The day, Tuesday, November 14 is — as is traditional to the programming content of the festival — exclusively dedicated to those in the vocation of visual arts, just as the opening day on Monday was dedicated to youths, and Day 3, Wednesday, November 15 is dedicated to “Readers” and Day 4, Thursday is devoted to “Literacy” and Day 5, Friday for “Advocacy;” Day 6, Saturday for “Culture Icons” and Day 7 dedicated to CORA, the organisers of the festival.
AS the 2023 edition of the Lagos Book & Art Festival, LABAF rolls into its second day today, the visual artists are the lords of the arena.
The festival dubbed “Feast of LIFE & IDEAS” had opened yesterday dedicated entirely to the youths. t began with the gathering of about 60 children for the beginning of the 3-day CORA Youth Creative Club, a session of intense mentoring through workshops and other exercises for students from six secondary schools; and the Author’s showcase, in which a United States-based prolific author and philosopher, Cash Onayemi Oyedele aka Aiyeko-Ooto mentored youths mostly university undergraduates and early career youths through the contents of his over 100 books.
Today, however, the entire festival village, Freedom Park Lagos will be occupied by artists of divergent orientations as outlined in the festival’s programme. There will be five formal openings of various projects including exhibitions by the Cartoonists Association of Nigeria, CARTAN; and the Visions in Clay group of ceramicists; Others are the installation art by thejunkmanofafrica and a performance art by the internationally-renowned and widely traveling Jelili Atiku. The lead project, however, is the Timeless Memories… an experiential which is in its seventh edition, celebrating the works of the patron saint of the festival, woe Soyinka, as conceived by ASiRI journal. Two other projects will also open on Day 3, Wednesday: 1851 Agindigbi an immersive exhibition by Asiri Journal.
The day, Tuesday, November 14 is — as is traditional to the programming content of the festival — exclusively dedicated to those in the vocation of visual arts, just as the opening day on Monday was dedicated to youths, and Day 3, Wednesday, November 15 is dedicated to “Readers” and Day 4, Thursday is devoted to “Literacy” and Day 5, Friday for “Advocacy;” Day 6, Saturday for “Culture Icons” and Day 7 dedicated to CORA the organisers of the festival.
On the outline today are:
- Conceptual: “Timeless Memories: Elastic Effects 2023 – The Man Who Didn’t Die in the Face of Tyranny” — an immersive experimental exhibition, that seeks to visually interpret the book, “The Man Died,” originally published in 1971. It is a continuation of the tribute series in honour of Africa’s illustrious man of letters and first Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka. In its 6th season at the LABAF, Timeless Memories… will feature a series of prison cell installations and symbolic representations designed to foreground the prison experience. Furthermore, 27 illustrations, printed on a unique toilet-paper-like material, will vividly depict the challenges the protagonist faced during his time in confinement. It is curated by Oludamola Adebowale of Asiri Journal.
- Installation: BOARDING – a showcase of theJunkmanofAfrica’s uniquely conceived mix-match of themes and materials that captures human conditions through a probe into history and philosophical musings. Aside a huge installation to be mounted in the Foodcourt arena of the Freedom Park, a set of works will also grace a section of the Freedom Park Museum Gallery.
- Ceramics: NOTICE, We are here? A group exhibition by the Visions in Clay Community of ceramic artists with the aim of projecting the current trajectory of the ceramic craft and “let more people notice we are here!” The participating artists use ceramic history, culture and traditions to bolster craft, experimentation, conceptual strategies, and relational approaches to materiality. Lending their voices to tell the stories lingering outside the public’s sight.” It is curated by Olubunmi Atere and Azeez Afeez Adeoti.
- Cartoons: DRAWING ATTENTION… An exhibition of editorial cartoons by the Cartoonists Association of Nigeria, CARTAN. 35 Cartoonists are participating in this rare showcase of commentaries on the state of the nation, especially the troubling political trajectory in the past 24 years of democracy. Featuring cartooning, comic animation and other communication art, the exhibition is also to draw attention to issues and matters of deep concern to the people.
- Performance Art: I AM A FISH FROM THE SEA – Reading and walking through the minds of political leaders, analysing and knowing their philosophies, policies, ideas, and actions as they rule us are the indispensable responsibilities of the people. The performance employs techniques of walking and sensing where audiences engage in collective healing and renewed energy, strength and enthusiasm, connection and contemplating the qualities of political leaders”. Performer: Jelili Olorunfunmi Atiku:
- Performance: MAAMI DEY CHOP AKARA — Inspired by the literary work of Ben Okri – Food, Ritual and Death; and the utilisation of Beans Cake “Akara” as a point of departure, the performance shall invite audience into a sensorium journey through taste and smell; where the selection, peeling baking, frying and eating are towards creating a visual epitaph of resistance and reset towards an egalitarian society void of greed, war, crimes and uncertainties. A performance by Olufela Omokeko; Curated by Yusuf Durodola:
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ABOUT LABAF 2023: The theme for the 2023 edition is THE RESET: History and the Darkling Plain, and it is designed to reflect on the various critical points in the history of Nigeria-and by extension the histories of rest of Africa and the world- through written texts and performances in drama, music, poetry and the visual arts etc. The essence is to mine those lessons in the political and cultural history of the nation to plot a progressive direction for its future, as we settle into, and navigate the constructs of a new political dispensation.
ABOUT LABAF: LABAF commenced in 1999, the year of the nation’s return to civil rule. Though a literary feast of ideas and life in outlook, the festival has over the years, metamorphosed to being a Campaign for LITERACY devoted to heightening interest of the populace to be active participants in the knowledge economy that currently rules transactions in global political, economic and cultural affairs. The festival is focused on three thematic elements: EDUCATION. ENLIGHTENMENT. EMPOWERMENT.
