One of the biggest problems of developing countries especially in Africa is how to manage all kinds of waste products which have posed a threat/harm to the lives of people in the society. Take Nigeria for example, there are many streams and rivers in the Niger delta region that have seriously been damaged by the constant release of liquid waste from activities of oil companies. On the other hand, it is common to walk in major Nigerian cities like Lagos, Kaduna, Ibadan, Aba, etc and find heaps of refuse dumps which composed of solid waste as well as discarded materials like used-polythene bags, empty cans, e-waste products (like used recharged cards), vehicle/engine parts, and so on. The gathering point of some of these solid waste can be anywhere irrespective of whether it is near a major market, or close to a residential area.
Recently, new forms of artistic expression, most especially in sculpture have emerged and many artists have resorted to using discarded materials and recycling them, artistically, into beautiful art works. This form of art, essentially, focuses on the conversion of discarded materials into a more environmental friendly products that can be used either at homes or in public places. European artists like Subodh Gupta (“Very Hungry God”, 2006) and Michel Tuffery (“Pisupo Lau Afe”, 2000) are among individuals who have produced works in this direction. In Africa, the works of El Anatsui is a good example of this form of art. Anatsui’s “Peak Project” consists of used milk can-lids of about 3-foot high forming an anthills’ composition. The work also reflected, symbolically, a pattern of consumption which often generates trashes that are common in developing countries. It is against this background that the works of Anthony S. Ekpe, a young and vibrant contemporary Nigerian artist, genuinely caught my attention.
The works of Anthony are not only aesthetically pleasing but also environmentally meaningful (friendly). The artist usually move about collecting everyday waste materials like empty beverage containers from households, or visit waste bins and garbage heaps. After gathering a sizable number (quantity) of such materials required to start and finish a work, he will make sketches of the art forms he intends to create. According to the artist, “the conceptual formation of ideas for the art forms preceded sketches from model diagrams, photographs, and work actualization. The images sought for could be animals, human figures, mask or natural forms”. This is latter proceeded by taking mould of the image to be constructed after which the artist starts beating, compressing and doing repousse as well as joining (welding) the partitions of the entire work into an ideal shape.
Given this medium of exploration, Anthony employed stylization and abstraction as basic styles in rendering various sculptural forms of artistic standard. The “Trumpeter”(2009), for instance, the artist used iron rods and constructed anatomical frame on which the red compressed cans were selectively welded to cover parts of the work to achieve the shape/form of a person blowing trumpet. In this way, other parts of work are neatly covered while others are deliberately left, exposing the frame in a stylized manner.
The work is significant in two ways. First, the waste (discarded) materials used by Anthony in making the work qualify it (the “Trumpeter”) an environmental friendly art piece. This has contributed (no matter how little) positively in addressing part of the environmental issues which Nigeria is facing currently. Secondly, the image captured by the artist has cultural connotation to the lives of people in northern Nigeria which is the immediate practicing environment of the artist. Hence, it can said that the artist made use of trash (waste materials) in projecting the culture of the people in Northern Nigeria; a view which might sound controversial but realistically unassuming. Base on these significance, it is therefore, safe to conclude that, the “Trumpeter” is a work that is not only environmental friendly, but also cultural friendly since it portrays an image that is commonly associated with the popular culture of the people.
*** Art in Disguise ***
