Sunday 12 May 2013

Again, Nigeria’s guild of artists gets special section in 'Africa Now' auction

After making a debut group appearance in a special section of last year’s Africa Now art auction of Bonhams, in London, U.K., a core of middle generation of Nigerian artists credited with pioneering full-time studio practice in the 1980s through early 1990s are again being highlighted in the 2013 edition of the same auction, which holds on Wednesday May 22.

 
One of the works from the GFA section, Meditation (enamel on canvas, 106.6 x 72.2cm (41 15/16 x 28 7/16in), by Abraham Uyovbisere (b.1963).

Known as The Guild of Professional Fine Artists of Nigeria (GFA), the group is mostly made of artists based in Nigeria’s central business city, Lagos and few from the Diaspora.

However, the number of members featuring in the 2013 edition of Africa Now, like the previous year remains the same. The works of 13 members are included as Lots 205-220 in the Africa Now catalogue, which I received from Bonhams few days ago. These artists are Gbenga Offo, Edosa Ogiugo, Sam Ovraiti, Tola Wewe, Alex Nwokolo, Ruben Ugbine, Ben Osaghae, Lekan Onabanjo, Olu Ajayi, Abraham Uyovbisere, Abiodun Olaku, Bunmi Babatunde, Duke Asidere, Hamid Ibrahim, Sam Ebohon and Fidelis Odogwu. 
 Artists from other countries such as Ghana, South Africa, DR Congo,  Ivory Coast, Tanzania, Congo, , Mali, Mozambique, Senegal, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Kenya are also featuring in the auction. Out of a total 220 lots, excluding the eight charity lots from Kenyan artists, about 74 lots are works of Nigerian artists across three generations.  

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