Fobally Gallery Announces Maiden Art Carnival to kick off Friday

The Creative director, Fobally Art World Africa, Folashade Abiola, has pleaded with government at all levels to as a matter of urgency, support the visual and creative art sector as well as its artists, from going into extinction.

Regretting that government support has been non-existent, Abiola said countless letters have been written to the ministry of tourism, youth and sports and even the Lagos State governor, but nothing has come out of it.

“The Lagos State governor recently said on a TV programme that his government was supporting the creative industry but all their focus is on the performing arts; the creative and visual arts arm has been completely abandoned and sidelined. If the government does not support this sector, it is going to go into extinction. We badly need support and if they can give us half the support and funds given to musicians and skit makers, it will make a huge difference,” she said.

Speaking at the foremost art center in Lekki, Lagos, gallery promoter and arts patron, Larry Segun-Lean, lamented that the sector has been simply left to die. Calling on government at all levels to rescue the industry before it goes under completely, he regretted that many talents are either roaming the streets or have found their way out of the country to ply their trade elsewhere.

“Government must find a way to support painters, visual artists, sculptors and so on, they are going extinct and we need to rescue them before they all die off or leave the country. I am urging them to take a little from what is used on other less important things and rescue the sector and its creatives,” he said.

He pointed out that as a result of low patronage and poor support of the visual arts, there are very few teachers left to pass on knowledge and skills to younger ones. He begged the government to pay attention to the sector to encourage more teachers to remain and pass on their skills.

Revealing that their mission and vision is to promote African arts and artists for local and global visibility, Abiola said it is saddening to note that African visual arts and artists are going through a lot of challenges as many Nigerians regard art as luxury. “The western world embraces our art, why can’t we do same? If the artists get frustrated from lack of patronage, what will happen to the sector? If we want to continue seeing arts, we must support our artists,” she said.

Unveiling their plans for the upcoming arts carnival which she said would hold from March 29 to April 1, she revealed that there would be an art exhibition featuring over 500 African artists, cultural performances, sip and paint activities, an African games corner and so on.

“Artists are coming from all over Nigeria and even outside Nigeria to exhibit here. There will be traditional, contemporary and visual works on display from masters such as Bruce Onobrakpeya, Muraina Oyelami, Prof Kunle Adeyemi, Lenrie Preks, Francis Nja and so on. While more artists are creating contemporary works, we are urging others to go back to traditional art forms as those are what appeals to the international audience.”

Abiola said the four-day carnival would be interactive, educative and filled with fun activities. Urging people to come to the carnival and support as well as experience art on a new level, she said the carnival is the first of its kind ever and would deliver on expectations.

Segun-Lean pleaded support for the carnival as it was meeting an urgent societal need. “We need to produce more masters. The masters we have today are old while others have passed on. If Nigeria is not careful, we would have no masters left. Private individuals have taken it upon themselves to keep this sector alive and all we need is government support,” he said.

Abiola said art is important as it speaks to the way we live and archive history. “Art helps us preserve our culture, traditions and heritage. It tells our story in a way other forms cannot. Someone can pick a piece of art and say which period it is from; paintings preserve times and places. Art tells us where we are coming from, where we are and where we are going.”

Expressing deep worry over the future of creative arts, Segun-Lean said because of the skyrocketing inflation now, many artists cannot afford materials, hence, cannot create or even live off their skill.

“Nigerian artists are the bastion of creativity and have sustained this country’s heritage for many years, yet, are suffering. Art works always appreciate in value compared to performing arts. Art is a store of value and we hear works selling for thousands of dollars. Why can’t we have this for our local artists? Every year an art piece is alive, it increases in value,” he said.

He told the government that it could even bring in massive forex by selling artworks abroad in big auction houses, as Nigerian art is well loved overseas.