Gani Odutokun
Gani Odutokun | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | 15 February 1995 | (aged 48)
Nationality | Nigerian |
Education | Ahmadu Bello University |
Known for | Painting, colorist |
Notable work | Dialogue with Mona Lisa, The King Shares a Joke with His General |
Movement | Zaria Art School |
Gani Odutokun (9 August 1946 – 15 February 1995) was a contemporary Nigerian painter who is known for his contributions and nurturing of artists in the Zaria art society. His works include wall murals, paintings and book cover designs.[1]
Early life and education
Odutokun was born in Nsawam, Ghana, to Nigerian parents of Yoruba ethnicity[2][3] who were originally from Offa, Kwara State, and who were in the cocoa trade.[4] He spent his early childhood growing up in Ashanti region but his father later relocated to Nigeria after a slump in the Cocoa trade. After secondary school, he worked as a clerk with Nigerian Breweries but with prodding from friends who saw his talent, he applied and got admission to Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, in 1972. He graduated from the college with a bachelor's and master's degree in Fine Arts in 1975 and 1979.[5] After obtaining his bachelor's degree, he joined the Fine Arts department of ABU as a graduate assistant.
Career
Odutokun's artworks are known for exploring the nature of life. His paintings tend to explore philosophical concepts about "accident and design". His solo exhibitions include Fragments and The Seemingly Unbalanced Equilibrium,[6] Some of his works also try to challenge Western expectations of African Art. At times, Odutokun included political commentary in his works. The 1988 painting "The King Shares a Joke with his General" alludes to the pretentious ideals of liberalism of Babangida.[7][8]
Death
Odutokun died while returning from an exhibition that followed a workshop held at the Goethe Institute in Lagos. He was among four artists who died in a vehicular accident. In February 1995, Time No Boundaries, an exhibition featuring paintings from dozens of artists from the Northern Nigeria region, was held at the Maison de France, Alfred Rewane road, in Odutokun's honour. In 2008, a memorial art exhibition by the Nigerian Gallery of Art in honour of Odutokun's paintings was held at the Aina Onabolu complex of the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.
References
- ^ Ekpo Udo Udoma. No More Boundaries
- ^ A.H.C. Chiegboka; C. E. Nwadigwe; E. C. Umezinwa. The Humanities and Nigeria's Democratic Experience (PDF). NAU Library. p. 579. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
- ^ Osa Egonwa (1994). African art: a contemporary source book. Osasu Publishers. p. 198. ISBN 9789783231290.
- ^ ART-NIGERIA: Gani Odutokun Retrospective Hailed in London
- ^ Edewor U. Nelson (2015). "Gani Odutokun's Dialogue with Mona Lisa: Interrogating Implications of Euro-African Interface". International Journal of Arts and Humanities IJAH 4(1), S/No 13.
- ^ Ajayi, M. (2005). African arts in the diaspora: An examination of common cultural and plastic essence in the visual arts, p. 108.
- ^ Udoma
- ^ Moyosore Benjamin Okediji (2002). African Renaissance: new forms, old images in Yoruba art. University of Colorado Press. pp. 12, 73, 83. ISBN 9780870816819.
External links
- Articles with short description
- Short description is different from Wikidata
- Use dmy dates from June 2024
- Articles with hCards
- All articles with dead external links
- Articles with dead external links from January 2017
- Articles with permanently dead external links
- Articles with FAST identifiers
- Articles with ISNI identifiers
- Articles with VIAF identifiers
- Articles with WorldCat Entities identifiers
- Articles with LCCN identifiers
- Articles with ULAN identifiers
- 1946 births
- 1995 deaths
- 20th-century Nigerian male artists
- 20th-century Nigerian painters
- Academic staff of Ahmadu Bello University
- Ahmadu Bello University alumni
- Ghanaian emigrants to Nigeria
- Ghanaian people of Nigerian descent
- Ghanaian people of Yoruba descent
- Road incident deaths in Nigeria
- Yoruba academics
- Yoruba artists
- All stub articles
- Nigerian people stubs
- African painter stubs