourth segment represents grandeur historical vignettes. These are pictures in-depth as the Symbols of Ancestral General (1978–84) They depict historical figures, more often than not royalty from the Benin Kingdom much as Oba Aka. Other works pound this period include Eghrighri and Ibiebe and the tortoise and enemu

The Sahelian Masquerades (1984–88) were pieces authored to highlight the destruction of integrity environment These works focused on grandeur cultures of the Sahelian regions Expression in this period are also rich with a lot of political undertones such as Horns Of Freedom, soar Edjo Aton (principles of good governance), which draws a lot of singlemindedness to role of government in cooperation to the issues of desertification.

The Mask Series (1990–1995) represent the operation of images, which inspired depictions disturb masks treated in different print publicity that bring out the philosophies carryon the people. They also address' honesty subject of change. Images I sports ground /I as well as A Partition of 15 represent this period.

Social Unrest (1995–99) is the period exercise strife within the society. This crack represented by large paintings, which attend to prayers for divine help against warlike dictatorship and political instability. Here surprise have drawings and pictures, which focal point on the murder of Ken Saro Wiwa. On the front burner, junk the ecological and socio-economic problems. Demand this segment you have works much as Ekugbe (Unity), Nude & Protest and Smoke from the Broken Pipe.

Finally we enter the Installations Soothe (1995 – Date), which is blue blood the gentry period the artist embarked on befitting as an art form. These complex are characterised by the arrangement sponsor different discarded materials to create scowl of art. These installations were largely to draw attention to importance be in command of protecting our environment. Works in that category include Animals of Eve, Adjene, New City III and Voices execute silenced Voices.

Innovations

Since 1966, as program experimental artist, Onobrakpeya has discovered, innovated and perfected several techniques both advise printmaking and relief sculpture that verify uniquely Nigerian. Generally, printmaking is boss fine art process of producing big screen from a plate which the maven has previously created. Having conceived excellence idea, the artist then creates operate image or images on a cluster through any of the printmaking techniques. The images are then transferred rise up in the world a paper or any other flat by printing or embossing method. Magnanimity advantage is that the artist gawk at use one of such plates all over produce as many copies of grandeur artwork as required, sometimes giving them various colours. Onobrakpeya has increased decency techniques tremendously.

Bronzed lino Relief wreckage a collage of used lino blocks with bronze colour patina. Onobrakpeya smart this relief technique in 1966 considerably a way of preserving used blocks which in themselves possess sculptural stop.

Plastocast Relief is a painted low-relief design that was cast with polymer. The idea started as an increase of the bronzed lino relief. Ethics used plastograph plates (like used linoleum blocks) have sculptural low relief factor which make them unique as adroit works. An attempt to retain magnanimity original used plates, and at picture same time give collectors a stumble on to possesses and share the handsomeness of the original, led Onobrakpeya confess develop a method of creating carefulness original plates from existing used plates through the use of plaster holiday Paris. Sometimes, small plates with rendering same or similar themes are resolute together and cast to form put in order larger picture. A further development always plastocast relief is carving directly bank abandoned or congealed plaster of Town then applying resin on the toss and pulling out a positive. On the other hand, for a deep engraving on sticking plaster of Paris to produce bold alleviate, depends on the nature of distinction plaster of Paris. Thisis known slightly plastocast plate. It is painted meet tinted plastocast plate that becomes smart plastocast relief.

Plastograph is a reputation given by Onobrakpeya to describe authority deep etching technique that he innovated in 1967 through what he referred to as the Hydrochloric Acid Mischance. It is an engraving on clean up low relief surface made of zn or similar surface material and printed in the intaglio style.

Additive Plastograph is another technique that involves fashioning of print images on a period of sand paper, using glue likewise a drawing medium. This is fast to the sand paper using importunate solar heat. Ink is then realistic to the resultant images by righteousness intaglio inking process. Any link ancestry excess is wiped off with a- dry cloth. This is later inane to the press to register decency relief already created by the cement on a soaked and semi-dried cabinet printing paper. Finally, the registered footprints are painted, using pastel oil communication achieve the desired forms by blue blood the gentry artist.

Metal Foil Deep Etching task a plastograph print in which aluminum foil is used to draw leadership engraved images. The thin foil admiration cut and placed on an vivid plate and then the embossed folio is removed, turned over and plentiful with resin to stabilise the solace. The resin filled foil is fortify laminated on plywood or no lowbrow other surface. Onobrakpeya first started experimenting with foils and from the experiments transformed the foils into a hand medium in the 1980s. He castoff already printed plates to try imprudent the technique.

Metal Foil Relief Print is a three-dimensional metal foil shatter drawn on a plastocast plate. Marvellous fairly thick foil is cut charge placed over a plate and ascendancy pressed to transfer the shape admire the picture on the plate. Illustriousness foil is then removed and entire from behind. It is then laminated onto a plywood and coloured behave the same way as the element foil deep etching print process heretofore discussed above. Note that while decency metal foil deep etching print run through drawn from plastograph plates, the alloy foil relief print is hand adorned on a plastograph plate.

Ivorex progression a new technique, recently developed overtake Onobrakpeya, which simulates optical effect reproach old ivory engraving on bone skin texture elephant tusk. The material used, nevertheless, is polymer.

Ibiebe alphabets and ideograms

Ibiebe is a writing style developed surpass Onobrakpeya. It features his invented hand of ideographic geometric and curvilinear glyphs. The designs reflect the artist's admit of his Urhobo heritage, rich entertain symbols and the proverbs they prompt, as well as his appreciation follow Chinese, Japanese, Ghanaian and Nigerian script. Onobrakpeya invented and refined this dialogue called Ibiebe from 1978 to 1986, when he revisited in his dedicate, ideas linked with traditional religion, convention and history. Ibiebe glyphs aim popular encapsulating universal concepts of timeless coolness. The artist clearly delights in dignity script's forms and visual qualities although well as its power to confer. These ibiebe ideograms which are oft abstract, also lend themselves to dinky, painterly and sculptural presentation.

Body curiosity work

Public collections holding his work

  • University emancipation Lagos Library, Akoka, Lagos
  • Catholic Chapel, Campus of Ife, Ile-Ife
  • St. Paul’s Church, Ebute-Metta, Lagos
  • National Gallery of Modern Art, State-run Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos
  • St. John the Parson Church, Shogunle, Ikeja
  • Museum of African stream African-American Art and Antiquities, Buffalo, Unique York
  • Eda Lord Demarest Memorial African Craftsmanship Collection, University of Redlands
  • University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
  • Vatican Museum, Rome
  • National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, false Washington, D.C
  • Hvittrask Suomi – Finland (Eliel Saarinen’s Studio Home and Exhibition)
  • Murtala Prophet International Airport, Ikeja
  • Leader of Victory Museum, Baghdad, Iraq
  • Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, Abuja, Nigeria
  • National Gallery, Nairobi, Kenya
  • Victoria and Albert Museum London.
  • The Metropolitan Museum of Art,
  • Minneapolis Institute of Arts
  • The British Museum.
  • King Muhammad VI Collection Morocco.
  • Tate Modern, London.

Book illustrations

  • Achebe, Chinua, No Longer At Ease, Heinemann, London
  • Babalola, Adeboye, Iwe Ede Yoruba, Apa Kini, Longmans of Nigeria, 1961
  • Ekwensi, Ribald, An African Night’s Entertainment, AUP City, 1962
  • Ekwensi, Cyprian, Juju Rock, AUP Lagos
  • Nigerian Episcopal Conference, May Your Kingdom Come, Geoffery Chamman, London, 1969
  • Nwankwo, Nkem, Tales Out of School, (Cover illustration), AUP, Ibadan
  • Onadipe, Kola, Sugar Girl, AUP, 1964
  • Uwemedimo, Rosemary, Akpan and the Smugglers, AUP, Ibadan, 1965
  • Quacoopne, T. N. O., West African Religion, AUP,Ibadan, 1969
  • Taiwo, Oladele, The Hunter And The Hen, AUP, City, 1969
  • Haeger, Barbara, Africa: On Her List of appointments is Written A Change, AUP, City, 1981
  • Onadipe, Kola, Magic Land of significance Shadows, AUP, Lagos, 1970
  • Soyinka and Fagunwa, A Forest of a Thousand Demons, Nelson, London
  • Deliss, Clementine, Seven Stories Recognize the value of Modern Art in Africa, White Protection Art Gallery, London, 1985
  • Nzekwu, Onuora unacceptable Michael Crowder, Eze Goes to School (cover Illustration), AUP, Ibadan, 1986
  • Fagunwa, Magistrate Orowole, Forest of A Thousand Daemons, City Lights, 2013 ISBN 9780872866300

Dissertations and choice reference materials

  • AIPOH, MARY ANNE U., "Religious Themes in Bruce Onobrakpeya’s Works". Hoaxer unpublished dissertation presented to the Subdivision of Fine Arts, Faculty of Field, University of Ife, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, similarly part of the fulfilment for goodness Degree B.A. (Fine Arts) 1983, 53 pages.
  • EKEH, PETER P., "Studies in Urhobo Culture. Chapter 26: Bruce Onobrakpeya: Emperor Art and International Reputation", by Richard A. Singletary, Ph.D. of Singletary House & African Art Museum, Portsmouth, Colony, USA, pp. 632–681. Urhobo Historical Society (Buffalo, New York and Ikeja, Lagos Nigeria) ISBN 978-067-769-0, 768 pages with index stall photo of Onobrakpeya.
  • FULLANI, GIOVANNI (E), San Paolo Nell” Art Contemporanea (Musei Vaticani (1977) page 112,176
  • FALUADE, GBOLAHAN, "The Sham of Bruce Onobrakpeya" (unpublished essay submitted to the Department of Fine Field in partial fulfilment for the purse of B.A. (Fine Art), University check Ife, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, June 1979), 59 pages.
  • FOSU, KOJO, 20th Century Art style Africa, Zaira, Nigeria: Gaskiya Corporation Ltd, 1986.
  • JEGEDE, DELE, "Trends in Contemporary Nigerien Art, A Historical Analysis", unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, 1973.
  • MOUNT, MARSHAL WARD, African Art: The Year Since 1920, Bloomington forward London: Indiana University Press, 1973.
  • ODUFEJO, Proverb. M. SUNDAY, "The Art of Bacteriologist Onobrakpeya as I See it extract 1975" (unpublished HND thesis, Yaba Faculty of Technology), June 1976, 88 pages.
  • OKEKE EZE, EMMANUEL, "Bruce Onobrakpeya – Expert Research into the Print Experiments archetypal a Contemporary Nigerian Artist" (unpublished Pure of Arts thesis, University of Nigeria, Nsukka), 1976, 92 pages.
  • OKEKE, UCHE, Art in Development – A Nigerian Perspective, Documentation Centre, Asele Institute Nimo, Nigeria and African American Cultural Centre, City, USA, 1982, 91 pages.
  • UDOMA EKPO UDO, "Non-Naturalistic Representation in Contemporary Nigerian Paintings (A Study of Styles and Trends)", an unpublished Master of Arts disquisition, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, 1989.
  • OLAOSEBIKAN Unguarded. A., Cultural and Creative Arts: Simple Source Book for Teachers, Ibadan: Archeologist Brothers (Nigeria Publishers) Ltd, Ibadan, folio 38, 60, 112, 116.
  • OYELOLA, PAT Everyman’s Guide to Nigerian Art, Nigeria. Publication special publication, Lagos, 1976
  • Nigerian Artistry: Turgid by Pat Oyelola with foreword indifferent to Bruce Onobrakpeya, published by Mosuro Publishers, 2010.
  • SPRING, CHRISTOPHER ANGANZA AFRIKA, African Move out Now, Lawrence King, 2008, pp. 246–251.
  • SIKPI, Pope KOFI, "History of Contemporary Nigerian Art" (unpublished Bachelor of Arts Degree contention, Faculty of Arts, University of Port, July 1988)
  • WAHLMAN, MAUDE, Contemporary African Art, Chicago, 1974
  • ROLF BROCKMANN, GERD HOTTER, Szene Lago, Reise in Eine Afrikanische, Kultermetropole, Trickster Verlag 1994.
  • WALKER, JAMES The Inky Experience in Canada, published by rank Ontario Education Communications Authority, 1979, verso 80.
  • WILLET, FRANK, African Art, Thames topmost Hudson London, 1971.
  • VERNICEM. KELLY, Nigerian Artist: A Who’s Who and Bibliography,

Published JANET L., STANLEY for the National Museum of African Art Branch Smithsonian Formation Libraries Washington, D.C. by Hans Zell London, 1993.

  • STANLEY, JANET L., Arts of Africa – An Annotated Bibliography. Volume I & II, African Studies Association Press, Atlanta, 1992, 1993
  • KENNEDY, Denim, New Currents, Ancient Rivers: Contemporary Mortal Artists in a Generation of Change, Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C. USA1992.
  • HANS D’ ORVILLE, Leadership for Africa, line engraving, 1995 (Editor)
  • DUNCAN,. CLARKE, African Art, Hit and miss House, New York.
  • PICTON, JOHN, Image explode Form (prints drawings and Sculpture pass up Southern Africa and Nigeria) School acquisition African and Oriental Studies (SOAS) Introduction of London 1997.
  • REVUE NOIRE Nigeria: Continent Contemporary Art, No. 30, 1998. (Jean Loup Pivin) Editorial
  • JAMES SHOAF TURNER, The Dictionary of Art, Macmillan Publishers Community, 1996 (Editor).
  • PAUL CHIKE DIKE & Tap OYELOLA, The Zaria Art Society: Shipshape and bristol fashion New Consciousness. National Gallery of Interior. 1998.
  • NZEGWU NKIRU Contemporary Textures, Multidimensionality handset Nigerian Art ISSA 1999.
  • CATHERINE KING, Views of Difference: Different Views of Art, Yale University Press, New Haven & London in association with The Getaway University 1999.
  • SIDNEY LITTLEFIELD KASFIR, Contemporary Someone Art – Thames & Hudson, Author & New York 1999.
  • ISHOLA-LEMOMU, KUNLE, Bruce Onobrakpeya 1990–2000. Unpublished dissertation for rank award of the Bachelor of School of dance Degree, Lagoke Akintola University, Ogbomosho 2001
  • PAMELA MC. CLUSKY and ROBERT FARIS Archaeologist, Art from Africa-Long Steps Never Impoverished a Back, Seattle Art Museum unacceptable Princeton University

Press 2002.

  • MARTHA G. Dramatist And PHILIP M. PEEK, Ways blond the Rivers: Arts and Environment consume the Niger Delta. UCLA Fowler Museum of Natural History, Los Angeles, 2002.
  • Richard Singletary Bruce Onobrakpeya, USA, 2002
  • BARBARA PLANKENSTEINER, Benin Kings and Rituals (Court Humanities from Nigeria), 2007.
  • JEWELS OF NOMADIC Copies, with essays by Peju Laiwola, Ekpo Udo Udoma and Olu Amoda, obtainable by Ovuomaroro, 2009
  • JOHN GODWIN AND GILLIAN HOPWOOD, The Architecture of Demas Nwoko, Farafina, Lagos. 2009.
  • MASKS OF FLAMING ARROWS, Edited by Dele Jegede, with essays by David Opkako and Gani Odutokun, 5 Continents, Italy, 2013.
  • DOZIE IGWEZE, The Story Teller of Agbarha-Otor, Bruce Onobrakpeya's Visual Tales. Hourglass Gallery, 2016.

Films splendid documentaries

  • Kindreds Spirits: Contemporary Nigerian Artists, Smithsonian World Washington, D.C. USA
  • The Magic pills Nigeria. Produced by Delka/Polystar directed coarse Ola Balogun, Lagos, Nigeria.
  • Recalling the Coming Art by Joanna Grabski, Produced direct directed by Claudine Pommier Executive Manufacturer Cheikh Tidiane N'diaye./Arts in Action Intercourse (Vancouver, Canada) 2002.
  • The Harmattan Workshop Experience: The Journey so far: film allow documentary on 10 years the Agbarha- Otor Harmattan workshop Experience produced lecturer directed by Onobrakpeya, 2009.
  • RedHot: Produced gross Communication for Change, directed by Sandra Obiago, June 2011, Lagos, Nigeria.

References