Friday, 29th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search

For cancer awareness support, Ngige shows All About Eve

By Margaret Mwantok
02 November 2016   |   12:53 am
To counter the challenge cancer poses, a visual artist, Mr. Ekene Ngige is showing his works in a solo exhibition, which also includes an auction.

igige

To counter the challenge cancer poses, a visual artist, Mr. Ekene Ngige is showing his works in a solo exhibition, which also includes an auction. Sale from the auction goes to suppor a not-for profit organisation, Cancer Aware Nigeria Foundation.

Opened few days ago as It’s All About Eve Ngige’s exhibition of paintings is currently showing until November 12, 2016, at Mydrim Gallery, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Ahead of the exhibition, Ngige stated how his yearly art exhibitions have always been about women and their challenges in society. For the 2016 edition, it is cancer, he said.

One of his works, he said, would be up for the charity exhibition. “I want more attention to be concentrated on the particular work titled ‘Breastfeeding,” which he said is about the importance of breastfeeding in upbringing of a child as well as to draw attention to plight of women living with breast cancer. He hopes that with a special focus on the work, it would attract more bidders during the auction.

Other works being exhibited include ‘Emotional,’ ‘Mother of Motherless’ (Madam Ekundayo), ‘Abuse’ and ‘Hopeful.’ While speaking on ‘Mother of Mother,’ Ngige explained that the work is a tribute to an unsung philanthropist, whose contribution to humanity “is worthy of celebrating as Nigeria’s Mother Theresa.”

With October as Cancer awareness month, Ngige’s All About Eve excites Tolulope Falowo, co-founder, Cancer Aware Nigeria Foundation. “One hundred percent of sale from the auction goes into cancer prevention,” Falowo assured. She lamented that despite reduction in the rate of cancer across the world, “it’s on the increase in Nigeria.” Prevention, she argued, should be the focus.

A major focus of the foundation’s fund raising, Falowo stated, is towards getting a radiotherapy machine, saying, “The radio therapy machines are too crucial.”

Ngige explained the inspiration behind the exhibition and notedd that when God created woman from a man’s rib, “woman became the symbol of independence, love, care, gentleness and intensity – both in love and in hate,” adding, “the exhibition is my first major solo art exhibition, inspired by my mother and a couple of strong female survivors out there.

“My mother sacrificed so much of her life to fight for mine and to ensure my successful future. Interestingly, while I view her actions as great sacrifices, she views them as her greatest accomplishment, calling it ‘My favourite thing about being a woman?’ She pauses to gather her thoughts, ‘watching my children grow and flourish while providing them all the unconditional love they need to do it gracefully but not without the help of my late wonderful husband.’

The aim of the art auction is to raise funds to support financially the spread of Cancer Aware Nigeria in providing early detection screening services and providing healthcare services, financial and emotional support for women living with breast cancer. All funds generated at this Auction will be going to the foundation.

0 Comments