Sunday 19 November 2017

Amaechi Okobi : Art is a huge part of who we are at Access Bank



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…

Source: https://www.vanguardngr.com

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