By Adefoyeke Ajao

In the 60’s, a young artist named Georgina Beier hosted a series of art workshops at the Mbari Mbayo Club in Osogbo, an ancient town now known as the capital of Osun State. Aided by her husband, the editor, writer and scholar, Professor Ulli Beier, these workshops targeted indigenes and practising artists who were encouraged to explore and develop artistic skills. Although Osogbo was already known as the turf of the dramatist Duro Ladipo and his theatre troupe, these workshops led to the emergence of some of the country’s finest artistic talents who specialised in painting, sculpture, murals, mosaics and textile arts that expressed their personal and cultural beliefs.

To celebrate the movement’s 50th anniversary, the Thought Pyramid in Ikoyi, on the 30th of March, 2018 opened an exhibition titled “Vision of the Last Quarter”. “Vision of the Last Quarter” is the fourth in a quartet of commemorative exhibitions that have already passed through the United States, Osogbo and Abuja since 2017 when the celebrations began. It showcases the works of Muraina Oyelami, late Twins Seven Seven, late Rufus Ogundele, Adebisi Fabunmi and Jimoh Buraimoh, five artists who share the common trait of being mentored by Georgina Beier at Duro Ladipo’s Mbari Mbayo Centre in Osogbo.

On display is an assortment of works depicting ordinary daily life and animals; marketplaces, village scenes as well as people are ubiquitously portrayed in media favoured by each participating artist: Adebisi Fabunmi uses multi-coloured wool to weave works such as “Dreams” and “Market” but uses batik to create black and white pieces such as “Yet Unborn” and “Association of Believer”. Prince Twins Seven Seven’s “Aifolokun” and “Royal Farmers Kingdom” are done in his characteristic ink on woodcut. Jimoh Buraimoh renders beautiful works including “Jolly Friends”, “The Oath” and “In the Palace” with glass beads, while Muraina Oyelami favours oil on board, just like Rufus Ogundele, in works such as “Family”, “Mother of Two” and “Vigilant”. Notwithstanding the ages of the contributing artists, Oyelami and Buraimoh’s contributions featured some pieces they created only recently.

“Vision of the Last Quarter” is a rich and lively spectacle that showcases the dexterity and painstaking dedication of masters who have chosen to work with rarely-used media. The Beiers might have left Nigeria in 1966, but the Osogbo Art Movement has evolved into an integral part of Nigeria’s art history thanks to the unrelenting efforts of these artists who have remained true to the movement’s philosophy of creating culturally-relevant art

“Vision of the Last Quarter” was at Thought Pyramid until April 15th, 2018.