Events  

Wanderlust: A Wonderful Exhibition at Wheatbaker

By Chidirim Ndeche

13 July 2017   |   6:30 pm

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The Wheatbaker’s summer art exhibition, WANDERLUST, explores the “why” behind cross cultural, cross border, mental and physical journeying. WANDERLUST is an exhibition of 40 paintings, drawings, photographs and mixed media works by six leading and emerging artists with strong roots in Germany and Nigeria: Chidi Kwubiri, Dilomprizulike (popularly called “Junkman of Africa”), Emeka Udemba, Numero…

Transition by Chidi Kwubiri acrylic on canvas 200 x 300 cm 2017

The Wheatbaker’s summer art exhibition, WANDERLUST, explores the “why” behind cross cultural, cross border, mental and physical journeying.

Dante Obiago

WANDERLUST is an exhibition of 40 paintings, drawings, photographs and mixed media works by six leading and emerging artists with strong roots in Germany and Nigeria: Chidi Kwubiri, Dilomprizulike (popularly called “Junkman of Africa”), Emeka Udemba, Numero Unoma, Yetunde Ayeni-Babaeko and Jimmy Nwanne.

Wanderlust artist Chidi Kwubiri and Rony Tabbal of Still Earth Holdings

These internationally celebrated artists explore the concept of ‘wandern’, a term of Germanic origin, drawing on our collective desire to travel and explore. Responding to a frequently polarized and fragmented world, these artists explore the internal and external aspects of Wanderlust vis-a-vis the modern reality and ancient roots of exploration inspired by the quest for safety, economic prosperity, education, and conquest, or simply for recreation, refreshment, and enrichment.

Obias Obiago, Amaechi Okobi and son

The exhibition runs until mid-September and is supported by Deutsche Bank, Still Earth. Holding, the German Consulate of Lagos, ELALAN, and Louis Guntrum Wines.

Some of the attendees at the opening ceremony had a few things to say about the event:

Exhibition curator, Sandra Obiago, with Fidelis Odogwu and Duke Asidere

“Wanderlust is a term, which I believe, comes closest to the essence of why we migrate. Be it for rest and recreation, spiritual upliftment, the excitement of discovering new cultures, or whether it is in the quest for education, economic prosperity, conquest, or an escape from poverty, war and terrorism, human beings have for centuries been in a constant state of migration.”
– Sandra Mbanefo Obiago, Wanderlust Exhibition Curator and CEO of SMO Contemporary Art

Chidi Kwubiri, Wanderlust artist

“Wanderlust touches on the ever evolving life of us all, both as migrants and as artists – always moving, always seeking, always trying to climb greater heights – like engaging in a race, where the farther you go, the farther away the finish line gets.”
– Chidi Kwubiri, Wanderlust Artist

Jimmy Nwanne, artist

“Through interaction we learn more about people, eliminate fear, and it makes the world better. ”
Jimmy Nwanne, Artist

Ryan and Mazein Fardoun with Wanderlust artist Junkman of Afrika and Majid Biggar

“My work concentrates on the CITY and city life as a curious concept of modernity, which particularly in Africa confronts, as it interweaves with cultural characteristics and traditional philosophies of the people. The conflicts, agitations and new concepts of life and life styles which emerge from these transitional realities, therefore, constitute the basis of my creative expressions as I attempt to mold stories and imagery of these emergent realities by employing used and disused materials to create forms of their aesthetic character…” – Junkman from Afrika, Artist.

Emeka Udemba, Wanderlust artist

“Reflecting on what the cultural critic Edward Said described as “the inner state of the Emig, as beset with a nagging awareness of two homes”, as a point of departure for my work in this exhibition, I explore through various indicators and peculiarities in my relationship with my immediate, distant and imagined environment.” – Emeka Udemba, Artist

Yetunde Ayeni-Babaeko, Wanderlust artist

“My work is about the beauty of lightness and defying gravity. It is about escaping reality and freeing yourself of the heavy weight of life.For many people this process of finding yourself is journey.”
– Yetunde Ayeni- Babeko, Artist

Jahman Anikulapo of CORA and Wanderlust artist, Numero Unoma

“Travel  is  something  we  Nigerians  have  always  done  a  lot  of,  both  at  home  and abroad.   Personally, I have flown and sailed between, and driven around Africa, the Caribbean, Europe and the Americas since early childhood, and only ever proudly on a Nigerian passport.”
– Numero Unoma, Artist

Ade Bantu, novelist Igoni Barrett and Emeka Osisiego

Andrea Geday and Alex Nadar of ELALAN with Oyindamola Adeyemi and Rony Tabbal of Still Earth Holdings with Wanderlust artist Chidi Kwubiri

Chiderah Monde of DVNT Entertainment and recording artist, Funbi

The exhibition runs from July 8th, when it started, until September 15th, 2017 at the Wheatbaker. So feel free to stop by and check it out.

Image credit –  © SMO Contemporary Art / Emezie Asogwa.