Zaria resurges to ignite Abuja

 

TWO brilliant artists from the Zaria Art School ignited the art scene in Abuja with a joint exhibition of vibrant paintings. The golden sunflame of Zaria was beamed on Abuja and brightened the faces of art patrons of multifaceted nationalities. The paintings were astonishing. So was the idiom and the essence of the joint show held at the Turkish Embassy, Abuja.

John Oyedemi and Lasisi Lamidi are both graduates of Fine Arts from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. They are both painters even as they explored other art forms. They are both scholars. What greatly stands them out is their erudition in painting. They don’t paint like lazy artists or theorists with no knack for practicals. They paint as if everything depends on it. They are both colourists and masters of pigments. Their colours are the idioms that ventilate their inner expressions. It is no surprise, therefore, that they both dazzled their audiences that comprised diplomats, government functionaries, artists and the art publics. It has been a long time that paintings so original, so refreshing, so commanding ever surfaced from a different clime to messmerize the Abuja audiences. To place a crown on the efforts, the show was dedicated to the sweet memory of their teacher and mentor, the famous late Gani Odutokun (1946 – 1995) who was reputed for his fearless expressionism on canvas.

The exhibition titled Illusory Original is a powerful collaborative effort that succinctly reflects on  what the Curator, Aisha Aliyu-Bima, describes as “a deep retrospective dialogue and a forward-looking synthesis.”  Indeed, it was an unprecedented show that pays an appropriate homage to their mentor, one of Nigeria’s great pathways of modern art in Nigeria, the iconic Gani Odutokun. This kind of a show had been long overdue. Odutokun who transited in 1995 via an auto accident did so in active service. A scholar and painter, he was also actively involved in art politics. To him, Nigerian art must be respected based on its quality rather than propaganda. This was why he was involved on all fronts. Sadly, a straight tree never stays forever in the forest.

In all, there were 23 works on the show. While Lasisi produced 11, Oyedemi presented 12. They are all big sizes and are rich in colour and aesthetics. The themes of the pieces are also thought-provoking and awe-inspiring. Gani Odutokun must have turned in his grave, feeling happy and gracious that the youngsters of yesterday he trained are now big men commanding their own esteemed presence in the Nigerian art circle.  The Zaria Art School is reputed for its flagship of art crusade in Nigeria. The school is not just all about art; it is also about legacy. To this end, the two artists were on the show to project two legacies: that of the school, and that of Gani Odutokun.

In the past, it was Odutokun who constantly projected what could be termed as the authentic Zaria art. This is why Aisha’s description comes in handy. She says: “Odutokun’s distinctive employment of colour and his evocative portrayals of regal Northern Nigerian traditions set a technical standard, but his greatest gift was a philosophical mandate: the intricate fusion of “accident and design.”  This is an encouragement to his students to perceive artistic “mistakes” not as errors, but as serendipitous opportunities for creative exploration.” This has to date propelled those students who are today’s amsters “to transcend conventional artistic paradigms.”

John Oyedemi is a distinguished Nigerian painter and scholar. He is the current Head of the Department of Fine and Applied Arts at the University of Jos. A known protégé of the late Gani Odutokun, Oyedemi earned his B.A. (1991), M.A. (1998), and Ph.D. (2015) in Painting from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Reputed for his impasto technique and impressionistic style, Oyedemi’s work captures the vibrant cultural identity of Northern Nigeria, particularly through his evocative equestrian and Durbar scenes. True to the enduring legacy of both Odutokun and the Zaria School, his paintings command a fusion of tradition and modernity. They explore tempting and adulating themes of culture, identity, and social consciousness with expressive colour and texture. With a career that has spanned over three decades, he has exhibited widely across Nigeria and internationally. His works have been shown in Paris, New York, and Ankara. As a scholar, his theories have been published extensively on Nigerian art, history, and education. Again, the curator sums up his glorious career. She puts it aptly:  “His enduring practice continues to illuminate the spirit and sophistication of contemporary Nigerian painting.”

On his part, Lamidi Lasisi is an all round artist whose genres cut across sculpture and painting. He is also a resourceful scholar. His multidisciplinary practice redefines his place in contemporary Nigerian art. Born in Ghana to Yoruba parents from Offa, he moved to Zaria in 1977 to live with Gani Odutokun who was his uncle and mentor. It was under Odutokun’s guidance that Lamidi’s  artistic journey sprouted. Lamidi earned his B.A. in Fine Arts (Sculpture), M.F.A. (1998), and Ph.D. (2015) from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he is now a Professor of Sculpture and Studio Practice. His early activities as Odutokun’s studio assistant deeply shaped his philosophy and approach to art. This has greatly influenced a blend of technical mastery with experimental freedom. His oeuvres found in the regions of sculpture, painting, gouache, and mixed media reflect a harmonious balance between form, symbolism, and abstraction. Lamidi has participated in a number of exhibitions, and created public sculptures and murals. He has also contributed extensively to academic discourse through journals, monographs, and workshops. An active studio artist based in Zaria, Lamidi continues to innovate within the language of form, perpetuating the Zaria Art School’s enduring spirit of exploration and excellence.

In summarizing the exhibition, the Curator, Aisha Aliyu-Bima says: “An Illusory Original is more than an exhibition. It is a dialogue across generations, a testament to the enduring power of mentorship, and a celebration of creative continuity within modern Nigerian art. Through the visionary works of Professors Lasisi Lamidi and John Oyedemi, this exhibition reawakens the pioneering philosophy of Gani Odutokun, affirming that true artistry lies in the harmony between mastery and chance, form and illusion.”