Images From Ibadan Book Club September Reading

 

IMAGES FROM IBADAN BOOK CLUB SEPTEMBER READING WHICH TOOK PLACE AT THE OYO STATE LIBRARY BOARD, IBADAN.

 

Young Artists Should Be Original And Do More Research In Order To Explore Many Untapped Areas - Adeleke Hattrick Oluwafemi

 

YOUNG ARTISTS SHOULD BE ORIGINAL AND DO MORE RESEARCH IN ORDER TO EXPLORE MANY UNTAPPED AREAS - ADELEKE HATTRICK OLUWAFEMI

 

 

Adeleke Hattrick Oluwafemi is a professional artist currently based in Ibadan. A member of Aza Artists and Writers Movement and an alumnus of Ifa Heritage Institute. In this interview with Wole Adedoyin, he talks about his artistic experience and his efforts in promoting the profession.

 

 

WA: PLEASE KINDLY INTRODUCE YOURSELF?

 

AHO: Adeleke Hattrick Oluwafemi sees his world as a blank canvass, hence turning it to creative work of Art (Painting) which he mastered in the last one decade as full time studio artist is what delights him the most.Growing up as a child in a plural society,  intrigue with the desire to  make his world enliven by  passing the message of hope through art inspired  him to adopt art which he sees as a simple tool in solving the complex endemic challenges in his immediate society and world at large,  as his art represents the dialogue between the voice and the myth in many of it aspects, the stand point of view from the philosophical perspectives and metaphysical perception in relation to our contemporary life that correlates and compliment but simplifies

 the promptness which inspires his creativity in discovering a set of problems, of course he ensue them with creative solutions through his works, may be because he studied Art and Culture at Ifa Heritage Institute,  he simply represents the fast growing hope in art world as a result of his honed skills. Hattrick has presented Papers at the African Union fora,  where he represented Nigeria youths, he pitched about the needs for the world leaders to adopt art as a creative means in solving the endemic unemployment among youths, he has gotten supports/Grant to train young Africans,  Women and the refugees the art  of surface textiles design and the sustainable ways of making money through the crafts both within and  outside his country,  the training which over two thousand people benefitted directly and indirectly from. He trained youths in the slums who are into substances abuse and refugee camp the healing process from the abuse using Art, he took part in many art exhibitions and he has is work collections across the continents, he also speaks with over 1000 High School students every in art and area life situations.

 

WA: TELL US MORE ABOUT ART IN YOUR COUNTRY?

 

AHO: Art in Nigeria is growing fast than most African countries, with many young talented Artists, but the Artist are suffering because they lack support with little or low patronage and bad Government policies.

 

 

WA: HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT IHRAF BEFORE?

 

AHO: No.

 

 

WA: HOW ARE ARTISTS USING ART TO PROMOTE HUMAN RIGHTS IN YOUR COUNTRY?

 

AHO: It is not so common for Artist to engage I'm such works in my country because of the low awareness about the power of Art in bringing about the positive change but some do through exhibitions.

 

 

WA:  WHAT THEMES DO YOU PURSUE?

 

AHO: Towards ending the endemic unemployment globally through the creative economy.

 

WA: WHAT ART DO YOU MOST IDENTIFY WITH?

 

AHO: Realism.

 

WA: WHAT ROLE DOES THE ARTIST HAVE IN SOCIETY?

 

AHO: It has social role by bringing different people together, information role, educational role, economical role, mind healing etc.

 

WA: WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE ART WORK?

 

AHO: Paintings, the new style I created,  Reabstraism.

 

WA: WHAT JOBS HAVE YOU DONE OTHER THAN BEING AN ARTIST?

 

AHO: Photography, Farming and Acting.

 

WA: Why art?

 

AHO: Because it is my calling.

 

WA: WHAT IS AN ARTISTIC OUTLOOK ON LIFE?

 

AHO: It is the only face of hope.

 

WA: WHAT MEMORABLE RESPONSES HAVE YOU HAD TO YOUR WORK?

 

AHO: Encouraging feedbacks, patronages and supports for my new style.

 

WA: WHAT DO YOU DISLIKE ABOUT YOUR WORK?

 

AHO: Making Art looks like a competition. 

 

WA: WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT YOUR WORK?

 

AHO: Uniqueness, originality and touch of Africa.

 

WA: SHOULD ART BE FUNDED? 

 

AHO: Yes.

 

WA: WHAT ROLE DOES ARTS FUNDING HAVE?

 

AHO: Keep the few standing Artists going, helps in preventing them from partial extinction, makes the sector more attractive to younger generation, to aid and support new insights in Art world and to improve economy, it will aid in telling the world about a particular country without speaking a word and it will help in showcasing the good imagery of a Nation that fund creative sector.

 

WA: NAME THREE ARTISTS YOU’D LIKE TO BE COMPARED TO.

 

AHO: Leonardo Da vinci, Salvador Dali, Micheal Angelo.

 

WA:  WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE BEEN GIVEN?

 

AHO: To keep going and never back out because I had invested more in Art than to back out at the middle.

 

WA: WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE GOALS?

 

AHO: To use my Art as the agent of change in my society and world and to have tuition free Art Schools.

 

WA: YOUR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE TO UPCOMING ARTISTS.

  

AHO: They should be original and do more research in order to explore many untapped area of Art, focus is important and work to make a change not what to eat alone.