Ibere Pepe – Foundation by Oluwasegun Phillips
Alliance Francaise in collaboration with The Moorhouse and Ara Studio presents Araism Movement’s 14th edition of its exhibition series. Titled ARAISM MOVEMENT 14, it is the group’s first outing with the French agency and will open on Saturday, November 14, 2015 at The Moorhouse, No. 1, Bankole Oki Road, Ikoyi, Lagos. Opening time is 5.00pm prompt.
The Technocrats by Mufu Onifade
Araism Movement 14 (this exhibition) sustains the 9th year existence of the Movement and will feature new works by six artists in all. Led by the founder of the group, Mufu Onifade, other artists on the show are Abiola Mautin Akande, Bolarinwa Olowo, Tope Adebayo, Aliu Azeez and Oluwasegun Phillips.
Eti Oba Nile – Informant by Aliu Azeez
Araism Movement was established and formally launched on Saturday, July 22, 2006 with an exhibition of paintings in Araism by the proponent of the technique, Mufu Onifade and five of his disciples. The epoch-making event was held at Bruce Onobrakpeya’s Harmattan Workshop Gallery, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria. The show was employed to re-launch the phenomenon of ARA (Aesthetically Rich Art) and ara (wonder) to the sensibilities of artists, art writers, gallery owners, the arts community and the general public. In recent times, every watcher of unfolding events in contemporary Nigeria cannot overlook or undervalue the emergence and prominence of Araism technique – nay the relatively young Movement. Having held 13 exhibitions (9 in Lagos, 3 in Abuja and 1 in Florida), Araism is a creative force of reckoning while the Movement serves as a platform of projection to the technique and its many exponents.
Oro Aje – Haggling by Tope Adebayo
All the six artists on this show have been regular participants on the platform of the Araism Movement. Mufu Onifade invented the technique of Araism with a launch in 1998 and founded the Araism Movement 9 years ago. Abiola Mautin Akande, popularly known as Oldskool, is a pioneering member of the Movement. A graduate of Fine Arts from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, he is Mufu Onifade’s first art disciple who distinguished himself to define the difference between the technique and the style of Araism. He employs motif-like border and linear strokes as a distinguishing style of the Araism technique. Bolarinwa Olowo holds a Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE), Fine and Applied Arts (Double Major) from the Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, Lagos. He has been a consistent member of the Movement. Tope Adebayo is an award-winning artist who holds a National Diploma, Painting and General Arts from the Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi; one of the pioneering students and graduates of Fine and Applied Arts, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State. Aliu Azeez is an illustrator, a painter and digital colourist. He attended Auchi Polytechnic, Edo State and Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State. He has had three group exhibitions to his credit. Oluwasegun Phillips trained in Ara Studio and later obtained a diploma in Fine and Applied Arts from Obafemi Awolowo Univesity, Ile-Ife.
Ise Aje – Profitable Vocation by Bolarinwa Olowo
Araism Movement 14 is especially dedicated to late Prof. Olusegun Adewoye, the pioneering Director/CEO, Engineering Materials Development Institute (EMDI), Akure and later, Director-General/CEO, National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI). He was a great, untiring art lover and patron; a connoisseur with a vast collection of exotic artworks cutting across generations of contemporary Nigerian artists. He launched the Movement at the ceremonious outing in 2006. He had dreamt of retiring into organizing art shows from his own gallery, but he passed on early this year at 69.
Father of Nations by Abiola Mautin Akande