Yabatech alumni in Woven Imaginations

For the third year, Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) visual art graduates from 1997 to 1999 are staging their joint exhibition. This year’s edition with the theme, Woven Imagination’ is also the second time the group is holding the show at the Adeline Gallery, Ilupeju Industrial Estate, Lagos.

This year, 19 artists, Idowu Sonaya, Porter Ajayi, Babatunde Bashiru, Norbert Okpu, Francis Nja, Desmond Dubre, Sylvester Aigbogun, Dotun Alabi, Taiwo George-Taylor, Patrick Oduone, Lekii Adebesin, Akintunde John, Kafaru Abiodun, Carew Fuad, Owolala Adeniyi, Olusegun Mokayi, Olusegun Savage, Tony Agha and Victor Assam, are presenting two works each for the exhibition.

Speaking with The Guardian, Founder, Adeline Gallery, Dele Awosika, commended the artists for their unity and the sustenance of the show. Awosika said, “my venture into the art is borne out of passion and interest for craft.

“I started the gallery after the COVID-19 lockdown. We opened our doors in December 2020 and we have had 16 exhibitions since we started and we are working with partners locally and internally. We have venues in Kenya, Ghana, Abuja, London and New York.”

Speaking on the theme, he said: “When weaving, we can imagine different things, individually, but when we collectively put our imaginations together, we form a strong bond. This is looking into the future towards a perfect beautiful place. I look at life in three ways, first is the purpose, second is the process and third is the picture, which I call the three Ps. The picture is the vision, so, these guys have imagined things individually, woven them together to form one. It is a strong message that we all need to stop expecting people to solve our problems, we have to imagine a better tomorrow and act upon it. Art is a powerful force and by looking at the works, we can imagine only pleasurable good things and that is why I’m so much involved in art.

“I hope this exhibition will put smiles on people’s faces. I hope people will like the work and we are successful in selling the works, I hope the artists will make money.”

Also speaking, visual artist, Dr. Idowu Sonaya, said: “This is to further encourage our practice and sharpen one another by coming together. We are also using the show to promote Yaba Art School within the Nigerian art space.”

Sonaya, the immediate past Chairman of the Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA), Lagos chapter, added: “This year’s edition is different because this is the first time we are having the show in two different venues: Adeline Gallery, Ilupeju Estate and Yanna Studio, Ikoyi, Lagos. We have been able to light up feelings in the country; there is currently fuel scarcity in Nigeria, and the economy is not robust but we want to make people smile and feel good about seeing beautiful things.”