The Invincible Hands… A showcase of women in arts
AN all- women exhibition, The Invincible Hands, has opened at the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art, Pan Atlantic University, Ajah, Lagos. The show, which started August 28, ends January 18, 2022. Curated by Olufisayo Bakare, the show addresses the poor representation of female artists. It also creates awareness on this disparity, by celebrating the artistic contributions of female artists toward the growth and development of creative culture.
The work is a selection of mixed media art, paintings, photography, sculpture, tapestry and textiles contributed by 40 Nigerian female artists whose works cover different periods. There are 70 art forms on display. The works are on temporary loans from different artists, art collectors and patrons.
According to Bakare, the exhibition highlights artistic achievements that transcend stereotyped and reductive achievements of Nigerian women in art.
Being the first of its kind at the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art, the designer- cumcurator, Bakare, is tackling the issue of underrepresentation of female artists, giving credence to their individuality, voices and creativity.
Bakare said, “The exhibition aims at being an active agent in giving these artists higher visibility. The goal of ‘ The Invincible hands’ is to celebrate the contribution of underrepresented Nigerian women artists in post- colonial and contemporary eras, to amplify their work and bridge inequality gaps in the art sector and to place The Invincible Hands of women artists back into our art education and art history.”
She added, “Although art tends to be elitist, the exhibition takes a historic gaze at the past, paying homage to the Founding Mothers of Art in Nigeria, while drawing inferences in the contemporary art space, and solidifying a foundation for the future. Since it takes an educative approach, it is open to every Nigerian and our allies.”