art<>ssembly
Featuring Anita Cudjoe (Ghana)
Abinoro Akporode Collins (Nigeria)
Sotonye Jumbo (Nigeria)
Adeola Balogun (Ph.D) (Nigeria)
miniature art exhibition
small & Iconic miniature art exhibition
Curated by Patrons Modern & Contemporary African Art - Patrons MCAA .
Starting June 24th - 25th, 2023 11am - 7pm daily
Venue: The Art Hotel Lagos Plot 13A, Block III, Yesufu Abiodun Oniru, Victoria Island.
Conditions of Sale
Proof of payment sent to sic@patronsmcaa.com conrms payment. Contact Us View catalogue and event details online: www.smallandiconic.com
Alternatively, you can send an email to: sic@patronsmcaa.com
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© 2023 small & Iconic. All rights reserved. Patrons MCAA™
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small & Iconic
small & Iconic is a series of miniature art salons that occur one weekend every quarter. These salons are curated to "spark memorable and inspiring conversations within the African art collecting community through bite-sized artworks". It is also an opportunity for the collecting community to get together and rub minds over a weekend of contemporary African art.
The name small & Iconic (SIC) is quite tting as it buttresses the nature of the artworks; they may be small in size, but certainly not small in importance nor value. The artworks displayed will always be iconic, representing various styles, techniques, and subject matter of the exhibiting artists, thus ensuring that they are collectibles of signicant value.
small & Iconic miniature art series are powered and curated by Patrons Modern & Contemporary African Art; “Patrons MCAA” or “Patrons”.
About Patrons MCAA
Patrons MCAA is Africa's leading art advisory and dealership rm that specializes in wealth management diversication for private and corporate clientele through art collections, appraisal and authentications, auctions, exhibitions, insurance, maintenance and restoration, packaging & transportation, private sales, and storage.
To learn more about Patrons MCAA, visit our website: www.patronsmcaa.com
Alternatively, you can send an email to: art@patronsmcaa.com
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
As Africa's leading art advisory and dealership rm, Patrons Modern & Contemporary African Art concerns itself greatly with the furtherance of contemporary African art globally through distinguished projects.
small & Iconic (SIC) is one of many art projects that Patrons promotes to democratize art investing. SIC provides art enthusiasts a pathway to get involved in the art market, regardless of their nancial resources. It also works to diversify the portfolios of seasoned collectors. These efforts help to grow the global market for African art, which in turn creates more opportunities for African artists on the continent and in the diaspora.
We wish to thank our partners; The Art Hotel Lagos for yet another grand collaboration to curate the 4th edition of the SIC miniature art exhibition. The ambience and class of your hotel complement the calibre of this event. We thank you for your partnership.
To our wonderful curation team at Patrons; Amaka, Demotek, Ebose, Meme, Keturah, Racheal, Peter, Raymond, Samuel, and Victor, thank you for your dedication. Your drive and deep sense of ownership are greatly appreciated.
And nally, to our growing community of miniature art collectors who acquire and visit the salons, without your patronage and attendance, we would not be encouraged to do more of these.
This catalogue chronicles the miniature pieces developed and curated specically for this exhibition. To take you through a journey of body and mind exploration each time you ip through the pages of this catalogue, our curation team worked tirelessly with the featured artists:
1. Anita Cudjoe - Ghana
2. Abinoro Akporode Collins - Nigeria
3. Sotonye Jumbo - Nigeria
4. Adeola Balogun (Ph.D) - Nigeria
As you engage with this diverse body of works, we hope that the intended delight we prepared while curating this show is deeply felt by you. We also hope that this carefully selected body of works deepens your appreciation of contemporary African art and
CURATORIAL STATEMENT
With every edition, we strive to push the boundaries with the artists we partner with, and in the type of artworks produced, curated, and displayed exclusively for this project.
This 4th edition of small & Iconic features artists working with different media, geographically dispersed, at different levels of their career—some upcoming and some fairly established—and of different staying power in the industry.
Featured Artists:
1. Anita Cudjoe - Ghana
2. Abinoro Akporode Collins - Nigeria
3. Sotonye Jumbo - Nigeria
4. Adeola Balogun (Ph.D) - Nigeria
The theme art<>ssembly is quite tting for the June 2023 edition of SIC. These artists use everyday materials and discarded items that live among us. From plastic bags to tablespoons, from broken taps to trenchcoats. The artists in their unique ways fuse concepts that paint a different picture in our minds every time we stare at them.
As diverse as their media gets, what unies the participating artists is how they give fresh life to objects and subject areas touched on. Deeply entrenched messages are sculpted and painted with every stroke, touching on subjects such as environment and people, man and his wastefulness, and common waste to upcycled trash.
The SIC curation team worked diligently for months to make this miniature art exhibition a delightful experience for everyone’s enjoyment. I hope our intended joy is felt by you.
ADEOLA BALOGUN, PH.D
For Adeola Balogun, transforming mundane and abandoned scraps into remarkable artistic objects is second nature.
He is a prolic contemporary Nigerian artist who is reputed for his prowess in manipulating sculpture mediums. However, his artistry extends to other regions of the visual arts as he has an uncanny ability to transform recycled products and imbue them with multiple meanings.
Adeola's creative trajectory straddles diverse mediums, techniques and concepts in sifting and espousing the essence and the crystallisation of his subject. He applies electronics as a universal metaphor to interrogate the notion of technology and transformation.
A recurrent theme in his work is the up-cycling of e-wastes (electronic panels) which he uses as a universal metaphor to interrogate the notion of technology and transformation. These are used through their characteristic of being integral components in technology, either in two or three dimensions.
In 2022, he staged his 13th solo exhibition, themed: Transmogrication.
He has participated in several seminars and conferences globally. In his career, he has contributed to journal publications, facilitated and/or participated in several creative workshops such as Quintessence Nigeria Limited/ Galleri Astley Residency (2013, 2015, 2019), Sweden and First Upcycling (2014), Art Hub, Abu Dhabi, UAE, Harmattan Workshop, Nigeria, and others.
This artwork alludes to the notion of self-aggrandizement that plagues most of the people in authority. They seem to be oblivious of the responsibility entrusted into their hands but engage in wanton accumulation of lthy lucre, by doing so, get distracted from the purpose of being in power.
On Top Of The World
Medium: Mixed media
Dimension: 15” x 12” x 10”
Year: 2023
Price: N600,000 / $1,290
This is a humanoid welded metal piece that referenced the legendary Fela. He was a multi-instrumentalist that spoke truth to power with his music. He was here captured at the zenith of a performance with one of his preferred musical instruments the saxophone.
Maestro
Medium: Mixed media
Dimension: 25” x 17” x 15”
Year: 2023
Price: N2,400,000 / $5,155
This work focuses on the preciousness of Time, its intangibility and how the majority of the plebeians allow it to fritter away unconsciously. This is despite the myriads of pointers to man's nite temporal existence.
The Horn Of Time
Medium: Mixed media
Dimension: 27” x 14” x 6”
Year: 2023
Price: N900,000 / $1,933
Distracted
Medium: Mixed media
Dimension: 24” x 18” x 7”
Year: 2023
Price: N700,000 / $1,504
Distracted is a metaphorical allusion to the existential strife that pervades our milieu. The majority of people get distracted by chasing after the ephemeral things of this world to the detriment of salient things that will benet them in this world and hereafter. This cancer seems to have eaten deep into the psyche of our society to the point of hopelessness.
Urban And City Vibes
Medium: Mixed media
Dimension: 24” x 20” x 9”
Year: 2023
Price: N800,000 / $1,720
Urban & City Vibes explores the effect of sound in a given environment as inuenced by human and technological factors. It is noteworthy that the class of people that reside in a given space informs the nature of the acoustics that dominate such an environment. In the suburbs, a mixed grill of sounds, unpleasant or otherwise, pervades the atmosphere. This invariably poses grave danger to the inhabitants of such localities. Unfortunately, the residents of such habitats are seemingly oblivious to the dangers that lie ahead.
The Queen is a symbolic piece that references the ephemerality and the inherent landmines that are constantly locking around the corridors of power. Be it in monarchy, oligarchy, feudalism, or democracy, the leader usually gets carried away by the perks of ofce, fuelled by sycophants, goons, and cronies. Most times, it is not until it is too late before the wearer of the crown realizes their foolhardiness.
The Queen
Medium: Mixed media
Dimension: 22” x 9” x 12”
Year: 2023
Price: N1,400,000 / $3008
The Rare Specie: The advancement in technology keeps empowering humanity with the capacity to break new ground in myriads of elds. Rare species of animals on land and in the deep, hitherto unknown to man, are now being discovered due to new knowledge in science and technology.
Rare Specie (series)
Medium: Mixed media
Dimension: 30” x 22” x 10”
Year: 2023
Price: N1,500,000 / $3,222
ABINORO AKPORODE COLLINS
In the world of Abinoro Akporode Collins, cutlery is a masterpiece in the making.
The Delta-born painter and sculptor is a prolic creative artist who does not fail to draw the visitor's gaze to deep problems through his paintings, inspired by his daily environment.
However, it is in sculpture that he reveals the different facets of his talent, creating masterpieces from table cutlery. Animals, human faces, and bodies in motion or frozen for eternity, his sculptures surprise and delight with the accuracy of the forms, the intensity of the facial expressions and their dimension that ranges from miniature to mega sculpture.
He has participated in several exhibitions in Nigeria where he resides. His rst solo exhibition "RAP TURED" in 2019 at OM Private Gallery in Lagos Nigeria was a revelation. Collins has also exhibited in the UAE as part of two events, including African Art Month in Abu Dhabi in 2013. His works were also exhibited at the Abu Dhabi International Art Fair in 2014. He has also exhibited his works as part of a group in the United States.
He believes in using his art to reect the different facets of the human soul and promote his values that derive their source from the laws of nature, including peace.
I have had the opportunity to listen to a deported migrant, and it has potentially opened my eyes to the dark experiences of migrants on their journeys trying to survive. Taking on different personalities in a bid to survive each day.
Hooded Migrant
Medium: Mixed media
Dimension: 20” x 12”x 9”
Year: 2015-2023
Price: N1,200,000 / $2,580
Behind every smile are hidden scars from childhood and adulthood. Smiles help people hide their dark sides; hence, we hear of happy people committing suicide. This piece draws attention to the need to address mental health and the need to care more for people, no matter how happy they appear. A great smile and laugh are not true proof of a sound mental state, but they have often been a sort of disguise for a lot of people. We need to look beyond the happy veil.
This mixed media piece portrays a middle-aged bonded stone-cast female bust piece with heavy texture and a newsprint surface nish. Forks have been used to fabricate the afro hair as part of my series on afrocentric culture.
Beautiful Scars
Medium: Mixed media
Dimension: 19” x 10”x 9”
Year: 2023
Price: N2,500,000 / $5,370
Life is a fair trade; you can't get more than you bargained for. People often expect a better society when we live in a society where people rarely crave being good. We want a fantastic new generation where those who raise them have no good in them and feed them with all sorts of twisted personalities. The mind is the base from which all things are born, so we should strive to guide and feed it only with what we expect to get out of it.
You Are What You Accept
Medium: Mixed media
Dimension: 11” x 15 x 11”
Year: 2020
Price: N3,000,000 / $6,445
This is a portrait piece of my studio trainee. I daily reect on his mental and skill level since the rst time he came into my studio and how much he has become so greatly motivated and learned within such a short time.
I knew shortly after I saw him draw that morning that all I wanted was to create a bust of him and nd ways to reect myself in him, which I was able to achieve by infusing my dreadlocks into him; hair has been the connecting link or antenna to reach our divine state. It's a well-loved piece that reects the relationship between those who seek knowledge or growth and those who are willing to impact or give.
Shittu (the apprentice, his master)
Medium: Mixed media
Dimension: 17” x 5” x 9”
Year: 2023
Price: N600,000 / $1,290
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Art Index Africa
Why you should build up your art vocabulary
Do you own Blue Chip art? Do you need a Condition Report? Have you ever paid a Buyer's Premium?
Some people believe that art is an elitist industry and that art words are snobbish. We disagree. Art is beautiful, and in any language, works of art hold the same meaning. It's just that the way we interpret them can vary depending on our cultural background and experiences.
To demystify this perceived elitism, anyone who is interested in art, whether they are an artist, art enthusiast, or collector, can start by learning some essential art terms. This will help to improve their overall experience of art and build their understanding of the art world.
Importance of improving your art vocabulary
1. Increased art appreciation:
Art is highly impressive in that it can evoke powerful thoughts and emotions. It is a powerful form of communication that can stir up a wide range of emotions in us such as joy, sadness, anger, or even fear just by staring at a work of art. Art can also be more than just a way to express emotions. It can also be a way to communicate ideas and messages.
Beyond just being an emotive tool, understanding the vocabulary of art can deepen your appreciation. This means understanding the terms that artists and industry stakeholders use to describe artworks. This understanding helps you connect to the artist's intentions and messages.
The more you learn about art, the better you will be able to appreciate it. And the more you appreciate art, the more you will enjoy it.
2. Understanding Art Historical Context
Art is one of the few ways by which humans capture and reect time and culture. Art encapsulates historical events, social movements, and individual narratives. By building up your art vocabulary, you tend to gain access to the historical and cultural contexts that shaped various artistic movements. Understanding terms such as
Impressionism, Cubism, or Abstract Expressionism allows us to recognise the Inuences and motivations behind specic artworks. This knowledge enables you to appreciate art within its historical framework and acknowledge the signicance of different artistic periods.
3. Empowering Artistic Critique
Art criticism plays a vital role in evaluating and contextualising artworks. Developing an art vocabulary equips critics with a broader toolkit to analyse and assess artistic merit. With a diverse vocabulary, critics can delve into the technical aspects of a work, discuss its thematic implications, and situate it within broader artistic trends. This informed critique helps artists grow and rene their craft.
4. Art Collection and Investment
For art collectors and investors, a robust art vocabulary is essential. It enables them to assess an artwork's value, authenticity, and signicance. Understanding terms such as provenance, medium, and artistic style helps collectors make informed decisions, ensuring they acquire pieces that align with their tastes and investment goals. Additionally, a well-developed art vocabulary makes transactions and negotiations go more smoothly, as it facilitates communication with art dealers, galleries, and auction houses.
In conclusion, building your art vocabulary is a great way to improve your understanding and appreciation of art. It can also help you to communicate more effectively about art and to learn about different cultures. Whether you are an artist, an art enthusiast, or a collector, developing uency in the language of art allows you to unlock new dimensions of appreciation, expression, and interpretation. The key to unlocking the vast and captivating world of art is to embrace the quest to improve your art vocabulary. As the industry advances and newer techniques and styles are being explored, it is safe to say that there is no complete mastery over this. This lifelong endeavour will enrich your artistic experiences, expand your understanding of the power in arts, and it will nurture your creative powers. So, regardless of whether some see the language as confusing or snobbish, we know that art is rich, exotic, and home to boundless creativity, and we want you to be carried along too.
‘Art Term Daily' is a daily bite-sized newsletter run by Patrons Modern & Contemporary African Art. In 3 minutes or less, you will learn a new art term every day. Start building up your art vocabulary today. . You will be glad you did. Subscribe to http://bit.ly/arttermdaily
ANITA CUDJOE
Ms. Anita Cudjoe is the only artist working with rice sacks as a medium.
During her rst degree at the Takoradi Technical University, she became interested in recycling and was inspired to use rice sacks as a medium for her artwork.
In the course of her career, her motifs have changed from pictures of marketplaces to motifs of people wrapped in plastic, either partly covered or almost wrapped in glittering plastic placed in dark, grey, or white contrasts.
In her earlier works, there are references to a female sensibility for the craft techniques used in quilts and blankets. In her latest works, the plastic is not observed from a distance as a decorative mosaic but is wrapping around people's bodies, or totally covering a person. It is not just integrated into the arms and hands of a gure, a symbol of strength, but it is embracing us all; it is a part of us.
Through her work, she desires to tell the unpleasant stories of society because she believes that these form an integral part of the realities of our contemporary society and social life.
Misjudgement 1
Medium: Plastic rice bags on photography
Dimension: 14” x 12"
Year: 2023
Price: N312,000.00 / $671
For centuries, appearance has been a hallmark but what goes on underneath no one cares, as long as the other looks good. What goes underneath does not bother anyone, as long as the outer looks good. Appearances are deceptive.
Apart Of Us II
Medium: Plastic rice bags on photography
Dimension: 18” x 23"
Year: 2021
Price: N312,000.00 / $671
What we create as waste surrounds us, and it forms part of us in our mind, body, and soul. It make us who we are, strong and beautiful if set at the right path.
The Waste Experience
Medium: Plastic rice bags on photography
Dimension: 30” x 20"
Year: 2023
Price: N450,000.00 / $970
With our daily experience, life in our hands is shaped. It covers our inner self which builds us up or destroys us with a beautiful pain in any case.
Ndzey33pa (Good Manners)
Medium: Plastic rice bags on photography
Dimension: 30” x 20"
Year: 2023
Price: N450,000.00 / $970
The way of life, values, beliefs, behaviours. Our heritage denes us. We lose a bit of ourselves, every day by forgetting who we are and where we come from. Our forgotten past is what made us unique and strong.
Apart Of Us IV
Medium: Plastic rice bags on photography
Dimension: 18” x 23"
Year: 2021
Price: N312,000.00 / $671
What we create as waste surrounds us, and it forms part of us in our mind, body, and soul. It make us who we are, strong and beautiful if set at the right path.
SOTONYE JUMBO
For Sotonye Jones, art is multicultural and trans-dimensional.
Predominantly, his canvas works are a balanced representation of the possibilities when humanity meets extraterrestrials. The subject is often a sophisticated half-jovian, part-person mostly styled in human clothing, sometimes executing household tasks or just gazing at the onlooker in a cool, funky pose.
His creations are a welcome diversion from the mainstream art world and often require closer attention to decipher.
He was an intern at the Bruce Onobrakpeya Art Foundation in 2020 and in 2018, an NYSC corp member attached to the Omooba Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon Art Foundation. Also in 2018, he was selected alongside Anthonia Nneji and Omofemi Oluwole, among others as part of the pioneering TOP TEN nalists of the Next of Kin art competition and exhibition by Thought Pyramid Art Centre.
Hipster
Medium: Mixed media
Dimension: 40” x 40”
Year: 2023
Price: N850,999 / $1,830
With the rise of Afrobeats, fashion has become an important aspect of artistic expression, with each artist showcasing their unique style.
Fina
Medium: Pastel and ink on paper canvas
Dimension: 20” x 16”
Year: 2023
Price: N450,999 / $970
In her garden, a beautiful and colourful woman awaits love.
Radiohead polka dot and afro
Medium: Pastel and ink on paper canvas
Dimension: 20” x 16”
Year: 2023
Price: N450,999 / $970
A fusion of classic 80s fashion and modern technology trends.
Feronla
Medium: Pastel and ink on paper canvas
Dimension: 20” x 16”
Year: 2023
Price: N450,999 / $970
The goddess of fertility, good health, and abundance is celebrated as a symbol of hope and prosperity.
Radiohead Ikeme
Medium: Pastel and ink on paper canvas
Dimension: 20” x 16”
Year: 2023
Price: N450,999 / $970
A tribute to the supportive friends who are always there as "Ikeme," or "my own" in Igbo language.
Radiohead Vitiligo
Medium: Pastel and ink on paper canvas
Dimension: 16” x 12”
Year: 2023
Price: N312,999 / $673
A skin disorder affecting darkskinned individuals, causing depigmentation, is explored and personied.
Elephant in the room
Medium: Pastel and ink on paper canvas
Dimension: 31” x 26”
Year: 2022
Price: N600,999 / $1,291
Among a gathering of stars, there is always one that shines brighter and demands attention.
House Wife
Medium: Pastel and ink on paper canvas
Dimension: 16” x 12”
Year: 2019
Price: N300,999 / $647
A portrait of a Fulani woman performing daily household chores, highlighting the importance and value of such work.
Patiently Waiting
Medium: Pastel and ink on paper canvas
Dimension: 36” x 24”
Year: 2020
Price: N500,999 / $1,076
Drawing inspiration from the loyalty and patience of dogs, the art piece encourages us to remain patient as we wait for our seeds to bear fruit.
Introducing :WhereLuxuryMeetsArt TheArtHotel
The epitome of luxury at The Art Hotel, the first of its kind 5 Star luxury hotel located at Plot 13A Block III, Yesufu Abiodun Oniru Way, Victoria Island, Lagos. Nestled in the heart of the bustling business district, our prime location offers convenience and easyaccessto nearbyshopping malls, banks, cinemas, and even a beautifulbeach.
The Art Hotel proudly houses a captivating gallery, showcasing an extensive collection of diverse Nigerian art for public viewing, which lets you admire the talents of local artists and explore the beauty of Nigerian culture through these remarkable pieces from our permanent collection. Our meticulously designed rooms are a homage to the traditional Oniru royal ruling house in Lagos. Choose from our exquisite range of accommodations, including the regal Duke and Prince suites, or indulge in the opulence of our Presidential Emperor suites. Each room is thoughtfullycrafted to provide the utmost comfort and elegance, ensuring a trulyunforgettable stay.
Renowned for our exclusive product launches, The Art Hotel recently hosted the launch of Macallan M, an exceptional whisky known worldwide for its unparalleled craftsmanship. We take pride in bringing exceptional events and pairingArtwith experiences forouresteemed guests.
We are also thrilled to announce our new Sushi and Afternoon Tea offerings. Savor the flavors of expertly crafted Sushi, prepared with the freshest ingredients and served in an intimate and sophisticated setting and ourAfternoon Tea, exclusivelyavailable everyThursdayoftheweek. Delightfulteas, delectable pastries and delicious sandwiches awaityou.
Discoverthe beautyofNigeria's art scene, indulge in culinarydelights, and create unforgettable memories in the heart ofLagos. BookyourstayatTheArt Hoteltodayand let us redefineyournotion ofhospitality.
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