By Adefoyeke Ajao

The business of art requires much more than talent, paint, brushes and a canvas; this was the consensus as GTBank recently hosted up and coming visual artists at a workshop titled the Hard Part of Art. Held on Saturday 25th November 2017 at the recently-renovated Herbert Macaulay Library in Yaba, the workshop was headlined by a stellar line-up of established art and management professionals who spoke to aspiring artists about the art world’s commercial complexities.

In line with GTBank’s commitment to promoting African art, the Hard Part of Art workshop featured six different sessions anchored by graffiti artist, Osa Okunkpolor (Osa Seven); career artist, Chamberlin Ukenedo; brand strategist, Akinlabi Akinbulumo; visual artist and academic, Ayobola Kekere-Ekun; as well as representatives from GTBank who spoke on how artists can showcase and sell their creations through the bank’s SME Market Hub and the Art635 website.

Speaking at his session on “Art, Artists and Art Galleries”, Chamberlin Ukenedo stated that artists need to be well-informed and acquainted with their surroundings if they are to achieve a mastery of their craft. He also gave important tips on preparing for exhibitions: such as selecting the best works for an exhibition, partnering with other artists and curators, securing appropriate venues and determining fitting prices for showpieces.

During her presentation on “Art and Technology,” Ayobola Kekere-Ekun said that “art is evolving and has evolved and it shouldn’t bother you [the artists] that your work does not look like traditional media or is not perceived as traditional media”. She encouraged artists to feed into the Internet’s visual culture because cyberspace and a multiplicity of digital tools provide ample opportunities for artists to experiment with digital art. According to her, art produced digitally would compete favourably with conventional art forms, and artists need to jettison the perception that digital art is inferior.

Graffiti artist, Osa Seven stated that creating art that is relevant to society should be every artist’s dream because nuances of art can be found in other professions. Taking us through the topic: “Creating Art Relevant to The Public,” he underscored the importance of art as a form of social commentary. He also enjoined attendees to explore unconventional genres of art in spite of traditional definitions or occasionally dispiriting feedback from curators.

Akinlabi Akinbulumo, while speaking on “The Business of Art” disputed the notion that talent was solely responsible for an artist’s success. Refuting the myth that artworks should sell themselves without being pitched to buyers, he advised the young artists to develop a culture of collaborating with a diversity of professionals (including those from other fields) in order to build a viable business structure. He said, “the business of art is the same as the business of anything. There are principles and rules that guide business and they do not change when used to sell art.”

The questions and anecdotes shared by the young artists revealed that the challenges they face are not limited to channelling their talents into creating what could be considered a masterpiece, but in creating art that speaks to pertinent issues within society and getting such pieces (and their underlying ideologies) accepted by curators and potential collectors. At the end of the workshop, it was apparent that it would take more than an abundance of talent for budding artists to navigate the business of art. However, the guidelines proposed by the speakers should nudge them towards the professional and financial validation that they crave.

The workshop concluded with a group activity session where each of the participants and facilitators were able to collaborate and work together to create beautiful works of art on a graffiti canvas and on the Art635 t-shirts they were given a takehome gifts. Those t-shirts were accompanied by an Art635 Gallery Sketchbook. Here are some more of the pictures from the art workshop below: