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Smithsonian Museum Honour for Onobrakpeya
The renowned Nigerian sculptor, painter and print-maker, Professor Bruce Onobrakpeya, was on November 7 conferred with an honour by the Smithsonian National Museum of African Arts in Washington DC, United States, on its 50th anniversary. The distinguished 82-year-old sculptor had, in 2006, also received the UNESCO Living Human Treasure Award.
President Goodluck Jonathan has lauded Onobrapkeya for the well-deserved award and described the honoree as one of Nigeria’s most renowned artists whose outstanding portfolio of works over several decades made him worthy of recognition by one of the distinguished art institutions in the world. In his acceptance speech, Onobrakpeya expressed gratitude for the honour conferred on him and the recognition of his works, which he described as a crown for a lifelong effort in creative endeavours.
Born in Agbarha-Otor in Ughelli, Delta State, to an Urhobo carver, on August 30, 1932, Onobrakpeya had his elementary and secondary school education in Ughelli, Sapele and Benin City from 1941-51. He went to the Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology, Zaria, from 1957- 62. Later, he was at the Department of Extra Mural Studies, University of Ibadan and Mbari Artists and Writers’ Club, Ibadan, 1961.
Onobrakpeya was apprenticed to the late foremost Nigerian sculptor, Professor Ben Enwonwu in 1962. He was inspired by the water colour paintings of Emmanuel Erabor.
At Zaria, Onobrakpeya was trained in the Western tradition of representational art. He also experimented with art forms that relate to Nigerian folklore, myths and legends. Most of his works are stylistically derived from African traditional arts aesthetics.
He belongs to the famous Zaria Art Society or the “Zaria Rebels” formed by Uche Okeke, another renowned artist. They are a group of artists known for their fusion of colonial art practice with traditional art forms and philosophy. The Zaria Rebels’ major aim was to decolonise the visual arts as taught by expatriate Europeans. Onobrakpeya has admitted that while the college gave him technical skills, it was the Zaria Arts Society, a discussion group, that shaped his perspectives as a professional artist. He claimed that the society gave him the confidence to seek a personal expressive idiom.
Without doubt, Onobrakpeya is an important force in the renaissance of contemporary art in Nigeria. He is, indeed, one of Africa’s best known and highly respected artists and a living arts legend. A teacher of teachers and a master artist, he is an inspiration to generations of Nigerian artists and a consummate artist par excellence.
Onobrakpeya has had a flourishing career that spanned several decades with many notable exhibitions at the Tate Modern Gallery, London; National Museum of African Arts; Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC and Malmo Konsthall, Sweden. He is a recipient of Pope Paul VI Gold Medal for Painting on the Life of Saint Paul; Fulbright-Hays Award, American Council for International Exchange of Scholars, 1979; Ciba-Geigy Travel and Exhibition Award, 1980; Silver Medal and Twenty Thousand Rupees, Fifth Triennial, New Delhi, India, 1982; Solidra Circle Award, Lagos, 1985; and British Council Award, Lagos, 1989. Onobrakpeya is a member, Zaria Art Society; founding member, Society of Nigerian Artists; Board member, Nigerian Copyright Council, Lagos, 1989; International Jury, Zimbabwe Heritage’91, Harare 1991; Fellow, Asele Institute, Nimo, 1985.
He designed the illustrations on the cover of so many books in Nigeria including: Chinua Achebe’s No Longer at Ease; Babalola Adeboye’s Iwe Ede Yoruba; Cyprian Ekwensi’s An African Night’s Entertainment and Juju Rock; Nkem Nwankwo’s Tales Out of School and Wole Soyinka’s A Forest of a Thousand Demons.
We applaud the recognition of Onobrakpeya’s efforts by the Smithsonian Museum and wish him more artistic inspiration in the years ahead.
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