As a teacher and a lover of art, I have a passion for
African art, especially. Actually, I had thought about going into the Foreign
Service and discovered there was too much red-tape. And so I took up art
instead.
I love the independence and freedom that comes with being an
artist. And l also learnt a lot by being out in the world from an early age
travelling with my parents. I don’t have any children. My students are all my
children. I had so many students and was so busy I never had children. I would
love to leave behind the legacy that I was a supporter of all artists and that
I care deeply for art and people.
Struggle being an artist
It is a struggle to be an artist. It is the same for artists
all over the world. Most artists have to have a job on the side to get by. In
the US, we’re not any model to holdup really. It is so hard for artists and
that is why I teach. To put food on the table, I teach. Luckily, I am in a
position to teach only one semester a year so I can devote the other half of
the year to working on art.
My inspiration
My mother and father (Richard Wolford and Jean Kennedy)
inspired my becoming an artist. And it started here. Aside being diplomats,
they were artists who had been involved in the world of art from an early age,
having graduated from the Cleveland School of Art. So, whenever we visited a
country, we also knew their artists. We went first to Italy, later to
Indonesia, Ethiopia and in 1961 to Nigeria.
They were the first to open their home to artists in Nigeria
to exhibit and socialise. Both Osogbo artists and others such as Bruce
Onobrakpeya, Jimoh Buraimoh and Nike Okundaye were among artists they
exhibited. For seven years, Nigeria was my home. And even though I was
schooling, I would come back for vacations. After I graduated I came back, but
that was when my parents had to leave. But, I did not want to leave so I stayed
on an extra year. I left here in 1969. And this is my first time here since
then.
Living in Nigeria and being so close to artists from Osogbo
and Onobrakpeya was also an inspiration. Their art came from their hearts and
that was what was so beautiful about it and it’s what draws me. I was inspired
by their dedication to their art, their vision; and when you are around them
you want to do it. They were taught techniques and they ran with them. They
were not told how humans or animals must look like, so what came out was
straight from their hearts. Trained artists are very careful, they want to
project the human figure with the right proportion and that is great too.
I am closer to Osogbo artists because we were growing up at
the same time; and I saw them more. Buraimoh calls me his sister and I call him
my brother. He was so focused on his work. He would bring it to our house: work
and eat there.
In the 60s, he and other artists would bring their works to
our house for expatriates to see and purchase. And that encouraged the artists
that they had something worthwhile. Now, those artists are world renowned.
Like my parents, I also support artists from all over
Africa. I feel enriched and blessed to have all this richness in my life and I
am obliged to pass it on and enrich other people’s lives. In America, many
people don’t understand African art. So, I do my best to visit wherever I find
walls: where there are no museums or universities to exhibit in. I open my home
and invite people there like it was here in Lagos. I have opened my home to
artists to exhibit from Kenya, Mozambique, Lesotho, South Africa, Senegal,
Togo, Ivory Coast and so many that I can’t even name them all. They include Mallangatana
Ngwemya (Mozambique), Bethel Aniaku
(Togo), from Nigeria are Muraina Oyelami, Twin Seven-Seven, Ashiru
Olatunde, Rufus Ogundele, Isaac Ojo, Peju Layiwola, Adebisi Sobunmi, and Tayo
Adenaike …so many.
Osogbo, the Grove I used to know
The people are just the same – just wonderful. I got a
queen’s welcome by Nike Okundaye in Osogbo – there were dancers, drummers and
fire-eaters – I was in tears, I was so happy.
Osogbo has so changed. I went to the sacred grove that
Susanne Wenger spent all her life building. I hear a lot is being done by the
government – but it didn’t seem to be enough. I hope that some organisations
will donate funds so that they can keep it up. Special places like that are
national treasures and they need constant attention to keep it neat and
carefully organised. I saw some pieces that were deteriorating and needed new
cement and work.
Susanne’s commitment to the promotion of Osogbo art and
artists was unbelievable. She adopted two artists, one of whom I saw while I
visited – which was good to know. And she’s still working to preserve the
shrine.
That Lagos I used to know
Oh, the environment was so calm and serene. Then it was more
open: you walked in the street; it was freer. If something went wrong or
someone stole something, everyone would run after that person. I worry that
everything is now so barricaded. It creates no space for intermingling:
everything is ‘separate’ … ‘separate’.
It was wonderful until the war came.
My Nigerian Civil War experience
It was very hard to be here during the Biafran war … very
saddening. The war was on, so there were issues – big unresolved issues. I love
peace and saving the environment; so, it was hard to see people fighting.
People need to work hard to overcome their differences. Artists have to come
together to be stronger and to make more impact against the violence. They just
need to take these issues to heart and work on them slowly, but truly.
Art development in Nigeria
When I left here, Nigerians were not collecting art at all.
That is why we invited expatriates into our homes to keep the art moving, for
the artists to be encouraged. But I hear there are so many galleries such as
Nike’s incredible gallery that looks like a palace, every inch covered with
art. It is amazing and Omenka Gallery.
The achievements of Nigerian artists like Buraimoh and
Onobrakpeya and others are incredible. It is wonderful that they are alive to
see it in their lifetime. Nigerians are doing world-class art. I think
Nigerians are some of the smartest people I have ever met. They have such
amazing talents and are determined. In my teens then, Buraimoh already had a
computer before I even knew what a computer was.
Role of government
In the United States, most universities are funded. And I’m
happy to say that most schools have art in their schools. Here, in Nigeria, I
have encountered many wonderful art teachers who have no supplies. Like
teachers from Abuja that I’ve met are lacking funds for buying simple supplies.
The Nigeria government should ensure that art is taught in schools and fund the
schools so that the teachers would have the equipment to work with. Also, they
should place artworks in and on government buildings and other buildings where
businessmen work. They should oblige each businessman who builds a new building
to put a certain amount of art in each of new structure.
What Nigerian artists must do
Artists are in need of support from all areas in Nigeria. It
is not easy to get support and grants. But artists need to be determined. I
went to a hotel that I knew many years ago where there was a huge Buraimoh’s
mural; they have torn it down and now in the room you find a piece of an adire
cloth framed. Not a piece of art, a cut from a piece of cloth! And I heard that
the owner of this hotel was an art collector, I was so surprised that “why
isn’t he supporting the arts in his hotel?” He could even put a little price
below the work and help in just a simple way to support the artist.
Little by little people would realise, like in America, that
art impacts everything/subject: music, dancing, mathematics, science, the textile
quality, the mental quality and the visual quality.
Nigerian artists just have to go after the politicians and
make them sensitive to the plight of artists. They need to focus on big
business. It is the politicians who have so much money and can afford to
purchase. More and more Nigerians are collecting, and that is great.
And that is why I have always praised Nike. She has
singlehandedly done more work than any other person for Nigerian artists in
this country. Singlehandedly, she has galleries in Abuja, Ogidi, Osogbo, and
Lekki. She is an amazing woman and I love her so much. I was just shocked at
the amazing pieces of works at Nike Gallery. It was so huge, a mansion full of
art for people to support and buy. I also advocate recycling: reuse-renew –
showing how you can make beautiful things, like El Anatsui is doing, from so
called junk.
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