Amaechi Okobi, Group Head, Corporate
Communications, Access Bank Plc, is a man of many parts. His knowledge of art
runs deep. In this interview with OSA AMADI, he lets us in on the aesthetically
rich art gallery of Access Bank, shares his passion for art generally, and
expresses his confidence in the prosperous future of Nigerian art. Enjoy the
tour:
Your knowledge of Nigerian art and artists is quite impressive. How did you acquire it?
I’ve always had an appreciation for art,
African art in particular. It’s natural that one reads up on anything one is
passionate about. I also attend exhibitions when I can and try to meet the
artists whenever possible. They are always gracious enough to answer my many
questions. I’ve also been lucky to have a relationship with Tolu Aliki who is
an incredible repository of information on the Nigerian art scene. When he
speaks, I listen and secretly take notes.
Did you ever take fine art or music as
subjects in school?
I tried the piano in secondary
school but lost interest after one year. Looking back, I wish I had kept going,
or better yet, started earlier. My 10-year-old plays beautifully and for now, I
am just happy to live vicariously through him. In my next life (if there is
such), I’ll certainly take it more seriously. Like every student, I took a bit
of fine art but once I realised that I could not go past stick figures with big
round heads, I let that one go, too.
As one with more than a casual
interest in art, how do you recognise value in artworks and rank them on the
basis of their values?
As an art enthusiast, I have learnt that value
is subjective. I tend to stay true to what moves me. The reasons are purely
personal and do not necessarily conform with what is largely accepted as the
best.
Of course there are artists that I
am partial to, and anything they do moves me. For the most part, however, I am
struck by pieces that resonate with me for various reasons ranging from the use
of colour, technique and style of the artist, the subject matter, or even the
story being told in the artwork. One of my favourite pieces is the work of a
young artist called Osione Itegboje.
My son and I ran into him at last
year’s Art X exhibition while he was working on a piece. He asked if we wanted
to “do some painting?” Naturally, we did, and we did. My son even signed his
initials on the piece. Of course, we had to get it once it was done. And it’s
beautiful. Make no mistake, though, if Yusuf Grillo, Bruce Onobrakpeya called
me after reading this conversation and offered me a piece of their work, I
would go running, whether the piece moved me or not.
Access Bank has a very rich
collection of artwork. How and when did the company’s interest in art begin?
Art is a huge part of who we are at
Access Bank. This is due, in a large part, to the bank’s founders, Herbert
Wigwe and Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede who have loved art since their university
days. We began acquiring since the very beginning in 2002 long before I joined
the Access family. The bank bought pieces from young art students in an effort
to support and encourage them as part of our CSR activities.
By the time we moved to our new
location on Danmole Street, we had included works from the masters and had
amassed quite a collection. The ambiance created by our art collection provides
an inspiring work environment and allows our staff to develop an interest in
art and art collection. I personally enjoy coming to work in a place where I am
surrounded by so much beauty, but the real thrill is the look on some people’s
faces when they come to the office for the first time.
What works does Access Bank have in
its collection?
We have the works of several artists. From
works created by masters like Enwonwu and Onobrakpeya to those created by
up-and-coming artists.
The collection is very robust, but
the jewel in the crown is the series of seven wooden sculptures by Ben Enwonwu.
The collection, currently housed on our first floor, was originally
commissioned in the 1960s by the Daily Mirror Newspaper in the U.K., and is
composed of life-size wooden sculptures. The sculptures have quite an
interesting history – they went missing for several years before they were
recovered in the U.K and subsequently bought by Access Bank during an auction.
Aside from that masterpiece, some of my favourite pieces are by Tolu Aliki,
Victor Ehikhamenor and Nyemike Onwuka, but in order to get a sense of the depth
of the collection, you really have to visit our office. I’d be happy to show
you around. You’ll see what I already know; Nigerians really do have talent.
Is the bank collecting the artworks
as investments, for sale?
The Access Bank Collection exists
because of our appreciation of art. This is not to say that viewing art as
investment to be sold when conditions are ideal is a bad thing. Collectors and
dealers have turned in hefty profits from buying and selling at the right time.
It’s just not our thing. The pieces we collect are intended to encourage and
project Nigerian artists, and also to beautify our workspace. Could you give us
the total monetary value of all the artworks Access Bank has collected?
No. I couldn’t even begin to hazard a guess.
We acquired many of our pieces almost two decades ago and have not had them
appraised. I can tell you without a shadow of doubt, however, that the
sentimental value is immense. Access Bank is sponsoring Art X Lagos. Are we
going to see some works collected by the bank in that exhibition?
We are glad to continue our
partnership with Art X for the second consecutive year. This year, for the
first time ever, we are showcasing our collection of wooden sculptures by Ben
Enwonwu to the Nigerian public. This year also marks the centenary of Ben
Enwonwu’s birth, and we feel that unveiling this collection for the first time
in Nigeria is a befitting acknowledgment of an artist who is not only a
national icon, but was a notable protagonist of the global acceptance of
Nigerian and African art.
Some people do not see where the
value of artworks is located. Why should a painting sell for N34 million for
instance?
The factors that determine the value
of artwork are incredibly complex and I don’t fully understand why a collector
would pay what seems like an insane amount for a piece of art that when you
break it down pretty much amounts to strokes of paint on canvas, or a piece of
wood or a hunk of metal.
Pick any medium and the same applies….If I can
simply, I would say that it boils down to supply and demand. We have all heard
of some of the works of our most iconic and prolific artists dramatically
increase in value in the years and decades following the death of the artist as
the works become limited and more sought after. Ben Enwonwu’s work is a good
example.
Things are a little different with
living artists. The marketing of savvy agents and the buzz and hype they create
around the artist helps drive up the value of his/her work. A magazine writeup,
coverage on CNN, third party endorsement by a credible voice, exhibitions
abroad are examples of some of the things that drive up the value of an
artist’s work. Of course, it helps if the artist is skilled and has a beautiful
story to tell.
Another factor to consider is the
uptick in what collectors are willing to pay in Nigeria. This reflects the
country’s economic advancement and the growth of our art industry—as the number
of affluent buyers who have a keen interest in this artwork increases, so does
the value of the artwork from our region.
The real question then becomes: why
shouldn’t Nigerian art cost N34 million or more? In the international art
scene, for example, collectors have paid over $180 million for a Picasso; $300
million for a Gauguin; $275 for a Cézanne.
Why not for a Nigerian or African
artist? Our artists are highly skilled, and they too have amazing stories to
tell. I think it’s only a matter of time before Nigerian art is able to command
record prices as we’ve seen with the recent auctions of Ben Enwonwu’s artwork
and Njideka Akunyili who recently sold a piece at auction for $3.1 million. She
is 34 years old, Nigerian, and very much alive.
What about you personally; are you a
collector? That depends on your definition of ‘collector.’ I have a couple of
pieces that I really enjoy, but I have not amassed the number of notable pieces
that would classify me as a collector; not at all. I’m more of a window shopper
in this game. Again, if Papa Grillo or Papa Bruce gifted me with one of their
pieces…
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