The Wheatbaker Hosts Standing Out Exhibition

The home of hospitality and art, The Wheatbaker boutique hotel hosted a private Collectors’ Preview of The Art of Nigerian Women book and celebrated the opening of

Standing Out II, an art exhibition featuring works by 10 female artists of Nigerian descent.

The preview, chaired by Ibukun Awosika, Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria and attended by the cream of the Lagos art community who commended the exhibition and book. The Art of Nigerian Women is a 360-page hardback book printed on silk paper, featuring the work of 75 leading and emerging contemporary visual artists, some of Nigeria’s brightest. Complementing the artists’ works are scholarly essays, features and profiles of women who have influenced and helped shape the art industry in Nigeria.

Professor Dele Jegede, an art historian, renowned artist and Professor Emeritus of Miami University described the book as “a pioneering work, one that deserves a prominent place on the shelves of corporate, institutional, college, and personal libraries. Bosah deserves admiration for the courage and resources ploughed into this work.”

In the same vein, the book has been acknowledged by another Nigerian author as a product of intense work. “The journey of researching, writing, and publishing The Art of Nigerian Women has been a labour of love which started in 2011,” explained US-based publisher Chukwuemeka Bosah, whose acclaimed work 101 Nigerian Artists has become an important reference point for the international art community.

In line with the books’ focus, Standing Out II features 26 paintings, photographs, mixed media works, and a stunning thread & ceramic installation created by Ngozi Ezema, Amami Isiuwe, Bunmi Oyesanya-Ayaoge, Data Oruwari, Marcellina Oseghale- Akpojotor, Olawunmi Banjo, Omo Udenta, Ozoz Sokoh, Sade Adebowale and Taiye Idahor.

“Standing Out II is our way of contributing to this year’s World Women’s Day theme, #BeBoldForChange, by presenting the work of ten leading and emerging female artists featured in Bosah’s new book,” said Mosun Ogunbanjo, Director of The Wheatbaker.

Standing Out II acknowledges how women continue to break through and overcome physical, psychological, emotional, professional and societal boundaries with unforgiving energy and elan. The paintings and mixed media and installation works express the artist’s thoughts on diversity and identity, spirituality, environment, culture and celebration, history and memory through unabashed creative experimentation. “The Art of Nigerian Women is a testament to the awesome “rising tide” of female artists in Nigeria, represented by Standing Out II,” commented Sandra Mbanefo Obiago of SMO Contemporary Art, the Wheatbaker’s long standing art curator.

“Chukwuemeka Bosah’s book celebrating female artists is a timely gift to Africa and the world,” said Chief Nike Okundaye, who has mentored generations of female artists, and won international awards for her ground breaking work in teaching art to marginalized women in Nigeria and Europe. “We are delighted that the powerful work of our female artists is being projected in this beautiful publication.

The Art of Nigerian Women publishing project was supported by GTBank, The Guardian, XL Africa Group, The Wheatbaker, SMO Contemporary Art, Global Energy Company, Veuve Clicquot, Knowledge Exchange Center, Max10, UpByFive, Arik Airlines, and committed art patrons.