Bruce Onobrakpeya

Bruce Onobrakpeya
File:Prof. Bruce Onobrakpeya MFR.jpg Bruce Onobrakpeya
Born	(1932-08-30) 30 August 1932 Agbarha-Otor
Nationality	Nigerian
Known for	Printmaker, painter and sculptor
Awards	Honorable Mention at the 44th Venice Biennale, 2006 Human Living Treasure Award by UNESCO and 2010 National Creativity award by Federal Government of Nigeria.

Bruce Obomeyoma Onobrakpeya (born 30 August 1932) is a Nigerian printmaker, painter and sculptor. He has exhibited at the Tate Modern in London, the National Museum of African Art of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. and the Malmö Konsthall in Malmö, Sweden. The National Gallery of Modern Art, Lagos has an exhibit of colorful abstract canvases by Onobrakpeya.

Early years

Onobrakpeya was born in Agbarha-Otor in Delta State, son of an Urhobo carver. He was raised as a Christian, but also learned the traditional beliefs. His family moved to Benin City when he was a child. He attended Western Boys High School, where he was taught art by Edward Ivehivboje, among other subjects. He also attended drawing classes at the British Council Art Club in Benin City. Onobrakpeya was inspired by the watercolour paintings of Emmanuel Erabor. After leaving high school, Onobrakpeya was hired as an art teacher at the Western Boys High School (1953–1956). In 1956 he left for Ondo, where he taught at the Ondo Boys High School for a year.

Formal art education

In October 1957 Onobrakpeya was admitted to the Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology, now the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Funded by a Federal Government Scholarship, Onobrakpeya was trained in the Western tradition of representational art. At the same time, he began to experiment with forms in relation to Nigerian folklore, myths and legends. Much of his work uses stylistic elements and compositions derived from traditional African sculpture and decorative arts.

The Zaria Arts Society, later called the Zaria Rebels, was formed on 9 October 1958 by a group of art students at the college led byUche Okeke with the aim of "decolonizing" the visual arts as taught by expatriate Europeans. Onobrakpeya has said that the college gave him technical skills but the Zaria Arts Society, a discussion group, shaped his perspectives as a professional artist. The society gave him the confidence to seek a personal expressive idiom. He elongated his figures, ignored perspective and evoked the supernatural through ambiguous decorations.

Later career

Onobrakpeya later attended a series of printmaking workshops in Ibadan, Oshogbo, Ife and Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Maine, USA. His first one-man exhibition was held in 1959 in Ughelli in the Niger Delta. Later he exhibited in the USA, Italy, Zimbabwe, Germany, Britain, Kenya and elsewhere. Onobrakpeya was an important force in the renaissance in contemporary art in Nigeria. For many years he taught at St. Gregory's College, Lagos.

Onobrakpeya created the Bruce Onobrakpeya Foundation, of which he is President, and which organizes the annual Harmattan workshop in his home town of Agbara Otor, Delta State. The foundation is an artist-led Non-Governmental Organization formed in 1999. It aims to encourage the growth of art and culture by giving artists opportunities to gain skills, while increasing public awareness of African art and its benefits to society. The foundation organized the Amos Tutuola Show, Lagos (2000). It has participated in many other shows.

Recognition

According to Emeritus Professor John Picton of the School of African and Oriental Studies (SOAS) of the University of London, "Bruce Onobrakpeya is among the most successful artists to have emerged in West Africa during the 20th century, with continuing and commanding influence on the generation of artists in Nigeria, who have come to maturity in the post colonial period."

Onobrakpeya received an honourary D. Litt. from the University of Ibadan in 1989. He received an honorable mention at the Venice Biennale. He was honoured with the Fellowship of the Society of Nigerian Artists on 6 June 2000. He was honoured with the Pope John Paul II award for painting the life of Saint Paul, the Fellowship of Asele Institute award, the Sadam Hussein award, the Solidra Circle award, and Fulbright Exchange Scholar award. Onobrakpeya is the recipient of the Living Human Treasure Award (2006) given by UNESCO, and on 14 September 2010 became the second winner of Nigeria's prestigious Nigerian Creativity Award by the Federal Government of Nigeria. Its first winner was Chinua Achebe.

Onobrakpeya's work

Art periods

A definitive work on the art of Bruce Onobrakpeya would have to be an intense exercise. Each of these segments represents specific periods in the artist's studio practice, which spans a period of over 50 years.

The first segment is the Mythical Realism (1957–1962), which represents paintings, and lino cut prints that depict folklore themes, and Northern landscapes (Zaria). This is the period of his early development as an' artist, which coincided with Nigeria's Independence. The idea of projecting the African personality was of major importance to the artists of this period. It was also at this time that the Zaria Arts Society, the forerunner of the Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA), was formed and accompanied by the propagation of the concept of "natural synthesis". Works 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 on the artist's workshop experiments and his Bronzed lino relief series otherwise known as the Sunshine Period (1962–1967). This is the period when he started to attend various workshops. Some of the popular works of this period include Leopard in a Cornfield (Iino print), Scarecrow (silkscreen) and Man & Two Wives (silkscreen)

The Mask and the Cross (1967–1978) series represents the period when the artist executed several Christian themes commissioned by the Church such as Nativity II (Iino engraving), The Last Days of Christ (plastocast), Obara Ishoshi (bronzed Iino relief) and Pope John Paul (metal foil)., as well as the Plastography Period, a time when the artist developed a lot of ideas he started in Zaria in the late 1950s and early 1960s such as Travellers II, Songs of Life, and Rain & Cry at Otorogba.

The fourth segment represents the historical vignettes. These are pictures known as the Symbols of Ancestral Groves (1978–1984) They depict historical figures, mostly royalty from the Benin Kingdom such as Oba Aka. Other works in this period include Eghrighri and Ibiebe.

The Sahelian Masquerades (1984–1988) were pieces created to highlight the destruction of the environment These works focused on the on the cultures of the Sahelian regions Works in this period are also loaded with a lot of political undertones such as Horns Of Freedom, and Edjo Aton (principles of good governance), which draws a lot of attention to role of government in relation to the issues of desertification.

The Mask Series (1990–1995) represent the development of images, which inspired depictions of masks treated in different print media that bring out the philosophies of the people. They also address' the subject of change. Images I and /I as well as A Panel of 15 represent this period.

Social Unrest (1995–1999) is the period of strife within the society. This is represented by large paintings, which are prayers for divine help against military dictatorship and political instability. Here we have drawings and pictures, which focus on the murder of Ken Saro Wiwa. On the front burner. are the ecological and socio-economic problems. In this segment you have works like Ekugbe (Unity), Nude & Protest and Smoke from the Broken Pipe

Finally we enter the Installations Period (1995 - Date), which is the period the artist embarked on installations as an art form. These works are characterized by the arrangement of different discarded materials to create works of art. These installations were essentially to draw attention to importance of protecting our environment. Works in this category include Animals of Eve, Adjene, New City III and Voices of silenced Voices.

Innovations

Since 1966, as an experimental artist, Onobrakpeya has discovered, innovated and perfected several techniques both in printmaking and relief sculpture that are uniquely Nigerian. Generally, printmaking is a fine art process of producing pictures from a plate which the artist has previously created. Having conceived the idea, the artist then creates an image or images on a plate through any of the printmaking techniques. The images are then transferred onto a paper or any other surface by printing or embossing method. The advantage is that the artist can use one of such plates to produce as many copies of the artwork as required, sometimes giving them various colours. Onobrakpeya has increased the techniques tremendously.

Bronzed lino Relief is a collage of used lino blocks with bronze colour patina. Onobrakpeya developed this relief technique in 1966 as a way of preserving used blocks which in themselves possess sculptural qualities.

Plastocast Relief is a painted low relief design which had been cast with resin. The idea started as an extension of the bronzed lino relief. The used plastograph plates (like used lino blocks) have sculptural low relief effects which make them unique as art works. An attempt to retain the original used plates, and at the same time give collectors a chance to possesses and share the beauty of the original, led Onobrakpeya to develop a method of creating other original plates from existing used plates through the use of plaster of Paris. Sometimes, small plates with the same or similar themes are arranged together and cast to form a larger picture. A further development in plastocast relief is carving directly on abandoned or congealed plaster of Paris then applying resin on the cast and pulling out a positive. However for a deep engraving on plaster of Paris to produce bold relief, depends on the nature of the plaster of Paris. This is known as plastocast plate. It is painted or tinted plastocast plate that becomes a plastocast relief.

Plastograph is a term given by Onobrakpeya to describe his deep etching technique which he innovated in 1967 through what he referred to as the Hydrochloric Acid Accident. It is an engraving on a low relief surface made of zinc or similar surface material and printed in the intaglio style.

Additive Plastograph is another technique that involves making of print images on a sheet of sand paper, using glue as a drawing medium. This is glued to the sand paper using intensive solar heat. Ink is then applied to the resultant images by the intaglio inking process. any link in excess is wiped off with a dry cloth. This is later taken to the press to register the relief already created by the glue on a soaked and semi-dried cartridge printing paper. Finally, the registered impressions are painted, using pastel oil to achieve the desired forms by the artist.

Metal Foil Deep Etching is a plastograph print in which aluminum foil is used to draw the engraved images. The thin foil is cut and placed on an engraved plate and then the embossed sheet is removed, turned over and filled with resin to stabilize the relief. The resin filled foil is then laminated on plywood or no any other surface. Onobrakpeya first started experimenting with foils and from the experiments transformed the foils into a print medium in the 1980s. He used already printed plates to try out the technique.

Metal Foil Relief Print is a three dimensional metal foil print drawn on a plastocast plate. A fairly thick foil is cut and placed over a plate and hand pressed to transfer the shape of the picture on the plate. The foil is then removed and filled from behind. It is then laminated onto a plywood and coloured in the same way as the metal foil deep etching print process already discussed above. Note that while the metal foil deep etching print is drawn from plastograph plates, the metal foil relief print is hand embossed on a plastograph plate.

Ivorex is a new technique recently developed by Onobrakpeya which simulates optical effect of old ivory engraving on bone or elephant tusk. The material used, however, is polymer.

Ibiebe Alphabets and Ideograms

File:Ibiebe .jpg

Ibiebe glyphs

Ibiebe is a writing style developed by Onobrakpeya. It features his invented script of ideographic geometric and curvilinear glyphs. The designs reflect the artist's knowledge of his Urhobo heritage, rich in symbols and the proverbs they elicit, as well as his appreciation of Chinese, Japanese, Ghanaian and Nigerian calligraphy. Onobrakpeya invented and refined this script called Ibiebe from 1978 to 1986, when he revisited in his art, ideas linked with traditional religion, customs and history. Ibiebe glyphs aim at encapsulating universal concepts of timeless values. The artist clearly delights in the script's forms and visual qualities as well as its power to communicate. These ibiebe ideograms which are often abstract, also lend themselves to calligraphic, painterly and sculptural presentation.

Selected exhibitions

1959 First one-man exhibition, Ughelli, Delta State, Nigeria.

1960 Group show of contemporary Nigerian art in the Independence Exhibition, Lagos.

1962 Art From Africa, Phelp-Stokes Fund, New York.

1965 Commonwealth Exhibition of Art, Cardiff and London.

1967 Biennale of Illustrations, Bratislavia.

1967 Group show of nine Nigerian artists. Show toured London, Moscow and Warsaw.

1969 International Book Fair, Bologna

1970 St. Andrew’s School, Middletown, Delaware Howard University, Washington, D.C.

1971 Commonwealth Art Gallery, London.

1972 Gallery, Watatu, Nairobi Newark State College, Newark, New Jersey Art Society of the International Monetary Fund, Washington, D.C.

1973 Afro Centrum Gallery, Berlin.African Heritage Gallery, Nairobi

1974 Contemporary African Festival, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, and Museum of Natural History, New York.

1975 Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, Washington, D.C. Sponsored by African- American, Women’s Association.

1976 Gallery of Litterio Calapai, Glencoe, Illinois.

1977 The Best of Africa, Toronto Saint Paul in Contemporary Art, Vatican Museum, Rome

1978 Tenth one-man exhibition at the Goethe Institute, Lagos.

1979 Held a one-man exhibition of prints in Amersfoort Holland. The show was arranged by Mrs. DeVries and sponsorship was by DHV of Lagos and Amersfoort. It was opened by Professor Ru Van Rossem of Tilburg University.

1980 Held a one-man exhibition of prints (with emphasis on printing on metal foil) at the Best of Africa Gallery, Toronto, Canada.

1980 One-man exhibition in Glatt Centrum, Zurish, Switzerland. It was sponsored by CIBA-GEIGY and SGS.

1981–1982 One-man exhibition of prints and paintings arranged by Galarie Glahe and opened by Nigerian Ambassador to Bonn H.E. Mohammed Lawal Rafindadi.

1983 Held a one-man exhibition of prints and painting titled Sabbatical Experiments 1978–1983, co-sponsored by Goethe Institute (German Cultural Institute) NIJ House, Victoria Island, Lagos, and the Society of Nigerian Artists (Lagos State Branch). The guest of honour at the opening was Susanne Wenger from Oshogbo.

1984 Held a one-man exhibition titled Bruce Onobrakpeya: 25 years of creative search, at the Foyer and Courtyard of the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan.

1984 Held a one-man show of plastograph, prints and plastocast relief paintings to mark the Netherlands/Belgium Week at Goethe Institute Victoria Island, Lagos.

1988 Exhibition of Sahelian Masquerades, Italian Cultural Institute Lagos

1989 The Sahelian Masquerade was shown in: Kew Garden London, Greenwich Citizen Gallery near London, and Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Washington State.

1990 Participation in Group show titled African Contemporary Art-Changing Traditions, organized by studio Museum, Harlem, New York. Participated in the 44th Venice Biennale.

1990 Riegelsberger Gallery Mannheim, Germany. A show of recent art works sponsored by ABB (Asea Brown Boveri).

1990 Unity Through Arts, National Museum Onikan, Lagos sponsored by Guinness (Nigeria) Limited.

1991 Sahelian Masquerade, exhibition in National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Gibbes Museum of Art Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.A., College of Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.A, African American Gallery Charleston, South Carolinas, U.S.A.

1992 Bruce Onobrakpeya : A retrospective. One of the events which was organized by Society of Nigerian Artists to mark the artist’s 60th birthday at the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos.

1993 The Spirit in Ascent accompanied with a 270-page monograph, a press conference and a symposium were sponsored by The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited and launched by Chief Philip Asiodu, Hon. Secretary of Petroleum and National Resources at the NIIA Victoria Island, Lagos. The Society of Nigerian Artists was a co-organizer of the events.

1994 Inaugural Group Show at the Pushkin Art and Antique Gallery Victoria Island, Lagos

1995 Seven Stories About Modern Art in Africa – Whitechapel Art Gallery, London. One of the events of Britain’s global showcase Africa ’95.

1996 Seven Stories About Modern Art in Africa – Malmo Konsthall, Malmo, Sweden. Ivorex Engravings including the Shrine II entered for the Seven Stories About Modern Art exhibited in London and Malmo.

1996 Onobrakpeya at Singletary Gallery & African Art Museum; Portsmouth, Virginia, U.S.A. Exhibition opening was accompanied by presentation of paper by son titled "Footprints of the Tiger"

1998 Wise Art Gallery, Norfolk State University, U.S.A. 1998 "Ovuomaroro" at Elizabeth City State University, North Carolina, U.S.A.

1998 Christine Gerlach Show, German Community, Abuja, Nigeria.

1999 Exhibition of prints and paintings Alliance Francaise, Ikoyi, Lagos. Promoter of Nigerian Art-Goethe Institute, Victoria Island, Lagos. Christine Gerlach Show, German Community, Abuja, Nigeria.

1999 Amos Tutuola Show – Folklore inspired art in Honour of the novelist – Aina Onabolu House, National Gallery of Art, National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.

2000 Exhibition of paintings, prints sculptures, installations etc. by Otu-Ewena Artists, Aina Onabolu, Building National Theatre Complex, Iganmu, Lagos. 2000 Onobrakpeya at the Armstrong/Slater Gallery, Virginia, U.S.A.

2001 Century City: Art and Culture in the Modern Metropolis – Tate Modern Gallery London. 2001 Bruce Onobrakpeya at Singletary Gallery & African Art Museum; Portsmouth, Virginia, U.S.A.

2002 Exhibition of paintings, Sculpture Mixed Media prints ceramics and installations by Otu-Ewena Artists International, Aina Onabolu, Building National Theatre Complex, Iganmu. Exhibition was in honour of Onobrakpeya at 70.

2002 Bruce Onobrakpeya : Window Into his Art: Retrospective Exhibition of selected works from various periods of his artistic career spanning 1957 to date, held at the National Gallery of Art, Aina Onabolu Building, National Theatre Complex, Iganmu, Lagos

2002 Exhibition: Rhythms of the Forge: A presentation of the fourth Harmattan Workshop Series (Agbarha Otor), at the French Cultural Center, Kingsway Road, Ikoyi, Lagos. The presentation comprised lectures demonstrations, seminar and exhibition of artworks selected from the Four Harmattan Workshops so far held i.e. 1998,1999,2000 & 2002.

2002 Exhibition: Jewels of the Crucible: This exhibition presented works produced at the 4th Harmattan Workshop, showcasing recent developments in jewelry bronze casting, wood carving and several other media. Works of the Otu Ewena Artists International were also shown at the Nimbus art Center, Maitama Sule Street, Ikoyi Lagos.

2002 Participated in Exhibition: Rhythms of Fulfilment organized by Akwa Ibom Chapter of the Society of Nigerian Artists. Exhibition was in honour of Onobrakpeya at 70 and was opened by Governor Victor Obong Attah of Akwa Ibom State and featured the works of over 30 artists.

2002 Ways of the Rivers: Arts and Environment of the Niger Delta: Showed Installation Akporode at the UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History. Exhibition expected to tour various cities in the U.S.

2004 Onobrakpeya at Singletary Gallery & African Art Museum; Portsmouth, Virginia, U.S.A.

2005 Art and Democracy, a group exhibition mounted during 5th anniversary of Democracy in Nigeria; held at Nelrose Hotel, Asaba, Delta State.

2006 Where Gods and Mortals Meet, New York, Columbia and Washington D.C., U.S.A.

2006 Jewels of Nomadic Images, held at Quintessence Gallery, Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos.

2008 Auction / Exhibition organized by Arthouse Contemporary Limited, at Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

2008 October Rain. Society of Nigerian Artists (S.N.A) group exhibition – Held at the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos.

2008 Auction / Exhibition organized by Arthouse Contemporary Limited, at Civic Centre,Victoria Island, Lagos.

2008 Art Expo, organized by Art Gallery Association of Nigeria (AGAN) in conjunction with National Gallery of Art (NGA), held at the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos.

March 2010 Africa Now. Auction/ Exhibition at Bonhams, Manhattan, New York, U.S.A.

2010 Retrospective Exhibition of Bruce Onobrakpeya titled : The Legacy at the Grillo Pavilion in Ikorodu, Lagos Nigeria.

2010, 'Evolving Currents", Art exhibition in celebration of 50 years of Nigerian visual arts in honour of 50 years of Independence. Exhibition was organized by Iroko Art, Abuja, Nigeria.

Body of work

Public collections holding his work

• University of Lagos Library, Akoka, Lagos
• Catholic Chapel, University of Ife, Ile-Ife
• St. Paul’s Church, Ebute-Metta, Lagos
• National Gallery of Modern Art, National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos
• St. John the Evangelist Church, Shogunle, Ikeja
• Museum of African and African-American Art and Antiquities, Buffalo, New York
• Eda Lord Demarest Memorial African Art Collection, University of Redlands
• University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
• Vatican Museum, Rome
• National Museum of African Arts, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
• Hvittrask Suomi – Finland (Eliel Saarinen’s Studio Home and Exhibition)
• Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja
• Leader of Victory Museum, Baghad, Iraq
• Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, Abuja, Nigeria

Book illustrations

• Achebe, Chinua, No Longer At Ease, Heinemann, London
  
• Babalola, Adeboye, Iwe Ede Yoruba, Apa Kini, Longmans of Nigeria, 1961
  
• Ekwensi, Cyprain, An African Night’s Entertainment, AUP Lagos, 1962
  
• Ekwensi, Cyprain, 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, Ibadan, 1969
  
• Haeger, Barbara, Africa: On Her Schedule is Written A Change, AUP, Ibadan, 1981
  
• Onadipe, Kola, Magic Land of the Shadows, AUP, Lagos, 1970
  
• Soyinka and Fagunwa, A Forest of a Thousand Demons, Nelson, London
  
• Deliss, Clementine, Seven Stories About Modern Art in Africa, White Chapel Art Gallery, London, 1985
  
• Nzekwu, Onuora and Michael Crowder, Eze Goes to School, (Cover Illustration), AUP, Ibadan, 1986

Films and Documentaries

FILM Kindreds Spirits: Contemporary Nigerian Artists, Smithsonian World Washington, D.C. U.S.A.

The Magic of Nigeria, Produced by Delka/Polystar directed by Ola Balogun, Lagos , Nigeria.

Recalling the Future Art by Joanna Grabski, Produced and directed by Claudine Pommier Executive Producer Cheikh Tidiane N'diaye./Arts in Action Society (Vancouver, Canada) 2002.

The Harmattan Workshop Experience: The Journey so far: film and documentary on 10 years the Agbarha- Otor Harmattan workshop Experience produced and directed by Onobrakpeya, 2009.

RedHot: Produced by Communication for Change, directed by Sandra Obiago, June 2011, Lagos, Nigeria.