times of life

Times of life open at Yabatech
By Ozolua Uhakheme
Assistant Editor (Arts)

In most art schools across the country, not many art teachers will readily accept to hold a joint art exhibition with his students. The closest of such opportunity has been the curating of graduating students’ art exhibition by teachers of the department. Also, the Goethe Institut, Lagos organized group exhibitions for the best final year students in some art schools curated by renowned art scholars like Prof. EL Anatsui of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1999 is one such platform. That initiative saw the emergence of the likes of Uche Edoche, Nwosu Igbo and Blaise Gbadem all from the Nsukka School.
Perhaps inspired by that gesture, an art teacher at the School of Art Design, and Printing, Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, Mr. Aladegbongbe Aderinsoye has offered one of his students, Fashakin Michael, the rare privilege of holding a joint art exhibition at the school’s gallery. The show titled Times Of Life, which was curated by Adeola Balogun opened last Saturday at the school gallery. It is featuring about 50 paintings from both artists.
Apart from highlighting different happenings over a period on canvas, papers and metal foil, the collection provides space for the duo to refresh viewers on their evolving approaches to art. For Aderinsoye, the joint show is a tip of the iceberg for his next solo exhibition later in the year. In fact, it is a dress rehearsal of a sort. He pledged that he would hold the joint exhibition every year with one of his students as part of his efforts at lifting the up and coming artists. “I am not influenced by what collectors want to buy. So, I paint what my heart directs me to do. Again, for the miniature, I have lots of them in my collection because I do paint in my bedroom. And since space is a constraint, I chose small size canvass to express myself while in my bedroom painting,” according to the art teacher.
His Forest At Home, is a satirical comment on the state of the power sector, which has literarily been thrown into total darkness in spite of the billions of naira pumped successive administrations to revamp it.
In order to reach more collectors, Aderinsoye presented a good number of miniature paintings that can be purchased at relatively affordable prices. Unlike his teacher, Fashakin presented works mainly in metal foil that address varied issues in the society. Among the works on show are The stroke of persistence, In search of green, Wonders on the sea, Time flies and Fusion. The joint show will run till august 15.