DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN NIGERIAN ART By Gloria ikibah

Women right issues takes its root from the Aba Women’s riot of 1929, when the women in the south-eastern town of Aba resisted the colonial governments attempt to impose tax on womenfolk. It is only recently that women in Nigeria started receiving academic attention. The appearance of women in the Nigeria art scene would better be discussed against a background of commencement of modern art period in Nigeria which started in the days of Aina Onabolu in the early 1920’s.0

It is relevant that against these backgrounds of under representation, under publicity and under projection of the contribution of women and women artist to modern Nigerian art owing to the issues mentioned above, it is evident that not much has been written on the contribution of women artist. There are women who have actually contributed to modern Nigerian art and these women must be understood and appreciated instead of been neglected as most scholars in the past have done. The lack of an in-depth study and proper documentation of these contributions has left art observers and laymen with the impression that women artist do not exist in Nigeria but I tell you, the only places we have not found women artist are where we have not yet looked.

Since the earliest times women have made pottery and clay sculptures and they have cooked, carried water, store and served food in pottery. They have used ceramics in domestic rituals and decorative displays. The late Ladi Kwali is one of the women who contributed immensely to the development of contemporary Nigerian art. She trained and practiced in the 20^th century and is know for her contribution to the development of modern art practice in Nigeria.

Pottery in Nigeria has for centuries been the exclusive preserve of the womenfolk. Pottery, in all Nigerian traditional cultures is used for utilitarian purposes such as cooking and especially for water storage. Some tribes and cultures also use pots as religious symbols, hence the intricate ornamentation that is typical of such items.

Ladi Kwali was born in 1925 to Gbagyi parents in Kwali in the present Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Nigeria. She grew up in a family in which the womenfolk made pots for a living and was apprenticed to an aunt who taught her the traditional pottery techniques of the Gbagyi people, in which pots were made by the coil and pinch techniques and then given an open firing. The three basic shapes were the randa , a large water storage pot, the kasko , a household storage pot, and the tulu , an elaborately decorated storage pot often used in religious festivals. These shapes remained in her repertory throughout her life. In 1954, she joined the Abuja pottery which is currently named after her; she also conducted workshops, demonstrations and exhibitions in London, Germany, Italy, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Switzerland and major cities in the United States of America between 1958 – 1963. Back here at home she lectured and gave demonstrations on part-time basis at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

Ladi Kwali was the best artist not the best technician. She was awarded the MBE in 1963 and at first she was best known outside Nigeria, but at the end of her life she was an important figure in Nigerian culture – a figure that helped to piblicise Nigeria in the west. She was awarded Honourary Degree by Ahmadu Bello University by 1977 and Abuja pottery was renamed after her death in 1984. She also received other honours in her lifetime which include: Officer of the order of the Niger in 1981, Silver Award for Excellence, Tenth International Exhibition for ceramic Art, Smithsonian Institute Washington DC.

Ladi Kwali moved from being a village potter to a star and an artist potter in the western tradition. Her works was bought by collectors and museums in the Europe and America. Her pots are a hybrid cultural form, but their process of construction. The coiling technique was “primitive” and “African” which would appeal ironically to a sophisticated taste educated in modernism where “primitivism” has been such an important element. At the same time its glazed stoneware body aligned it to the western studio pottery. A major factor to the promotion of her work was her personal appearance as a demonstrator.

By the time she died in 1983, Dr Ladi Kwali was Nigeria’s best known potter. She left a rich legacy of her work and a school of ‘students’ who picked up from where she left at the Abuja Pottery Training Centre amongst are student is Dr. Abbas Ahuwan a lecturer at the Ahmadu Bello university, Zaria who later introduced the “Udu” drum in the United States of America. Dr Ladi Kwali remained associated with the Abuja pottery works till she died. She gave lectures and demonstrations at home and abroad on her craft throughout her career. Speaking to She World, Abbas Ahuwan says "Ladi Kwali was an international figure that earned respect in the field of pottery. Many international communities had shown interest to invest in her works,''

Ladi Kwali would also be remembered for being to post-colonial traditional Nigerian Pottery what Lamidi Fakeye was to post-colonial wood carving.

The art history of modern Nigeria has been told and is still been told in various forms and styles. The development of modern Nigerian art and has been the duty of artist and non-artist but there appears to be a bias against the documentation of the contribution of women artist which make it appear as though there are no great women artists or that women artists have not been contributing to the development of modern Nigerian art.

Healing Through Arts

ART THERAPY: Healing Through Arts
By Gloria Ikibah
We may wonder what art therapy is but first of all; what is a therapy? Therapy is the act of caring for someone (as by medication or remedial training etc); Art therapy therefore is a form of expressive therapy that uses art materials, such as paints, chalk and markers, art therapy combines traditional psychotherapeutic theories and techniques with an understanding of the psychological aspects of the creative process, especially the affective properties of the different art materials. As a mental health profession, art therapy is employed in many clinical settings with diverse populations. Art therapy can be found in non-clinical settings as well as in art studios and in workshops that focus on creativity development. Closely related in practice to marriage and family therapists, art therapists in the state of California are certified additionally as MFTs. Art therapists work with children, adolescents, and adults and provide services to individuals, couples, families, groups, and communities.
Mr. Kent Onah a senior lecturer at the Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi in Edo state who is practicing Art therapy in Nigeria defines art therapy as a response to natural healing process using energies; he also added that art therapy is an art of creating a natural environment or activity that can generate healing. In his words “generally I call it alternative to drugs (synthetic substance)”.
We may then wonder what are the purposes or essence of art therapy. The purpose of art therapy is much the same as in any other psychotherapeutic modality: to improve or maintain mental health and emotional well-being. But whereas some of the other expressive therapies utilize the performing arts for expressive purposes, art therapy generally utilizes drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, and other forms of visual art expression. For that reason art therapists are trained to recognize the nonverbal symbols and metaphors that are communicated within the creative process, symbols and metaphors which might be difficult to express in words or in other modalities. By helping their clients to discover what underlying thoughts and feelings are being communicated in the artwork and what it means to them, it is hoped that clients will not only gain insight and judgment, but perhaps develop a better understanding of themselves and the way they relate to the people around them. According to Malchiodi (2006) "Art making is seen as an opportunity to express oneself imaginatively, authentically, and spontaneously, an experience that, over time, can lead to personal fulfillment, emotionally reparation, and transformation. This view also holds that the creative process, in and of itself, can be a health-enhancing and growth-producing experience."
Kent Onah an art therapist and Senior Lecturer at the Auchi Polytechnic in Edo State who explained that there are classifications of art therapy Kent says that “just as there are different branches of art so also art therapy is classified into music therapy. Drama as therapy, painting therapy, drawing and colour therapy e.tc”, according to Kent Onah in art therapy “it is not essentially the product but the processes that is most necessary but in the case of painting both the product and the process are therapeutic”. In other words, in-depth knowledge is essential for a painter who wishes or desires to become a colour therapist or an art therapist and also having in mind that clinical training is very essential before one can be certified to practice.
With the sale of fake drugs around the globe it is most expedient or rather essential that we try art therapy which can and should be trusted. Basically colours has a way of adding life to a sick person that is why in most psychiatric and pediatric homes make use of colours to treat their patient by putting a work of art (painting) in the wards or room. Art in Nigeria is moving to a next level and is going beyond aesthetics and has to become relevant in the health sector according to Kent Onah. From my finding, art therapy is not practiced in Nigeria as a course or an area of specialty; it requires intense training and is not popular in this part of the world. According to the American Art Therapy Association, art therapy is based on the belief that the creative process of art is both healing and life-enhancing. Art therapists use the creative process and the issues that come up during art therapy to help their clients increase insight and judgment, cope better with stress, work through traumatic experiences, increase cognitive abilities, have better relationships with family and friends, and to just be able to enjoy the life-affirming pleasures of the creative experience. The term art therapist is reserved for those that are professionals trained in both art and therapy and hold a master's degree in art therapy.
Art therapy is for everybody; for managers and staff under pressure, for people who are generally stressed and over worked, for people with mental health problems, for people with severe learning difficulties, for children and young people who have problems conforming in school with personal problems at home. Presently in Nigeria it is difficult to say places where it has been used but speaking to me Kent Onah says “it may be available in some hospitals” he adds but I know of it in Pax Medical Centre at Ewu, Esan- Edo State headed by Reverend Father Anslem Adodo”.
Kent Onah says that the methods of applying art therapy for healing are varied and depend on a great deal not only on the therapist preference but most importantly on the client’s level of receptivity. It is most important that the therapist properly evaluates the individual whom is been treated. He adds “we are each unique in our own way, therefore our needs are different and our responses vary accordingly. So one must learn to check out each problem and then apply the tools that will help in that particular situation”. Ken further explain that in art therapy, with some people, pure visualization of a colour, wearing or working with a particular colour may be sufficient and perhaps may even gives forth a greater vibrational energy than when the therapist is using a physical tool. On the other hand Kent says that some people may not realize the power of visualization, and it is very important that the physical application of the technique be seen which can be trace to the ancient African and Asian healing practices.
In art therapy, all colours are useful and are used in art therapy depending on the response of the client. However some of the physical aids that can be used are coloured light bulbs, coloured gels, lay of various hues or colours, solarised water, special oil prepared for colour therapy, coloured fabrics, pigments, coloured sand and brushes e.t.c
There is therefore need and most expedient to invest in art therapy because as an individual, on a personal level it could be used as a means of exploring inner issues. It is a safe way to express strong and sometimes sensitive or destructive feelings. It can be used for stress and anxiety management. To enhance communication between individuals, groups or professional teams. It is used to explore change. It is of particular benefit to people experiencing difficulties with written and verbal communication. As a professional manager of vulnerable people in the community, Art Therapy could be used to instill confidence and promote life enhancing change in the people for which you have responsibility. What skills therefore do you need? The simple answer is none. Art therapy requires no artistic ability. The Art Therapist offers guidance and support and the opportunity to explore issues of concern using a variety of art materials.
Here in Nigeria where NAFDAC and the government of Nigeria is totally against fake drugs we see instances where fellow humans can produce and sell harmful synthetic substances to unsuspecting humans like themselves it is therefore necessary for a further involvement in art therapy says Kent Onah. The practice of art has gone beyond aesthetics around the globe and should be reflected here in Nigeria in our health care sectors to give back to the society security in our health and treatments of various ailments. Art therefore must be able to contribute to good, safe and affordable health for all by the year 2020 because as the saying goes “health is wealth”, more so Kent Onah believes that God has given man everything he needs in life through nature and nature must be loved and appreciated he adds “our lack of awareness has rubbed us of these immense knowledge of living and staying healthy without the use of synthetic substances. The western world is fast catching up with this reality”. Art therapy and hospital art are closely related but the clinical application is different.

THE CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF “jigida”

THE CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF “jigida”
-By Gloria Ikibah

African tradition attributes the wearing of waist beads to the definition of the waist, meaning that it helps a female to *hold* their figure or shape. A string of beads worn around the waist by African women. The jigida is a set of beads strung along a wire or cord, worn at the waist, traditionally by African women but today women the world over make the JIGIDA as the exclusive symbol of their femininity. African tradition attributes the wearing of waist beads to the definition of the waist, meaning that it helps a female to *hold* their figure or shape. Wearing of beads around the waist inspires women to carve out a well-formed figure that is advantageous to her life. African custom is legitimate because young girls and women still want the shape and figure the jigida compliments and are one that men continue to long for and appreciate most. The waist beads show the sexuality of women with the aim of achieving genuine womanliness and their ability to bear children. Before time girls are made to understand that wearing jigida or waist beads helps them achieve the roundness of the hips, the slimness of the waist, a long neck and voluptuous breasts that is the mark of a physically desirable woman. The waist beads can, therefore, be seen as an aspect of maturity and the strength of mind for women to be the best they can be. This helps differentiate the men from the women in today’s fashion and as such, every man would look further to finding a woman with the jigida.
Beads or jigida are worn under clothes traditionally by African women, waist beads have several different meanings. Ranging from rites of passage to enticing your husband to heal and rejuvenation. The art of adorning one's self has been practiced since the beginning of time. In Egypt, waist beads were called “girdles”. All the women wore them and it was a uniform for pre-pubescent girls without any sexual connotation. But usually, servants or dancers wore them and are shown in wall relief’s wearing them and nothing else! In West Africa, waist beads have several names like Jel-Jelli, Jigida, Giri-Giri, Djalay Djalay or Yomba. They’re always worn under clothes. In Ghana, women knew that waist beads helped form their bodies into a particular shape and adult women wear beads to sexually stimulate the male. In other parts of West Africa, women would wear waist beads with bells on them, and when they walked it would make a jingling noise. Dipping them in oil scented the beads. Some cultures in Africa and many Indian women use it as a tool to know when they are putting on weight. The tighter the beads become, you instantly know to slow down on the eating. As weird as it may sound it was a sign by young women to show "potential mates" their fertility.
The jigida awakens the senses of the man because revelation of the jigida is restricted or rather limited to the bedroom or bath which means that the body or jigida is not to be exposed to other men and must or should not be visible to the public eye because it is supposed to be a part of the female body. It emphasizes a woman's body, its beauty, and its curves. Access to the jigida is private, only the person who shares the intimacy of the woman has the privilege to see it."
Jigida is a made with beads of various colors, plastic or metal, which has been an accolade to the African women both young, old and the unborn who lay bare their creative skills and put into their families and communities. Originally, women would string sunflower nuts along a wire, before using beads some jigidas are made of red and black pearls which are supposed to be an embellishment of beauty. Wearing jigida is both aesthetic and cultural it continues to symbolize the attention that a woman gives her body equating it to the care she gives to her skin and hair. It also places of interest on some aspects of her body which is the essence of her beauty.
In some parts of Africa, brides wear as many as fifteen strings of jigida on her waist, most of which are blood coloured, some are made up with a few black discs thrown in. The strings of the jigida clinked as she dances, behind the jigida covers all parts of her buttocks but in front, they lay string upon string from her navel to her genitals, covering the greater part and providing a dark shade for the rest. As she dances, the crowd cheers, her beauty radiates as her smiles sent air of exuberance across to all present. The other maids who dance with her equally wear jigida but theirs are not as much and beautiful as that of the Bride.
Traditionally, pearls were therapeutically used to cure the illnesses of the kidneys (consequently the pronunciation of the hips), the health of the elderly or the aches and problems related to age. Pearls are also the ancestral protection of the gods; consequently, a woman who wears the jigida is protected by her ancestors.
Beads are very good women should not be ignorant of it because it is of great importance and significance to womanhood. So they must be worn properly and for the right purpose, some wear beads that are meant for the neck on their waist, and some reveal what is meant for their husbands to every other man on the street.
Speaking to some males Tonye Sammie has this to say about beads “I like it, it thrills me and if my wife uses the tiny ones, white colour especially, I can even buy it for her because if a lady is walking and the waist beads move up and down, it draws my attention”.

COLOUR AND ITS DUAL FUNCTIONS - by Gloria ikibah

Colour has a dual function; it fulfills aesthetic requirements, and imparts a certain meaning and tone to a work of art. The significance of colors depends on the cultural and social scenario they are being used in. That is to say, the same color can stand for different things depending on the situation it is being used in. The color white, is often associated with purity, truth and innocence, is in China, associated with death. Consider the color blue: In China, blue signifies immortality, In Colombia, it is associated with soap, for Hindus, blue is the color of Krishna, for the Jews, blue symbolizes holiness, in the Middle East, blue is a protective color, purple or violet stand for royalty in Africa and Israel, green is for productivity and fertility, black for death and red danger.
"Colours can be classified as warm or cool. Warm colours such as red, orange, or yellow; tend to be exciting, emphatic, and affirmative. In addition to these psychological effects, optically they seem to advance and expand." "Cool colours- blue, green, or violet- is psychologically calming, soothing, or depressive, and unephatic; optically, they appear to recede and contract. These characteristics are relative, however, since intensity and value also affect the spatial action of warm and cool colours. Intensely coloured shapes appear larger than duller ones of the same size. Light-valued shapes seem to advance and expand while dark-valued ones seem to recede and contract."
We may then ask ourselves what the Significance of Color in a work of art is. Artists choose colors to produce a certain mood or atmosphere; to create space, light, and shadow; or to introduce symbolic associations. In some cases color choice is the result of cost and availability of pigments. In this self-guided tour, you will explore how color in works of art from different historical periods is used to create meaning, direct the viewer’s eye, or express emotion. Like we all know art is an expression of an impression most artists express themselves with the use of colours and pigments. From their work and the colours they use, we are able to tell the kind of persons they are for instance from an art work and the colours used you can tell if the person is quiet by nature or noisy. Some artist make use of colours that are warm like yellow, orange, pink, red and a little touch of purple for such a work we can say that the artist is not a quiet person an so would want to be notice from her works. Some other artists make use mostly of cool colours like blue, green, yellow orca, brown, and earthen colours then those artists are on the quiet side and do not want to be noticed.
For Lillian Chizoba Pilaku a visual artist working with the National Gallery of Art as a curator, Looking at Chizoba’s works we can see that she is a quiet and reserved person with her use of colours in “NLECHA” depicts women as beautiful but complex species another is “ARE THESE AFRICAN BEAUTIES?” this work she says addresses the issues of misconceptions of true beauty in the African society. She made use of colours like green, yellow, ochre, blue, grey, white and brown, Lillian loves the use of earth colours I would rather not say dull colours but it tells a lot of her person. Her colours are a reflection of the person she really is a quite and reserved person if I must say, though occasionally her colours go very brilliant and hot but she would rather stay earthy though. Lillian in ASILI shows the Uli symbol of gossip-this shows that without an itching ear, there would be no wagging tongues. Uli are symbols used in Ibo land for communication in the olden day’s gossip if you wish to prefer. Here she made use of colours like ochre, yellow, brown and even black to express her quiet and reserved nature; we can tell the simplicity of the artist and not totally a meticulous person but an organized artist. From Lillian’s works it is clear that she is a very neat person and wanting to be detailed sometimes if not all the time. This makes her unique in her works and stand out.

Speaking to SHEWORLD magazine, Joy Utille a visual artist sees art as a medium of expression for her she is of the opinion that “you can tell a person from her painting” she explains further that from the colours an artist use to paint tell a lot about her character and person. From a work of art you can tell if the artist is a careful and detailed person, how neat the work is tell a lot about how principled the artist is. For Joy art is a means of tell who a person is.
For Azuka Freda Chukwuma the director of Bez'El Arts Studio, in Ikoyi lagos her works tells a lot about her through the use of warm colours. From Freda’s paintings it tell a lot about her, the use of red, orange, purple, green which are more prominent tell that Freda Chukwuma is not on the quiet side, she is very outspoken and we can see that she is very detailed in her work of art. Speaking to SHEWORLD magazine Freda tell us “As a little girl I always loved colours, I remember wishing I could become a Disney cartoon character and live in a world full of bright clean colours. Gaining admission into school to study fine arts was a dream come true for me. When I was finally selected to specialise in painting in my 3 hundred level, for me my life as an artist had just started”. For Freda her works tells a lot about her person with the use of red and orange which are prominent makes a statement that she is not a quiet artist and is an activist that’s why most of her works depicts or shows the woman. For Freda, colour is life and we go about our lives living with colours without realizing, the sky is either blue, white or gray if its harmattan season. The ground on which we walk on is brown, brownish red or gray depending on the part of the country you live in, the trees are green, the birds on it different colours even the cock that crows in the morning is so beautifully feathered, water can be blue, green or aqua depending on if its a beach, ocean or gutter water.
Colour for Freda ”is a way of life and that is why in my paintings I use them lavishly.I also love vibrant brush strokes because as much as I love colours I dont like realism in painting”. Freda who from her works of art is very detailed had this to say “i love to add elements that we otherwise do not see but feel.
She tends to show the rich physique of the African woman richly endowed by her maker, also adding the African woman is never on the quiet side with the rich endowment from her creator. This can be seen in the painting she titled " rhythm" the woman more or less fuses with the rhythm of her dance. In the work titled "harvest of culture" her use of colour tell us that she is a happy artist and bright in all she does, her works of art it shows that Freda is very beautiful outwards and inwards, she has a very lovely heart and above all very accommodating. For Freda her passion for the African woman and her heritage cannot be over emphasized. Speaking to SHEWORLD she adds “we are blessed as Africans to have such beautiful lifestyle of gele, aso oke and all our other african regalia, we live in colours whether we realise it or not”. This she tends to explain further in the work titled “Nigerian fashion heritage”. Freda adds “I intend to explore this philosophy and make the most beautiful master pieces yet to be painted”.

It is obvious indeed that art is an expression of an impression art helps tell about our person and not only the aesthetic beauty of the work of art but the conceptual reality that we bring out from such works. I must then add that all art pieces whether realism, expressionism or what you call it, there is a picture of abstraction in every piece of art if you look deeply into it with your inner eyes or your minds eye.
We can boldly look at a work of art and tell who the producer is and what characteristics he or she possesses.

COLOUR AND ITS DUAL FUNCTIONS - by Gloria ikibah

Colour has a dual function; it fulfills aesthetic requirements, and imparts a certain meaning and tone to a work of art. The significance of colors depends on the cultural and social scenario they are being used in. That is to say, the same color can stand for different things depending on the situation it is being used in. The color white, is often associated with purity, truth and innocence, is in China, associated with death. Consider the color blue: In China, blue signifies immortality, In Colombia, it is associated with soap, for Hindus, blue is the color of Krishna, for the Jews, blue symbolizes holiness, in the Middle East, blue is a protective color, purple or violet stand for royalty in Africa and Israel, green is for productivity and fertility, black for death and red danger.
"Colours can be classified as warm or cool. Warm colours such as red, orange, or yellow; tend to be exciting, emphatic, and affirmative. In addition to these psychological effects, optically they seem to advance and expand." "Cool colours- blue, green, or violet- is psychologically calming, soothing, or depressive, and unephatic; optically, they appear to recede and contract. These characteristics are relative, however, since intensity and value also affect the spatial action of warm and cool colours. Intensely coloured shapes appear larger than duller ones of the same size. Light-valued shapes seem to advance and expand while dark-valued ones seem to recede and contract."
We may then ask ourselves what the Significance of Color in a work of art is. Artists choose colors to produce a certain mood or atmosphere; to create space, light, and shadow; or to introduce symbolic associations. In some cases color choice is the result of cost and availability of pigments. In this self-guided tour, you will explore how color in works of art from different historical periods is used to create meaning, direct the viewer’s eye, or express emotion. Like we all know art is an expression of an impression most artists express themselves with the use of colours and pigments. From their work and the colours they use, we are able to tell the kind of persons they are for instance from an art work and the colours used you can tell if the person is quiet by nature or noisy. Some artist make use of colours that are warm like yellow, orange, pink, red and a little touch of purple for such a work we can say that the artist is not a quiet person an so would want to be notice from her works. Some other artists make use mostly of cool colours like blue, green, yellow orca, brown, and earthen colours then those artists are on the quiet side and do not want to be noticed.
For Lillian Chizoba Pilaku a visual artist working with the National Gallery of Art as a curator, Looking at Chizoba’s works we can see that she is a quiet and reserved person with her use of colours in “NLECHA” depicts women as beautiful but complex species another is “ARE THESE AFRICAN BEAUTIES?” this work she says addresses the issues of misconceptions of true beauty in the African society. She made use of colours like green, yellow, ochre, blue, grey, white and brown, Lillian loves the use of earth colours I would rather not say dull colours but it tells a lot of her person. Her colours are a reflection of the person she really is a quite and reserved person if I must say, though occasionally her colours go very brilliant and hot but she would rather stay earthy though. Lillian in ASILI shows the Uli symbol of gossip-this shows that without an itching ear, there would be no wagging tongues. Uli are symbols used in Ibo land for communication in the olden day’s gossip if you wish to prefer. Here she made use of colours like ochre, yellow, brown and even black to express her quiet and reserved nature; we can tell the simplicity of the artist and not totally a meticulous person but an organized artist. From Lillian’s works it is clear that she is a very neat person and wanting to be detailed sometimes if not all the time. This makes her unique in her works and stand out.

Speaking to SHEWORLD magazine, Joy Utille a visual artist sees art as a medium of expression for her she is of the opinion that “you can tell a person from her painting” she explains further that from the colours an artist use to paint tell a lot about her character and person. From a work of art you can tell if the artist is a careful and detailed person, how neat the work is tell a lot about how principled the artist is. For Joy art is a means of tell who a person is.
For Azuka Freda Chukwuma the director of Bez'El Arts Studio, in Ikoyi lagos her works tells a lot about her through the use of warm colours. From Freda’s paintings it tell a lot about her, the use of red, orange, purple, green which are more prominent tell that Freda Chukwuma is not on the quiet side, she is very outspoken and we can see that she is very detailed in her work of art. Speaking to SHEWORLD magazine Freda tell us “As a little girl I always loved colours, I remember wishing I could become a Disney cartoon character and live in a world full of bright clean colours. Gaining admission into school to study fine arts was a dream come true for me. When I was finally selected to specialise in painting in my 3 hundred level, for me my life as an artist had just started”. For Freda her works tells a lot about her person with the use of red and orange which are prominent makes a statement that she is not a quiet artist and is an activist that’s why most of her works depicts or shows the woman. For Freda, colour is life and we go about our lives living with colours without realizing, the sky is either blue, white or gray if its harmattan season. The ground on which we walk on is brown, brownish red or gray depending on the part of the country you live in, the trees are green, the birds on it different colours even the cock that crows in the morning is so beautifully feathered, water can be blue, green or aqua depending on if its a beach, ocean or gutter water.
Colour for Freda ”is a way of life and that is why in my paintings I use them lavishly.I also love vibrant brush strokes because as much as I love colours I dont like realism in painting”. Freda who from her works of art is very detailed had this to say “i love to add elements that we otherwise do not see but feel.
She tends to show the rich physique of the African woman richly endowed by her maker, also adding the African woman is never on the quiet side with the rich endowment from her creator. This can be seen in the painting she titled " rhythm" the woman more or less fuses with the rhythm of her dance. In the work titled "harvest of culture" her use of colour tell us that she is a happy artist and bright in all she does, her works of art it shows that Freda is very beautiful outwards and inwards, she has a very lovely heart and above all very accommodating. For Freda her passion for the African woman and her heritage cannot be over emphasized. Speaking to SHEWORLD she adds “we are blessed as Africans to have such beautiful lifestyle of gele, aso oke and all our other african regalia, we live in colours whether we realise it or not”. This she tends to explain further in the work titled “Nigerian fashion heritage”. Freda adds “I intend to explore this philosophy and make the most beautiful master pieces yet to be painted”.

It is obvious indeed that art is an expression of an impression art helps tell about our person and not only the aesthetic beauty of the work of art but the conceptual reality that we bring out from such works. I must then add that all art pieces whether realism, expressionism or what you call it, there is a picture of abstraction in every piece of art if you look deeply into it with your inner eyes or your minds eye.
We can boldly look at a work of art and tell who the producer is and what characteristics he or she possesses.

LILIAN CHIZOBA PILAKU - Gloria ikibah

Art they say is an expression of an impression and one would wonder how a woman an actually express what she feel inside having in mind that women are more of the kitchen that the studio. Here is Chizoba Lilian Pilaku a painter who has succeeded in playing the role or a wife, mother and a woman. Let’s meet Chizoba Lilian Pilaku.
Chizoba Lilian Pilaku born on the 12th day of September, 1977 is a graduate of the Nsukka Art school (University of Nigeria Nsukka) and presently holds a Post graduate diploma in public administration from the university of Abuja. She was Art Teacher (Funtaj International School-Junior & Senior High) Abuja and Studio Artist/Manager Cultural Officer (FCT ABUJA COUNCIL FOR ART AND CULTURE) and presently, She is a painter and a curator with the National Gallery of arts Abuja. More interestingly is that Lilian is married to John Pilaku.
Some people say that artists are born while some believe that they are made. Wondering why lilian took up the art profession? Speaking to SHEWORLD art for Lilian has always been an interest and I would rather say inborn. According to her “As a child I had a flair for art, and participated in my primary school’s open day art exhibition severally”. During this period Lilian had lots of encouragement form her art teachers both at primary and secondary levels, she adds “I was encouraged by my Ghanaian art teacher, Mrs. Anku, also at the secondary school level, my art teacher, Ms. Scholastica Ugwu was also a source of inspiration for her through out the senior secondary school and urged her to study art as a course. However her involvement with Chijioke Onuorah, a lecturer of the Fine Arts Department, at the university of Nigeria and Jane Egboh Nwakoby who was a painting student also at the University of Nigeria was the turning point for her, being a studio model for Jane, and fascinated by Jane’s skills, her interest grew and she resolved to study art in the university.
Lilian works are mostly on canvas she explores mediums like acrylic and oil. She prefers to use “acrylic on canvas” though because its water based, she also engages her energies in experimental works using any medium that interests her at any point, e.g. her newspaper and candle/wax series, Uli designs also feature greatly in her works. The Uli symbols are seen in Lilian’s work which is a symbol of the Nsukka art school.
Lilian is inspired majorly by her environs told SHEWORLD that “my works are usually inspired by things that go on around me, societal issues, marriage/family, women and children. My personal experiences in life also play a major role in my works”. This can bee seen in her works most of which bothers basically on societal issues, women, family, and life experiences. NLECHA is one work that depicts women as beautiful but complex species another is “ARE THESE AFRICAN BEAUTIES?” this work she says addresses the issues of misconceptions of true beauty in the African society, FAMILY POTRAIT tries to express Lilian’s impression of an ideal family while ASILI shows the Uli symbol of gossip-this shows that without an itching ear, there would be no wagging tongues. Uli are symbols used in Ibo land for communication in the olden days gossip if you wish to prefer. Lilian loves the use of earth colours I would rather not say dull colours but it tells a lot of her person. Her colours are a reflection of the person she really is a quite and reserved person if I must say, though occasionally her colours go very brilliant and hot but she would rather stay earthy though.
She has been part of several group exhibitions amongst which are Drawings 1(exhibition of drawings) Ana Gallery at UNN 1996 and 1997, Torture: End Impunity (Exhibition of paintings in commemoration of world’s suffering masses.) Lagos, 1999. Degree Exhibition (Ana Gallery) UNN in 2000, Africa Travel International (Eco-tourism exhibition) Abuja, 2000. Discoveries (An exhibition of serving corps members of the FCT Council for Art and Culture) in 2001, Together we re- build The Nation (exhibition by Nigerian Artists for a Nation A-New) Abuja 2001, Nigerian women in art (exhibition marking Nigeria’s 41st Independence) 2001, Chogm Exhibition Abuja. Abuja 2003, Creative feminism (Female Artists Association of Nigeria Exhibition) in Port-Harcourt 2004, A Glimpse into Nigerian Art (Dak’art off) Dakar biennal, Dakar in 2006, Leon Sullivan Summit Exhibition Abuja 2006, An Exhibition to Commemorate African Regional Conference on Dialogue among Civilizations Abuja 2006, in 2007 she featured in the International Culture and Diversity Exhibition, Kampala, Uganda, and ITB Berlin exhibition, Germany, Echoes of Experience. (Female National Art Exhibition), Lagos. While in April 2008 she has her solo exhibition of paintings titled “AWAKENING” at the Thought Pyramid Center for the Arts, Abuja. Also NAIJA. L’Exposition d’art contemporiane Nigerian, (Hutieme Biennale d’art Contemporain African) Dak’art off, Senegal.
SHEWORLD gathered from Lilian that life is a challenging as a female artist. Here is her assertion “it is quite challenging, one can actually eat their cake and have it but one needs to work extra hard, to balance family life and career so that none suffers at the expense of the others. My husband is so supportive of my career which makes it easier to cope with being an artist and a curator. He is my No. 1 fan”. We may also wonder how Lilian has been able to cope in a profession like art, she adds “Being in a male dominated discipline, put God first, don’t be intimidated, remain focused; do not be distracted by anything or anyone, especially negative criticisms. You can be what you want to be, just believe in God and yourself and your dreams and everything falls into place”. For her being a woman, marriage or family life has not deterred her from practicing art and achieving her goals. She told SHEWORLD that “No one can put you down unless you help them to, above all love yourself and what you do, because you’re simply extraordinary”.
For lilian, the challenges faced lie in the balancing of family life, regular office work, and as a practicing visual artist. It’s not easy but possible; it only requires a lot of hard work and commitment and with God on one’s side, success is sure. Especially in this profession I must add that sometimes people do not want to acknowledge how good you are because of your gender, the men get intimidated when they realise that you are very good and confident. She adds “During undergraduate days when outdoor drawing classes went on, guys hardly came over to the girls to look at their works and when they did, they usually go like “so women too can draw”? Very funny! Things like this still happen even today”.
I must add that it is most expedient to encourage women to stay on practicing their art, due to the challenges they face in their careers which men luckily hardly face. Women must learn to support and encourage one another, learn to love one another and be united in heart and mind. Lilian believes that “There should be an increase in the slots and opportunities for women as regards artists’ residencies (irrespective of their marital status), grants, scholarships, workshops, patronage of their art, financial aid ,exhibitions and generally supporting their endeavours no matter how little they may seem. Consideration should also be given to pregnant or nursing mothers who are still willing to practice art and make a career for themselves, they must not be regarded as liabilities, handicapped or irrelevant/out-of-the-show when it comes to art programmes, residencies, workshops e.t.c”. She believes that it is one’s creativity that matters. Like the French would say, “c’est ne pas facille du toute”, and truly, it’s not easy at all. However, not being easy does not mean impossible.