Last year I mentioned here
a number of alleged photographs of Usman dan Fodio and drawings that
purportedly portrayed the Shehu that I had encountered as illustrations in
newspapers and elsewhere. I wondered whether such a portrait – either a
photograph taken in dan Fodio's lifetime or a portrait at least sketched after
meeting the man himself – could actually exist.
I suppose, I found it hard to imagine that any of the
sheikh's contemporary disciples would have produced such a drawing, let alone
had access to a camera to take a photograph. I still do. Just consider his
admonition of the customs of the Hausa-dynasties that his jihad dethroned.
'One of the ways of their governments is their …
wearing whatever clothes they wish, whether religiously permitted or forbidden
[…], and living in decorated palaces, whether religiously permitted or
forbidden and spreading soft (decorated) carpets as they wish, whether
religiously permitted or forbidden …'
The
next year looks to be an interesting one for the kinds of publications that I
take an interest in. I already mentioned Kenda
Mutongi's book on the Matatus of Nairobi (to be published June 2017) and
now I just stumbled across another interesting book to be released in 2017. It
doesn't seem to be advertised on the publisher's page (or at least, Amazon
lists Giles as the publishers) yet but here
is its description from Amazon (yes, I know the company is evil but … it's so
useful now that I don't live in a major city).
Fragile Legacies: The Photographs of Solomon Osagie
Alonge
Fragile
Legacies showcases the
fascinating photographs of Chief Solomon Osagie Alonge (1911-1994), Nigeria's
premier twentieth-century photographer and the first official photographer to
the Royal Court of the Kingdom of Benin. Alonge's historic photographs document
the rituals, pageantry, and regalia of the Benin Court for over a half-century,
and provide rare insight into the history of Nigeria from an insider's
perspective. With important contributions by leading Nigerian writers, this
volume examines the transformations of colonialism in Africa, and more
specifically Nigeria, within the context of global capitalism in the early to
mid-twentieth century.
As
far as I can tell Tam
Fiofori is one of the contributors – yes, the Tam Fiofori I repeatedly
quoted here back in the day of Next Magazine and its art and culture columns. Other
contributors are Jide Adenyi-Jones, Daniel Inneh (former minister of Edo
State), Kokunre Agbontaen-Eghafona, and George Osodi.
The
editors (or at least, I assume that's why they are mentioned above), Amy J.
Staples and Flora S. Kaplan are based at the National Museum of African Art and
the New York University respectively.
Another
little and rather charming piece of evidence that 'the cowboy' is alive
and thriving in Nigeria ... even if cowboy's aren't joining masquerades
during the Christmas celebrations anymore and whipping passers-by
(which they apparently did in the 1940s and 1950s).
I'd
have loved to give you the pics but the photographer, Olatoun Okunnu,
doesn't seem to want that. So, let's respect his wishes. Here's the link
instead.
I found this one because it was
used in a student's PowerPoint presentation that somebody uploaded to the web.
Whether these students are at secondary school or undergraduates I cannot tell
from the website. But, I hope they are not at university because, once again, there
is no information here about the origin of the photograph. – Don't students
these days learn that they have to reference their sources, including their
image sources?
Anyway, this one is particularly
puzzling. I don't know if I am being prejudiced here but to me the man in the
picture, the one on the horse does not look Nigerian at all. What do you think? It puzzles me even more since the
same presentation in another slide includes this 'portrait' drawing of Usman
dan Fodio that I have already mentioned here a few days ago.
When I flicked through the papers this morning –
online, if you must know – I came across an
article in the Daily Trust that extolls the virtues Usman dan Fodio
and his generation of northern Nigerian political leaders. It sets them up as
good examples of leadership and argues that current President of Nigeria
Muhammad Buhari should take inspiration from them to solve the current crisis
of leadership in his government.
Now, I don't want to get into political arguments
here. I only mention this article – here, in a space that I said I'd use to
organise my thoughts for my art historical writing – because it was illustrated
by a photograph of a smiling elderly man. The caption underneath the photograph
identifies the man in the picture as 'Shaikh Usumanu Danfodio'. Now, the
founder of the Sokoto caliphate may not have been the only Sheikh named Usman
(or Osman or Usumanu) in the family. However, the article makes it pretty clear
that it is him that the author is concerned with. This makes it likely that the
photograph has been included to illustrate that very Usman dan Fodio who in the
early 19th century waged war against the established ruling
dynasties in Hausaland, conquered most of what is now northern Nigeria and
founded the Sokoto Caliphate.
African Artists Foundation just published this call for entries.
CALL FOR ENTRIES LAGOSPHOTO 2011
In 2010 the first - ever photographic festival in Nigeria took place: LagosPhoto. It was very successful, with over 25 participating photographers, several indoor and outdoor exhibitions, and countless visitors who experienced the wide variation in photographic practice represented: fine art, photojournalism, amateur, professional showcased in Lagos for over two months.
The African Artists’ Foundation (AAF), initiator and organizer of LagosPhoto, is now launching a call for entries for the next edition of the festival, to be held in October 2011.
As with the previous edition, the main theme of the festival remains ‘No Judgment, Africa Under the Prism.’ Within this theme we are looking for the Hidden Stories of Africa as a sub theme to further guide our selection. Photographers from all nationalities and backgrounds are called upon to submit their stories for consideration to be included in the festival. We are interested in all sorts of stories: positive, negative, objective and subjective. Stories that show a side of Africa we are not used to seeing in the current media. The theme does not indicate a bias towards a photojournalistic approach but rather a sort of guide towards today’s contemporary image culture especially in Africa. Photographic style and approach are very important in the selection process.
DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES: 20 MARCH 2011
Please read the guidelines below for submission carefully before submitting your work for consideration.
Guidelines for submissions for LagosPhoto 2011
LagosPhoto / AAF calls on photographers and curators to submit their work or proposals for LagosPhoto
1.When can I submit my work for the LagosPhoto 2011?
We welcome proposals submitted by 20 March 2011.
2.Who is invited to send in work?
We welcome work and proposals by professional photographers, photography curators and institutions from all over the world.
What kind of work can I submit?
LagosPhoto 2011 wants to show the Hidden Stories of Africa, and any photographic story that is connected to this theme may be entered. Besides traditional photographic essays we welcome photographic art projects, and photography based multimedia presentations.
What complementary information do I need to add to my submission?
The work should be accompanied by:
*C.V. with contact details (in English)
*a short and clear description of the series/project (word/pdf) (in English)
NB. Sending in a specific series is far better than just giving us a web address where the series is to be found.
How many series and photographs can I submit?
We have no guideline for the amount of series or photos that can be submitted. Stories need to be edited to relevance; we suggest a maximum of 25 images for one story.
What are the technical specifications?
*We only accept material submitted through DVD, CD-ROM or email (10 Mb max.)
*Digital files should be provided at high quality and at a resolution of at least 1000x1500 pixels. Images through email preferably in JPEG format.
*Always save files in RGB or grayscale mode, not as CMYK. If color management is used, please include the color profiles in the image files.
*Your work should be sent as separate image files, no PDF or Word files. Powerpoint, Director, MPEG files (and such) or video DVDs may only be used when concerning a multimedia presentation that cannot be presented otherwise. Even then send some separate images (stills) in addition.
*Submissions will not be returned.
7.When can I expect a response on my submission?
Please do not expect a quick reply. We will moest probably receive hundreds of submissions and they will take some time to process. Please rest assured that everything we receive will be carefully looked at and that everyone will receive an answer.
8.How can I submit my work?
All submissions can be sent to our office in Nigeria via email or post:
You are also free to send in your work by a file-sharing service like yousendit.com or wetransfer.com
9.How will my work be presented, if selected?
LagosPhoto is not able to ship or show any original artwork under its responsibility. All selected work will be produced under the auspices of the AAF / LagosPhoto. By submitting work you agree to these guidelines.
10.Will I be invited to Lagos for the opening ceremony?
If you are selected to participate in the festival, we will do our utmost to pay for a trip and stay in Lagos for the opening ceremony, however this is not a guarantee. You are of course invited to the opening ceremony and additional program as an exhibiting artist.
My first encounter with contemporary Nigerian photography were the works of the Depth of Field collective from Lagos (I think), then exhibited at the South London Gallery – simply great stuff! And then, originally being from Berlin I’m obviously very much aware of Akinbode Akinbiyi’s work. But during my year in Nigeria, my engagement with photography was largely limited to my own shots and the work of commercial photographers at the campus sites of the various universities, and even that less as an art historian but for the sake of memories of good friends …
On the occasion of two photography shows, I was eager to see the ways in which Nigerian photographers have employed, and continue to employ, photography within a miscellany of genres ranging from art and fashion to documentary and photojournalism.
Both exhibitions opened on Friday, September 25, 2009. These shows, the first at the Ben Enwonwu Foundation’s Omenka Gallery and the latter at the main gallery of the African Artists Foundation, are quite timely in that they collectively reveal that photographers in Nigeria are tenaciously exploring the medium’s dynamic nature and analytic potential.
Yet, both shows, having seen them in tandem, also manage to elucidate key opportunities for improving the caliber and fiber of Nigeria’s contributions to the global realm of contemporary art, particularly concerning photography.
A fractured narrative
We start with the exhibition at the Omenka Gallery. The show seems to disavow any claim to a singular, unified thematic framework.
This is despite the exhibition’s forthright title, A Perspective on Contemporary Nigerian Photography, which intimates that the photographs – though representing the divergent practices – would be organised around a clear curatorial vision, or at least around a perspective.
Whether or not the exhibition satisfied such expectations is a matter open for discussion.
From my perspective, the seemingly arbitrary juxtaposition of the photographs failed to thoroughly highlight the diverse genres in which many of the photographers practise. And maybe this was the point – to avoid the clichéd trope of ghettoising photographers within the limits of genres.
Perhaps the organisers opted for a fractured narrative in order to underscore the ways in which some of the exhibited works, those by Kelechi Amadi-Obi or JD Ojeikere for example, are able to fluctuate on a continuum; being at once both art and documentary as is the case in Ojeikere’s practice, or art and advertising vis-à-vis Amadi-Obi’s practice.
Or, perhaps I have missed the proverbial boat. Recourse to the exhibition’s modest though handsomely produced catalogue didn’t do much to clarify things either.
Tam Fiofori’s introductory text insightfully broached the history and challenges of photography in Nigeria, while also asserting the need for further “recognition, respect and appreciation” of the medium within the country’s art sector; the show, however, fell short in delivering its “panoramic perspective of the work of contemporary Nigerian photographers” in a way that would make such a project palpable.
Ultimately, the exhibition came off as a first-rate ad-hoc celebration of the achievements of some of the country’s preeminent photographers, foremost among them Ojeikere, Fiofori, Jide Adeniyi-Jones and Sunmi Smart-Cole.
It was indeed illuminating to see the work of these photographers juxtaposed with work of a relatively younger generation of practitioners like Adolphus Okpara, Yetunde Ayeni-Babaeko, and members of the collective, Depth of Field: Uche James-Iroha, Amaize Ojeikere, Kelechi Amadi-Obi, TY Bello, Emeka Okereke and Toyosi Zaynab Odunsi.
Bordering on kitsch
As I navigated the exhibition, I was quite surprised, however, to see that many of the pictures had their titles, dates and signatures inscribed directly on the prints, in some cases handwritten, and in others – as is the case with Lolade Cameron-Cole’s Izola II, 2009 and Izola III, 2009 – printed vertically along the side of the photograph like text on a billboard.
Aside from being distracting, these gestures, in my view, seriously compromises the archival quality of the prints, not to mention their commercial longevity. Several photographers, though, did get it right.
Among them is TY Bello’s poetic and exquisitely printed (sans inscriptions) black and white portraits featuring the likes of Wole Soyinka and Sonny Okosun, which were handsomely hung in unassuming frames that complimented the work’s emotive nature and minimal aesthetic.
Several pictures, like Sunday Ukonumu’s Dancers, featured the use of Photoshop-like textures. Such gestures often seem aimed at upping the art-factor of the photographs; this is not unlike the popular method of printing on canvas.
These technical devices seem to border on kitsch; but their popularity suggests that many Nigerian collectors, with their insatiable preference for painting, also prefer painterly photographs.
Perhaps these artists, and collectors too, might be interested in exploring the practices of other artists – like Kay Hassan, Wolfgang Tillmans, and Tracey Rose – whose photographic work diversely reference the painterly, often abstractly and conceptually, but without being literal.
Another work that stood out for several reasons is Deji Ajose’s, Transition. Apart from being hung low in a precarious afterthought-like manner in a corner near the exhibition’s entrance, this photographic triptych of glowing skull drawings made with light managed to make light painting seem cutting edge in a show dominated by straight documentary (genres aside) photographs.
On curatorial logic
While the exhibition at the Omenka Gallery reveals faults in its curatorial logic, the photography exhibition at the African Artists Foundation, Initial Patterns, offers an analytic perspective on the conventions of photojournalism.
The show is comprised of photographs by Andrew Esiebo, Babasola Bamiro, Folarin Shasanya, Adolphus Opara, Israel Ophori, Eremina Humbo, Toye Gbade, Tuoyo Omagba, Zemaye Okediji, and Godswill Ayemoba, who together represents a new still-in-development artist’s collective/press agency.
The exhibition functions as a visual culmination of the group’s three-week photography workshop led by the Netherlands-based artist Lino Hellings, wherein the artists/journalists took to the streets of Lagos to capture ‘new’ news – photographic documents of local happenings that are premised on offering a fresh perspective on representations of Nigeria in the media.
And while such an endeavour is hardly innovative within the global context of contemporary art, the exhibition itself, with its thoughtful presentation and revealing photographs, signals an interesting departure from other recent photography exhibitions.
First off, the fluent and effortless installation of the work, on the Foundation’s second floor, made the show’s thesis quite legible.
Large prints mounted on easels featured handwritten labels that offered mini-narratives as responses to the work’s subject matter; these prints outlined the gallery’s perimeter, and were accompanied by a large board whereon a multitude of smaller prints were pinned.
While the board and the nearby flowcharts hark back to art school critiques, they also serve as reminder of the exhibition’s genesis as a visual laboratory for analysing and manufacturing images.
These devices essentially exposed the viewer to the blueprint underpinning the exhibition’s construction, and in so doing highlighted the show’s engaging work-in-progress, experimental nature.
Initial Patterns did not promise any perspectives; rather it presented a variety of individual responses to the city of Lagos prompting one to reconsider what qualifies as news.
The strength of this project rests not so much on the quality of the works exhibited, but on its thoughtful and seemingly thoroughly planned presentation.
Here’s to hoping that the collective remains focused and motivated enough to continue experimenting and exploring the potential of manufacturing reality as opposed to simply documenting it.
Form and content
My first impressions of both photography exhibitions are steadfast: one’s strength was the other’s weakness. The exhibition, A Perspective on Contemporary Nigerian Photography missed the much-needed opportunity to analyse and elucidate the aesthetic and generational shifts between contemporary Nigerian photographers.
Despite this, the remarkable quality of much of the work on display remains incontestable and relatively unparalleled.
By comparison, Initial Patterns, with its clear logic and compelling presentation offers a thought-provoking occasion for engagement even if some of the photographs themselves signal room for improvement.
In the end, if the goal is to validate the medium of photography within local contemporary art practices, then it never hurts when form supports content, and content supports form.
Antawan I. Byrd is a US Fulbright fellow and curatorial assistant at the Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos.
