Rebecca Ejifoma
 | |
| One of the artists alongside the host, Kunle displaying a piece on canvas |
A
daring group art exhibition, showing 115 aesthetic abstract works of about 50
girls and young women, will open on Saturday August 20 at 2 p.m. at the
Terrakulture art gallery in Victoria Island Lagos.
The
show, which will run until Monday August 22, will display a repertoire
of 60 works ranging from oil paintings on canvas, drawings, mixed media,
ink/acrylic painting and charcoal on canvas and photography.
The expo, which is on the theme, 'Africa4her' is tailored to
create a platform for girls and young women to be empowered through
arts. Through this programme, girls are exposed to mentoring
opportunities, building leadership and social skills.
The
displayed art pieces is expected to birth a combo of dialogue,
education, entertainment and commercial purpose. Their works will exude
gender inequality, community building, identity crisis, visionary women,
violence against women, sexual abuse/molestation, struggle of African
women, leadership, beauty, self-acceptance and love, empowerment,
entrepreneurship, education and fantasy.
The
artists are between ages six and 35 years, according to the host and
Project Director of Africa4Her, Kunle Adewale, at a press briefing.
He affirmed that girls have the right to leadership if provided with opportunity to develop capacity for that position.
"Women
and girls have the right to learn and lead. We do have a responsibility
to break down every barrier that limits girls and women potential. This
art provides platform for community engagement, professional and
commitment to raising girls and women of excellence," he stressed.
Interestingly, Kunle is an alumnus of the 2015 Mandela Washington Fellowship within
President Barack Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative, and Creative
Art Director of Tender Arts Nigeria, a Nigerian NGO that seeks to
promote girl-child education and women empowerment advocacy through arts
programming.
On
the choice of arts, he enthused that arts have a great potential to
empower women and girls. "In developed countries, Art is recognized as a
creative force that amplifies women's voices and tear down gender
barriers and discrimination.
He
further explained that this is contributing his quota, Kunle said
that there is good evidence that participation in creative activities
like drawing, paintings, photography, animation, graphic design, Spoken
Word Poetry and other art engagement can help break-down gender
stereotypes, improve girls' and women's self-esteem and contribute to
the development of leadership skills.
Africa4Her
resonates with me because of my mother's timeless investment in me. My
mum was a roadside food vendor who didn't study beyond primary school
education. She would hawk kilometers in the sun and rain to ensure that
at I have quality education and great future.
So,
his quest is to fetch girls and young women that will build each other
up and then build their communities. The stronger ones help the weak by
inculcating team spirit to instill the power of ‘collectiveness’ the
‘Ubuntu Spirit.’
Guests
expected to grace the opening session include: Ace Nollywood actress
and Movie Director, Joke Silva; President, Women Arise for Change
Initiative, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin; President, Society of Nigerian
Artists, Oliver Enwonwu and the Director, Women in Business and Public
Service (WIMBIZ), Mosun Layode among several others.
