Nike Gallery In Lagos Presents Dele Jegede's First Nigerian Exhibition In Over 20 Years

Written by Emmanuel Agozino Tuesday, 22 November 2011 21:46

Lagos, Nigeria (Nigerian Compass).- An exhibition, opening in Lagos on Wednesday, April 30, will feature works by the US-based Nigerian artist, and art history scholar, Professor Dele Jegede's. Comprising recent works, this will be his first solo show on home soil for more than 20 years. One of Nigerian leading artist on the international scene, the widely respected art scholar stages the show in the Nike Art Gallery, in Lagos. His research interests straddle the two worlds of studio practice and art history. As art historian, his research is concerned with the contemporary and popular arts of Africa, with particular focus on the seamlessness of creative boundaries in the city of Lagos, Nigeria, possibly Africa's craziest city. As a painter, his creative research draws on iconic elements in African and Western cultures. The exhibition in the Nike Gallery will be an opportunity for Nigerians (and others) to view the works of one of Nigeria's most prolific artists for the first time since he emigrated to the USA.

Dr. Dele Jegede earned his Ph.D. degree in Art History at Indiana University, Bloomington, where he studied with Roy Sieber. He obtained his first degree in Fine Art from the Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria. Since the seventies, he has taught in diverse environments and served in academic, professional, and leadership capacities locally and internationally. He was Fulbright Scholar at Spelman College (1987); Director of the Center for Cultural Studies, University of Lagos (1989-1992); President, Society of Nigerian Artists (1989-1992); Senior Post-Doctoral Fellow at the National Museum of African Art, the Smithsonian Institution (1995); President, Arts Council of the African Studies Association (ACASA), (1996-1998); and professor and Chair, Department of Art, Indiana State University, (2002-2005; Interim Chair, 2001-2002). From 2005 to 2010, he was Chair of the Department of Art, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. Dr. Jegede is active on visitation assignments for the National Association of Schools of Art and Design, NASAD.




He has had numerous solo and group exhibitions and participated in several conferences at national and international levels. As a teacher, he has developed and taught courses in African and African American art, and his teaching approach promotes experiential and hands-on learning. Jegede also carved a reputation for himself as a graphic illustrator and vibrant newspaper cartoonist in the hay day of the Daily Time Newspaper.

In 2000, he curated two major exhibitions. "Contemporary African Art: Five Artists, Diverse Trends," opened at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, and featured Magdalene Odundo, Ezrom Legae, Mariam Aleem, Twins Seven Seven, and Kane Kwei while "Women to Women: Weaving Cultures, Shaping History" was held at the University Gallery, Indiana State University. It featured Sokari Douglas Camp, Ndidi Dike, Marcia Kure, and Iyabo Abiola. Both exhibits were accompanied by exhibition catalogs. The innovative DC-ROM, Five Windows into Africa, which contains Dele Jegede's window on "This is Lagos," was published by Indiana University Press. (The remaining four windows feature contributions by Patrick McNaughton, Ruth Stone, Brian Winchester, and John Hanson). Dr. Jegede has published extensively on diverse aspects of African art. His most recent book, Encyclopedia of African American Artists: Artists of the American Mosaic, his new book was published by Greenwood Press in 2009.

From the 1970s through to the mid 1990s Jegede was one of the most widely exhibited Nigerian artists in his home country, he has expressed his delight at being able to exhibit in Lagos again for the first time in more than 20 years, but also emphasised the political nature of his work, stating in his blog: "Equally important is a personal project of mine. My solo exhibition in Lagos, Nigeria, comes up on April 30th. It is exciting to be able to go back fully into the studio. I realized that my paintings provide an outlet for pent-up emotions regarding the state of the Nigerian nation. Issues pertaining to environmental degradation, as in the case of the Niger Delta, and corruption, simply continue to dodge my work. Much as I tried not to be consumed by what appears to be largely uncomplimentary thoughts about Nigeria, I have found it difficult not to share the trauma that comes from avoidable mismanagement by the political class in Nigeria, self-aggrandizement and unpardonable insensitivity to the plight of the marginalized seems to trump reason.




My paintings are, to a large extent, an excoriation of a systemic plundering of a nation that is blessed with so much and yet has been laid waste by a handful group of individuals. Given what is happening in the Arab world at this point, it does appear that something has to give with respect to Nigeria. Perhaps the coming elections might nip the issue in the bud. Or it might exacerbate it. The choice is the politicians". Visit the artists website at http://www.dele-jegede.com

The Nike Gallery is part of the Nike Centre for Art and Culture which was opened in 1983 by the Nigerian artist Nike Davies Okundaye in order to create jobs for young Nigerians and to encourage Nigerian women in the arts. The original idea was similar to the workshops held by Georgina Beier in Osogbo in the 1960's that led to the creation of the "Osogbo School" for artists. Nike acquired her skills as an artist through her parents and great grandmother, who was a cloth weaver, Adire maker and Indigo dyer, and was (Iyalode) head of the village women. Her father was a basket weaver, leather worker, and traditional musician. Nike started her art work young, the way in those days education was passed on to younger members of the family by their elders in a traditional manner. She had the first of many International Exhibitions in 1970 and has had Exhibitions and workshops in Nigeria, Africa, Europe, and North America. The Centre currently enrols students, while others are at present making a living selling their work, some have volunteered to stay on and teach up and coming students. The Nike Gallery's permanent display is at 2 Elegusi Road, Ikate 2nd Round-about, Epe Expressway, Lekki near Lagos. Visit the gallery's website at www.nikeart.com

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