Dak’Art: God Created Birds & Trees But Man Built Cages’

Senegal Fri 14-05-2010

Dak’Art: God Created Birds & Trees But Man Built Cages’
Maggie Otieno/ Africancolours.com

Country; Nigeria

AC: Who is Nduwhite Ndubuisi Ahanonu ?

NN: As a person, I am very deep in my thoughts, a thinker, a reserved person. I think of myself as a child, very simple. As an artist, I am very extreme and controversial.

AC: Did you study art formally?

NN: I studied art at the University of Nigeria for 4 years. Art is my main vein, without it I am no more.

AC: What are the challenges and benefits of being an artist?

NN: An artist is always striving to survive on his trade. There is joy in coming up with a good concept, selling the concept to people is a different matter.

AC: Where have you exhibited in Africa or Internationally?

NN: I have had shows in Nigeria, Cameroon and more recently in Amsterdam and now in Senegal.

Artist Nduwhite Ndubuisi Ahanonu during the interview

AC: How has travel to these locations influenced your work?

NN: I am inspired/challenged and constantly rethinking about my styles when I encounter other peoples work. I do not let these influence my work dramatically.

AC: Does your family support your decision to be an artist?

NN: My family supports my art.

AC: Describe for me your work.

NN: My society has not given much to me, but I have given much to it through my art. My art is very activism oriented, thought provoking and intense.

I started as a painter working in mixed medium, now I translate my paintings in installation. I want to break from the mundane.

AC: What is the artistic scene in your country like?

NN: The art scene in Nigeria is very vibrant. Hundreds of art students graduate every year. It just means that we all have to find our way in showing our art and remaining true to the creative process. The competition is really present in Nigeria.

There are several commercial galleries that represent artists, I tend not to scramble to sell my work in galleries, my studio has a variety of work so I have created a venue there.

AC: What are you exhibiting at the Dakar Biennale?

NN: My work here is titled ‘God created birds and trees but man built cages’. It is an installation of birds, wire mesh, the map of the world and some inscription from the Bible and from my head.

^{Nduwhite Ndubuisi | God created birds and trees but man created cages | Installation | 2010}

This work is centered on the attempt of humanity to be free and control it existence, the desire of man to create a world based on his ideal, passion and dreams which in some cases turns around to work against him…
We have built illusions and dreams beyond true freedom; we are losing values and morals by the seconds, we have created illusions and dreams that will continue to elude us, separate us, alienate us, destroy and kill our sense of humanity.

We have caught ourselves in our own webs, webs of drugs, prostitutions (child prostitution and trafficking) abortions, rapes, social unrest, environmental pollutions, global warning, cultural conflicts and social irresponsibility, political crimes, economics power tussle ( globalization ).

We fight more wars than ever before, we work hard than before, know more now than before. Knowledge and information are in full circulation than ever before, yet true knowledge has eluded us, the more we search the less we know.

True knowledge is true love for self, true love is divine, divine is perfection, perfection is God, true revelation is beyond knowledge, it is true surrender to the unmoved mover.

This work stands 203.2 cm tall and 104.14cm x 99.06 cm width ( Square). It has inscription from the book of Ecclesiastics and an extract from my poem...The Quest, ( Nduwhite Ndubuisi Ahanonu 2007 unpublished).

AC: Are art festivals like this one useful for Africa?

NN: Art festivals are a great opportunity to show how creative African artists are. I have networked extensively these past days of the Biennale. Artists have the chance here to expose their work and make connections in these sorts of forums.

AC: What is the connection between art and economic development?

NN: In Nigeria people buy art at very good prices. Art buyers understand that art is an investment. Wealthy Nigerians are also coming out to own art pieces.

If people understand that art is really an investment, and so does the government, then together we can tap into this sector and create a very thriving market.

AC: Your thoughts on creating a viable art market through the internet?

NN: I agree that showing ones work online is a very crucial way of getting millage for ones art work. I have a website that should be up and running soon and an active blog. but I hope that as soon as I get back home I can be able to place my new work online.

Related articles on Dak'art:

Dak'Art: The Art In Pictures

Dak'Art: Moridja Kitenge Banza Wins Président Léopold S. Senghor Award

Dak'Art: Art Is Not A Luxury

Dak'Art: Soly Cisse & Barthelemy Toguo @ Festival

One On One With Ousseynou Wade, Secretary General Of The Dak’Art Biennale

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