Professor Austine Emifoniye will be having a guest lecture in his class about contemporary African Art on March 4th, 2024 at 12 pm via Zoom.
Contemporary African Art finds itself in a unique point in history. The continent having recovered from imperialism just over five decades ago (for many of the African countries), grapples with how its arts and cultural expressions are situated within the confine of contemporary definitions and expectations. Many questions arise in the process. Does contemporariness invoke a relegation of traditional forms? Does the context of time in the postulation of what is contemporary relieve African artists of cultural attachments? Who is contemporary, the artist or his art? These questions, question the definition and delineation of Contemporariness, Artmaking, Categorization, and Identity of African art since 1960.
The event will feature three panelists all of whom are practicing artists and professors of art history, to discuss African arts and art making within the context of the emerging questions. The panelists will be open to take questions from both students and faculty present onsite and online after the opening presentations.
About the panelists
Prof. Kunle Filani, PhD is a professor of Visual Arts and Aesthetics at the African American University, Porto Novo in the Republic of Benin. Kunle Filani is a seasoned administrator, serving various times as Head of Department, Dean, Member of Council, and Provost of the Federal College of Education, Abeokuta, Nigeria for eight years between 2004 and 2012. As chief executive of the academic institution, and for his several innovations and contributions to art, administration, and scholarship, he earned several awards both within and outside the academia.
A prominent member of the Ona Group of artists that elevated Yoruba motifs and African traditional images in the fresh articulation of Contemporary Nigerian Art, Filani has mounted several Solo and group exhibitions in many countries of the world. He has curated several major exhibitions including the 10th DAK’ART BIENNALE in Senegal, and the NIVATOUR, organized by the National Gallery of Art, Nigeria in South Korea in 2014.
A respected artist, articulate critic and an insightful art historian, Kunle Filani had written and edited numerous articles in referenced journals, books, catalogues of Exhibitions, and Conference Proceedings. A well-sought-after public speaker on African art and aesthetics, Filani had participated in several significant debates on Contemporary African Art and his fresh insight in scholarship had benefited related disciplines.
Kunle Filani graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Ife, now known as Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Nigeria. He obtained a Master of Fine Arts and a Ph.D. from the University of Benin and the University of Ibadan Nigeria, respectively.
Prof. Frank Ugiomoh, PhD is a professor of history of art and theory, curator and studio artist. He retired recently from the services of the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria, as where he held a teaching position at the Department of Fine Art and Design, and also occupied the Omooba Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon Endowed Chair of Fine Art and Design.
Ugiomoh’s academic interests include the historiography of art history with a focus on African art history. His other scholarly interests include art criticism, aesthetics and photography discourses. His studio interests include sculpture, printmaking, and stained-glass design. His career as a maker and scholar of art is marked by a keen sensitivity to the plasticity of artistic form and in the construction of ideas for understanding art, particularly at the convergence of aesthetics and metaphysics, seeking the meeting point of artistic processes and questions of ultimate meaning, exploring ancient and modern traditions of African art in a manner that is both locally grounded and universally resonant.
Ugiomoh is widely published, and his academic contributions have appeared in books, book chapters and journals such as Nka: Journal of Contemporary African Art and Critical Interventions: Journal of African Art History and Visual Culture where he serves as consulting editor. He has also published in many Overseas Journals like Third Text: Critical Perspectives on Contemporary Art and Culture, Camera Austria, etc. He is the founding editor of Africa Studio: Journal of Creative Practice and Tojaonline.org: Journal of African Art (all now defunct).
Ugiomoh has received various research and travel grants to pursue his research interests in African art history. Some of his recent works include „Contending Issues in the Narrative of Feminine Engagement in Nigeria“ in The Art of Nigerian Women (2017), „Bassey Andah: Towards a Post Africanist Agenda“ in Bassey Andah: A Call to Service, (2018), “Afro-Brazilian Dress Modes in Family Photo Albums in Lagos” Fashioning the Afropolis: Histories, Materialities and Aesthetics, (2022), “Expressionismus, Primitivismus, Kolonialismus,” in Brucke und Blauer Reiter (2021) “Modern Nigerian Art and Its Trajectories,” Black Orpheus: Jacob Lawrence and the Mbari Club (2022), “Private Art Collecting and the Contours of a Nation’s Heritage,” Ijinle: The Aisha and Gbenga Oyebode Collection (2022) “Beyond the Veneer of Modernism: Aesthetics, Post-Africanity and the ‘Multiversum’ Narrative” in The Routledge Companion to Decolonizing Art, Craft, and Visual Culture Education. (2023).
Prof. (Sir) Clifford Ezekwe Nwanna, PhD is a professor of Fine Art and Art History in the Fine and Applied Arts Department, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria. He served severally as Head Department of Fine and Applied Arts and immediate past Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Sciences.
He holds a BA in sculpture from the University of Benin, MA in History of Visual Arts from the University of Ibadan, M. Phil in African Visual Arts History, MFA in Sculpture, a Post Graduate Diploma in Theatre Arts, LLB Degree in Law, and Ph.D in Art History, specializing in Modern and Feminine Art theories. He has supervised over 60 students on the post graduate level, has seven Solo Art exhibitions and over ninety group exhibitions, both locally and internationally.
Clifford Nwanna is an astute scholar who has published over ten articles in African Law, Jurisdiction and Jurisprudence and over 40 papers on Visual art, (both in art history and art practice). He has over fifteen published articles in Dramatic Literature and Criticism. He is the founding Editor, Nka na Uzu Magazine; Editor in Chief, Journal of Fine and Applied Arts, Awka, (2007-till date); Editor Awka Journal of Arts (2012 to present); and Journal of the Society of Nigerian Artists (2013 to date). He has served as visiting professor and external examiner to various Universities, which include, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Delta State University, Abraka, Niger-Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Yenoguoa, University of Benin among many others, where he examined students at both Masters and Doctoral levels. He served severally as part of National University Commission’s Accreditation team and Adjudicator to several Art and Drama competitions.
He is a recipient of numerous awards, including African Leadership, Creativity and Excellence among others. He is member of the Parochial church council of the St. Faiths Pro-Cathedral, Awka, a synod delegate, and a member of Rotary Club International. He is a knight of St. Paul and a Paul Harris Fellow, Fellow of the Society of Nigerian Artists and Fellow, Cooperate Affairs Institute of Nigeria. He is a practicing sculptor and has produced many monumental sculptures. Clifford Nwanna is Happily Married to Lady. Uju Cherry Nwanna and blessed with four wonderful children.
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* The Zoom link will be updated shortly.
* This event is for the HAD community.