Alexis Galleries marks remarkable 2019 with artists
…closes year with Harmattan Workshop exhibition
It is amazing to trail the story of Alexis Galleries. Since 2011, when it opened to the public with a small shop, the outfit has grown from a homestore, art café, to a gallery and studio. Alexis Gallery is worth visiting, especially this festive season. But the real story is the averred commitment to support the Nigerian visual art sector, both established and upcoming artists, exposing them to global audience through their works and offering them platforms to reach their full potential.
Today, the artists are grateful to Patty Chidiac Mastrogiannis, founder and director, Alexis Galleries, for her vision, support and platforms, as well as, the many non-governmental organisations that always get some percentage of proceeds of sales from art exhibitions as charity.
For the nine years in the art space, Alexis Galleries has also excited the public, art lovers and collectors alike with many exhibitions.
However, 2019 is unprecedented for the gallery, artists and the NGOS because of the many exhibitions and residences that tasked the creative ingenuity of the artists; got the masters to prove their versatility, hone the skills of upcoming ones and brought art to limelight.
From the beginning of this year, the gallery has been busy, there is virtually no month that passed without an exhibition. In March, it opened the year with Truth, a joint exhibition of paintings by Yemi Uthman and Joseph Bidemi, two rising and selling Nigerian artists.
It went further to enthral with Sam Ovraiti, Retrospective; Exposition of 36 Years Romance with the Language of Colours.
The solo exhibition, which held in April featured 40 oil and pastel paintings by Sam Ovraiti, one of Nigeria’s leading art masters, as well as, celebrated the artist’s 36 years of practice.
Yet again, Alexis Galleries hosted ‘Iriri’ (Experience), a solo exhibition of paintings by Oluwole Omofemi, a contemporary Nigerian artist, in May.
It also presented Imaginativeness, a group exhibition of paintings and drawings by Orlu Prince Ozangeobuoma, Karen Ogidi and
Akinbanji Osanyemi. The exhibition depicted the expression of these three contemporary artists.
Alexis Galleries truly wowed the world when it collaborated with the Moremi Initiative of the House of Oduduwa to host ‘Moremi Art Exhibition’ (A view from the masters), a travelling show by Bruce Onobrakpeya, Kolade Oshinowo, Reuben Ugbine, Chinwe Uwatse, Tola Wewe, Sam Ebohon, Bunmi Babatunde, Abiodun Olaku, Sam Ovraiti, Duke Asidere, Dominique Zinkpe, Fidelis Odogwu, Gbenga Offo, Edosa Ogiugo, Alex Nwokolo, Zinno Orara, Diseye Tantua, John Oyedemi, Joe Essien, Segun Aiyesan, Ato Arinze, Tony Nsofor, Mavua Lessor, Joshua Nmesirionye, Gerry Nnumbia, Abraham Uyovbisere, Gerald Chukwuma and Gab Awusa,
The exhibition was worth seeing because the masters really showed class with their works.
Beyond the exhibition, the gallery furthered its artists development initiative with a residency it called ‘ Knock on Wood’. The one-month artists’-in-residency programme featured six artists: Samuel Tete-katchan, Chukwuemeka Michaels Osisiego, David Taiwo Olatunde, Kelvin chukwudi Ubani, Francis Sewanu Agemo and Darlington A. Chukwumezie, who explored wood as a medium and the works were exhibited in October this year.
The residency brought the best in the artists, most of who worked on wood as a medium for the first time.
Afterwards, the gallery invited art lovers once again for Les Contemporains (The Contemporaries), a group exhibition of paintings, sculptures and mixed media.
The exhibition featured many contemporary artists including Dominique Zinkpe, an artist cherished by the gallery.
In September it presented Brilliance, a group exhibition of paintings sculptures and mixed media, while Bald is Beautiful, another group exhibition, opened in October.
The group exhibition of paintings and mixed media was dedicated to those who have survived cancer, those battling with cancer, as well as, create awareness.
Alexis Galleries also hosted Afeez Adetunji in his second solo exhibition, which opened on Saturday, November 16 to Friday, November 29, 2019. The exhibition, which was titled ‘Unbreakable’, featured 28 recent work,
As well, Bloom 2, a group exhibition by 21 Nigerian art masters happened in November.
But in a wonderful wrapping of the year’s exhibitions, Alexis Galleries is hosting its last exhibition for 2019.
Entitled ‘Harmattan Workshop Exhibition’, the last outing, which is a festive exhibition, opened on Saturday December 14 and will run until Friday 20, 2019.
The exhibition brings together a collection of powerful, creative, and masterfully-executed artworks that have been grouped to inspire, provoke, and educate audiences.
For the viewer, the exhibition will be an all-around representation of cultural genius. For viewers external to the culture, it is an awakening to the unknown and uncelebrated contributions of the artists to history.
It is featuring about 34 works by Bruce Onabrakpeya, Tola Wewe, Sam Ovraiti, Moses Unokwah,
Aderinsoye Aladegbongbe, Ajibo Chukwu, Andrew Onobrakpeya, Azeez Alawode, Barrett Akpokabayen, Bisi Ajayi, Bode Olaniran, Dele Oluseye, Ejiofor Ogochukwu, Gab Awusa, Godson Etokapan, Halimat Hamzat, Idio Emiefiele, Joy Philip, Lasisi Dare, LCA, Marcellina Akpojofor, Mukaila Ayoade, Odiri Orhorhoro, Yves Midahuen, Ofoye Idowu, Ojo Olaniyi, Oluwole Orowole, Rasaki Adeniyi, Salubi Onakufe, Shakiru Badmus, Sola Adeleye, Ufuoma Onobrakpeya and Yinka Ogunneye.
“Alexis Galleries in nine years has engaged in the presentation and dissemination of contemporary and modern art in the media of painting, drawing, mixed media and sculpture, which is the reason we are showing these works created from the Harmattan Workshop at Agbarha-otor, Delta State”, Patty Chidiac Mastrogiannis, founder and director, Alexis Galleries, said.
The Harmattan Workshop as an informal educational setup is a retreat where artists meet, think, work, experiment and share ideas. They come with the view to develop and sustain their creative endeavours towards the development of the arts, particularly the visual arts. It takes place at the Niger Delta Arts and Cultural Centre, Agbarha-otor, Delta State, Nigeria.
The Harmattan workshop is the flagship programme of the Bruce Onobrakpeya Foundation, founded in 1998, a registered non- governmental organisation. It is set up with the primary goal of promoting the visual arts with an emphasis on research and experimentation. Artists have therefore taken advantage of the opportunity to develop themselves through exposure to new techniques and interaction with one another. The Workshop has also succeeded in bringing together people of diverse ethnic backgrounds, academic standing and practical experiences to share ideas. The ultimate benefit has been that it has not only helped prevent artists from becoming stagnant but has also helped them to continue to produce works that are relevant to society. In addition, the workshops’ location in a rural community has significantly increased the level of art appreciation, leading to an increased sense of self-worth among participants and most especially those that are resident in the local communities.
It holds each year in several sessions of two weeks each. Facilitators for the various sections of the workshop are carefully selected from different backgrounds.
The exhibition is supported by Pepsi, Tiger, Indomie, Mikano, Delta Airline, Cool World, UPS, Cobranet, Cool FM, Wazobia FM/ TV, Art Café and The Homestores Limited.