Art Rush? Adenrele Sonariwo with Sam Adeoye(+ 234 8188886542 ( SMS)
LA earlier this year, that would amount to “a disservice” to the artists.
Art should be experienced up close, Sonariwo had said in that chat with Business Day.
“It’s one thing to see the artwork on social media or online. But these artists have such amazing techniques that I felt it was really important to have people see them in person.” For instance, “The details of a painting can get lost in a picture. It might not wow you as it would if you walked in here. You don’t get to see, for instance, the detail of Ngozi Schommer’s works.”
And here’s her social enterprise angle. To discover young artists “who are doing cutting edge, interesting work” and expose them to better and most consistent pay is a major way for her to make a difference in her home country.
Now, pause for a minute and do a little arithmetic. Three points already stand Sonariwo out as a new- age Nigerian art businessperson. First, she would work with any industry in the peddling of creativity. Two, she would like the rest of the world to have a physical affair with new- generation Nigerian art. Three, she’d like to, in the course of her everyday business, do the society some good. But is there a third point? You bet your rarefied bitcoin!
Although still closely connected to the first two attributes, she’s been known to proudly wear such a tag as ‘ Curious’ on her chest. Curiosity, she’s been quoted as saying, is one of the features anyone will need if they must do well in Sonariwo’s line of business. “You must be curious about artists and their work, visit their studio to see what they’re working on; collectors are curious as well.”
Perhaps, this curiosity and her declared duty to emerging Nigerian artists will pull Sonariwo to NFTS. Who says, for example, that, thanks to her, high quality non- fungible African art cannot grow into a coveted sub- group in the NFT market?
Some rumblings can already be heard of what may lie on the local art horizon. On March 31, a photographed portrait of Ethereum cofounder Charles Hoskinson was sold via a tweet from Hoskinson for $ 6,300. The artist? A 24- year- old Nigerian: Oyindamola Oyewumi.
If Sonariwo’s Rele Gallery hops on this galloping NFT ride, it wouldn’t be the first decent institution to do so. Case in point: top- of- the- food- chain auction houses Christie’s and Sotheby’s are already in on the action. This week ( April 14), Sotheby’s pulled in $ 16.8 million for an assorted collection of digital artworks. Last month, Christie’s had sold a digital mosaic by the artist Beeple sold for $ 69.3 million. More will come.
Maybe NFTS will become the ash at the end of a spent cigarette, a fad that’ll burn the wealth of thousands of foolhardy world citizens. Or maybe it will cast many more millionaire investors. The way for many artists to find out is to be guided by high- powered players such as Sonariwo— respected home and abroad.
When she returned to Nigeria in 2010 after her studies in the UK and US, the princess of Remo, Ogun State might not have imagined such dramatic changes in the art world happening this soon. But it is here and it looks like she’s got the perfect build for it.
As the NFT newly- minted art pioneer, Oyindamola Oyewumi, said to Coindesk, “If I put my art up as NFTS, sure, lots of people
will see it. But some people will still prefer to purchase work from artists they already know.”
That may as well be true. But wait, wouldn’t the work of an unknown artist find kindly waters on Opensea if the vessel bearing said asset were to be captained by a self- assured skipper, like Adenrele Sonariwo?
Oh yes, it would.
PS: Opensea is the world’s largest digital marketplace for crypto collectibles and non- fungible tokens.