The mix rele: a Power debut
AYODEJI ROTINWA examines a new unconventional art space that is changing the art landscape, in Nigeria.
How long does it take for potential to turn to power? In modern and contemporary art gallery, Rele’s case- apparently only few months. The promising art destination opened its doors to the public in February 2015 and in ten short months and with a number of innovative, envelope-pushing exhibitions, it has catapulted itself to the strata of the art landscape in Nigeria, shining much required light on young artists, introducing and furthering thought on contemporary issues and engaging a new audience on all things visual art. The gallery has removed – no, forced out – visual art out of the ivory tower of intellectuals, collectors, aged critics. Of course, the industry still needs these to thrive but for a healthy appetite for something as life-affirming as art to continue, it needs to continually open itself to a new audience which previous to Rele’s entry just wasn’t the case. And of course, before now, Nigerian art had been deliberately ‘traditional’, produced by long-standing proven talent; it spoke to age-old traditions, beliefs, culture – it mostly stayed away from taboos. rele has staged an exhibition exclusively on nudity and in another titled, ‘Crossing Lines’challenged artists to take art away from the canvas to the walls of the gallery itself, in between touching on currently hot topic issues of cultural appropriation and body image. It even had a showcase that put forward completely unproven, untested artistic talent – taking an incredible gamble on them, (the art still needs to sell, you know) giving them a chance to shine. A lot has gone on, and is going on with this gallery. But how exactly did this gallery get here, why now and why this way?
Rele had been long in coming. Half a decade after studying in the U.S.A., and another four unfulfilling years working as an auditor at the prestigious accounting firm, Price Water House Cooper, its proprietor, Adenrele Sonariwo decided that the time was nigh for her passion and love for the arts to overcome. She quit her well-paying job, sought to acquire an education, a compass for this new uncharted territory of the arts. She searched across Nigeria. She was not successful. Realizing this vacuum and recognizing that others shared in her frustration at the unavailability of a reputable, standard arts education; she decided create an avenue for one- Modern Day School of Arts. It was to be a training institution dedicated to providing highquality professional education to its trainees. Education within its walls, “aimed to liberate creativity, exploration and expansion of talents,” Sonariwo said. Months later, government bureaucracy stifled the smooth take-off of this visionary albeit ambitious school. In this time, in partnership with two other art lovers, she founded The Art Social, a quarterly event, designed to make high quality art accessible to a wider audience through the delivery of art-inspired events (through various forms and mediums) to the young and upwardly mobile in Lagos. Employing instruments through which today’s youth best connects with: music, food and drink, in a relaxed environment, it attempted to build a network of art lovers and develop a viable market for the exhibition and sale of art including but not limited to paintings, photographs, sculpture, and home ware with an unrelenting focus on the provenance and quality of the pieces in question. This event recorded moderate success. Sonariwo was unsatisfied. This was not the big picture for the career in art that she desired. She then decided to scale up her dreams and start a gallery. The early days proved especially tough. The immediate challenge was investment. The exchange rate hadn’t shot up so much at the time but confidence in a gallery as good investment was in poor supply. Collectors / high net worth individuals were content with expending capital only at auctions, in a number of one-off transactions. A longer-term ask didn’t seem attractive. After months of searching, pitching proposals, collecting miles in car journeys from office to office, accepting rejections, she finally found a break. She found a long-time collector who was keen on diverting dispensable funds into one of his passions and felt Sonariwo had passion in similar amounts and the grit and drive to turn it into a profitable business. And so rele was born.
Apparently, Rele is a lovechild, conceived and sustained by Sonariwo’s burning passion for art in general but in this case has morphed into something more specific- a passion for the arts across various artistic mediums, platforms and for creating a habitat for the individuals behind the art, the artists: to thrive, to create Rele is an educational incubator of the arts: prying minds open to deepen their knowledge and appreciate the sector; training budding curators and facilitating social change through art that speaks to society. and to grow. rele currently marries two symbiotic purposes: to offer first-rate art for public consumption and nurture the creators of the art, bringing the world to their work. With Rele, every artist that is encountered and nurtured is the star. The artist exudes qualities that need to be seen and felt, because of what use is a gift if it is not shared? Located in Onikan, the cultural capital of Lagos, Rele eases seamlessly into the landscape, surrounded by history, art and culture. Within walking distance are the National Museum; The Muson Centre, Nigeria’s foremost musical institution famed for its operettas; stately colonial buildings that remind of Onikan once being the thriving administrative hub of South-West British colonial Nigeria. Rele is a glittering addition to this cultural nerve centre especially as it seeks to create some history of its own. It has definitely started in earnest with the kind of exhibitions its growing a reputation for. Rele is also an educational incubator of the arts: prying minds open to deepen their knowledge and appreciate the sector; training budding curators and facilitating social change through art that speaks to society. Rele is also home to the artist who needs a safe place while daring to be different, home to the artist that is versatile and evolving, home to the artist who quite simply just wants to create. An enduring, enabling environment is music to any artist’s ears and rele has in the past few months been creating rhythm, making sure the beat never stops. Perhaps most important in all that it has achieved thus far is triggering a newfound appreciation, followership of, and engagement with the arts. It has made its space, art as a whole a destination, making converts of many across the age bracket of 18 – 50 who had little interest of patience for art previously. And Sonariwo solemnly believes that this is the gallery’s trump card – what makes it different from competitors or will help it stand the test of time. The jury is still out on the whether it has begun to turn a profit but in turning minds and influencing spending, perhaps it will soon be on its way, if it isn’t already…