One of Nigeria’s iconic painters and partistic pioneers, Prof. Bruce Onobrakpeya, is to unveil his thoughts as he turns 90.
The event planned by Hare & Grouse Art Gallery will showcase Onobrakpeya’s work at the exhibition titled, “Bruce @90.”
According to the organisers, the exhibition will run from September 21 to October 18, 2022 in Abuja.
“The almost month-long retrospective will commence with an opening ceremony at the Hare & Grouse, and the second day, Prof. Onobrakpeya will host a parlour session. The private salon will begin promptly at 6 pm and will feature, in addition to the Q&A session, a documentary screening and performances,” the statement reads.
Delta state born Onobrakpeya is one of Nigeria’s most famous and most prolific artists, with over twenty public collections holding his work.
Onobrakpeya was a pioneer member of the Zaria Art Society, a student group which sought to develop a new aesthetic language deeply rooted in African tradition and philosophy.
The group included Uche Okeke, Yusuf Grillo, Demas Nwoko, Oseloka Osadebe and other students who drew strength from the post-colonial independence movement. These aspiring young artists were later called the “Zaria Rebels” and quickly made their mark internationally.
“We were not rebelling against anything as such but thought that the idea of just using the western art technique without relating it to our culture wasn’t right” commented Onobrakpeya, who began to experiment with diverse media that showcased Nigeria’s rich history, culture & philosophy, environment, as well as chronicling the nation’s socio-political development through paintings, sculpture, prints, and installations.
