Critical Interventions:Beyond Abjection (review)

Toyce Anderson, Flashback, 1994 (Xeroxes on paper on board). Collection of the artist. Courtesy June Kelly Gallery, NYC. ent media: painting, drawing, sculpture and ceramics, of which broad areas of specialization and a variety of technical and stylistic interests were represented, although textile work was conspicuously absent. Though the artists demonstrated in many of the works the harsh realities of the contemporary environment in Nigeria, they did not leave viewers overwhelmed with pessimism. Some of the works were embodiments of that strange feeling of hope and joy capable of re-empowering the anguished soul and reassuring the Igbo proverbial orphan-child that "if today is barren , tomorrow is pregnant, after all." "Salute to the Withered Rose" was not just another harvest in creativity, it was a metaphor for the triumph of the human spirit , a totem of hope. But I must hasten to add that despite the merits of the exhibition, it was not without its low points. This much was evident in the poor execution of some of the works as well as the near-pedestrian representationality of the portraits which formed part of the exhibition. However, some of the fascinating pieces as well as their authorartists deserve further discussion. First, Amaefuna's three multi-media paintings are worthy of mention. Variously titled "Heralds of Wisdom," "Conflict of Soft Hearts," and "Uliism," the paintings celebrate the Uli artistic school of thought. Working mainly in a combination of colored cement (which he called sand-crete), plastic pieces, cowries, beads, metal bits and whistling pine pods, Amaefuna's paintings aspire to the classical Uli tradition as practiced by women body/wall painters among the Igbo of eastern Nigeria. Amaefuna's works in their abstract and textured surfaces, remain close to Uli not only in their outlook, but also in their emotional content. He has a penchant for employing Igbo myths, proverbs, and folklore in his work. In "Heralds of Wisdom" Amaefuna alludes to the proverbial struggle between the lizard and tortoise, popular in Igbo mythology , in which the tortoise incapacitated the male lizard by feeding him bone stuffed food, so as to prevent him from testifying against him at the animal's court. However, it is not this folkloric message that Amaefuna's painting seeks to convey. Ultimately, rather, it acquires added meaning as a commentary on present day Nigerian society. What Amaefuna will be most remembered for is his unique approach to Uli—an approach which though influenced by some of the artists the Oshogbo school was not lacking in originality. Other artists represented in this exhibition include these painters: Tochukwu Amano, Chimezie Chuta, Ray Obeta, Osita Ndu, Ghanaian painter Philip Amonoo, including this writer. The rank of sculptors was represented by Chris Afuba, Frank Onyeazia, Okay Ikenegbu, and Ndubisi Onah. The works of the painters drew attention to and addressed the social conditions of the nation-state and issues of national development . But they did not stop there; the gloom was aptly balanced in other paintings which celebrated the hopes and aspirations of the common people. One such work is Ray Obeta's "Music Makers," a striking example of what has been referred to as neo-Uliism. On the other hand, some of the sculptors like Chris Afuba and Frank Onyezia preferred to address issues in Igbo culture, while Okay Ikenegbu's abstract metal constructions of ideological nature are not easily discernible. Though one can say that he is another exponent of cultural fundamentalism. As for Onah, one is not left in doubt as to his deepscaled concern for the general escalation of social insecurity within the Nigerian environment . His "The Way We Are", an amputated figure in metal and wood, is fascinating, overwhelming and full of emotion. The only female artist represented Bridget Egbeji, is an artist who plays with and combines abstract forms, geometric shapes, and Uli configuration in her work. Egbeji's ceramic pieces pulsate with message and imagery. Her works in this exhibition, explored various textures of socio-cultural life, and the emphasis that ceramics transcend the making of pots or a romance with representation. In all, one can say that it was a successful outing for PACA and a good way of honoring Amaefuna...