British Council collaborates with GTBank on Art Exhibition in Lagos
British Council, in collaboration with GTBank, has officially launched ‘Wind Sculpture VI’, a six by three metre artwork by Yinka Shonibare MBE (RA). The launch took place on Thursday, November 24, 2016 and will remain on display at the Ndubuisi Kanu Park, Ikeja, Lagos till January 17, 2017.
The sculpture exhibition, which is Shonibare’s first public exhibition in Nigeria, is also part of British Council’s UK/Nigeria 2015–16 season, which aims to build new audiences, create new collaborations and strengthen relationships between the two countries.
The ‘Wind Sculpture VI’ which was made from fibre-glass and steel by the UK-born Nigerian artist, is part of his artistic inquiry into the motion of wind as it passes through fabric.
Speaking at the event, Deputy British High Commissioner, Simon Shercliff, said: “Today is about Yinka Shonibare’s sculpture. This amazing, beautiful, provocative sculpture, Wind Sculpture VI, is going to be on display in this park for the next three months. We hope that this park is going to be the venue of events, workshops, gatherings and public events and that the artwork here will inspire people and encourage art discussion and debates.
“This exhibition is part of the UK-Nigeria art season which has been on for over a year now and it is coming to a culmination. The art season is designed to create opportunity for people in the UK and Nigeria to mix and collaborate. And also get better as a result. This art displayed today is a great example of the reason for the UK-Nigeria art season,” he explained.
While thanking guests in attendance, Director of Programmes, British Council, Louisa Waddingham, said; “The display of Wind Sculpture VI is at the heart of what British Council had planned for the UK-Nigeria art season. We are displaying the artwork in this beautiful public park because we hope that it will be visible to as many people as possible.”
Speaking on the display of his work, Yinka Shonibare noted that his interest in art started while he was growing up in Nigeria.
“If there is a museum in Lagos, for example, it will create massive employment opportunities for people especially in the art, culture and tourism sector. There is a need to regenerate the art scene in Lagos,” said Shonibare.
He called on Nigerians to support art and artists, noting that Nigeria is culturally dynamic and diverse with a lot of untapped talents that can contribute to national development.
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