By Henry Akubuiro
After announcing its open call over a month ago, Artmiabo International Art Festival (AMIAF) 2024 is gradually moving towards showing what would be the most historic and unique event in Africa’s creative history. For the AMIAF 2024 edition, the theme is sculpture-specific, and converging contemporary sculptors.
Themed “Sculptor’s Odyssey”, the 2024 edition of AMIAF, which holds from April 27-May 1, 2024, at EbobyLife, Victoria Island Lagos, has been described as a celebration of the spiritual energies that drive the artists behind marvelous three dimensional artworks of private collections and in public spaces. In its third edition, AMIAF keeps expanding and exploring the visual arts horizon, beyond the regular themes.
Founded by Miabo Enyadike, AMIAF had its debut edition themed “Remake the World”, which showed 24 artists from Africa and Europe, with gallery representation from France and South Africa. At the second edition, held early this year, AMIAF converged visual arts and music, with specific focus on Afrobeats, by escalating the global influence of the genre.
For the 2024 AMIAF, which will be curated by Yusuf Durodola, sculptors have a common space for convergence, in celebration of creativity. “The theme of Artmiabo International Art Festival 2024 edition is a celebration of the sculptor’s spirit—a testament to the transformative power of raw materials shaped by the artist’s hands, carving stories into stone, wood, metal, and imagination,” Enyadike, also an artist stated. “It is a voyage that transcends the physical and delves into the metaphysical, inviting artists and enthusiasts alike to traverse the rich tapestry of sculptural expression.”
Enyadike argued that sculpture as a genre was specialised for few artists passionate about creating masterpieces. Sculptors, according to Enyadike, turn “nothing into absolute fantastic artwork!” And the ideal place to see the best of sculptures in 2024 is Lagos, she assured art enthusiasts and collectors. “In the heart of Lagos, where creativity converges and narratives unfold, we welcome you to the 2024 edition of the Artmiabo International Art Festival. This year, we embark on a profound journey into the realm of sculpture, exploring the boundless landscapes of the “Sculptor’s Odyssey.”
To capture important parts of Nigerian art history, with specific to sculptures, AMIAF 2024 will be paying tribute to artists whose works have been recorded among masterpieces. Artmiabo International Art Festival 2024: “Sculptor’s Odyssey”—where art, culture, and imagination converge to create a symphony of stories carved in stone, wood, and the very fabric of our shared human experience. “AMIAF 2024, will be awarding four brilliant Artists that have created sculpture pieces around social economic structures,” Enyadike disclosed ahead of releasing the full list of awardees. “They in their own way artistically have made sculpture pieces that describe narratives visually that gives us an understanding of what and who they represent. These artists will be unveiled soon.”
Enyadike explained that artworks on display would strive to open a new window in critical creativity. “As we navigate this artistic odyssey, we challenge conventional perceptions and invite artists to forge new paths, echoing the ethos of Lagos—a city known for its resilience, diversity, and ever-evolving narrative,” she said in parts of her preview texts. “The sculptures exhibited will not merely be static forms; they will be vessels of stories, vessels that carry the essence of the sculptor’s exploration into the depths of human experience, culture, and emotion.”
“Sculptor’s Odyssey” is also celebrating some artists of modern and contemporary generations who have contributed to the development of sculpture in Nigeria. Enyadike announced the Sculptor’s Odyssey awardees to include Prof. Ben Enwonwu, for Posthumous Award. Included in the Sculptor’s Odyssey Award are contemporary artists Adeola Balogun, Dotun PopoOla and Adebisi Adebayo.
Enwonwu, according to Enyadike, “is a distinguished and Pioneer Artist/Sculptor, whose ‘Art Odyssey’ paved the way for millions of Nigerian Artists home and abroad through his social political sculptures that reflect on his own ‘Sculptors Odyssey.’”
.Balogun is “a globally recognised multimedia artist who has made substantial contributions as both a sculptor and mentor, particularly in the realm of education.”
Popoola is an Inspiring multimedia artist “dedicated to creating inspirational sculptural pieces that center around environmental themes.”
As a wood sculptor, Adebisi, according to Enyadike, came to the attention of AMIAF 2024 through social media with her craft. “Adebisi brought a breath of fresh air to the 2022 edition of AMIAF captivating the audience with her live carving skills. Since then, she has carved a niche for herself in her own sculptor’s odyssey.”