Oliver Enwonwu, son of the late art sage, Professor Ben Enwonwu, is the chairman, Society of Nigeria Artists (SNA) Lagos State chapter. He is also the executive Director, Ben Enwonwu Foundation. In this interview with REPORTER, Ovwe Medeme, he paints a bright picture of art in the country while analysing other issues affecting the industry. Excerpts:

What does the Ben Enwonwu Foundation seek to achieve?

The foundation has a gallery that houses one of the finest collections of the late professor's works. We also house the tools of his trade like his old paint brushes, eye glasses, photographs of important events that shaped his career. So visitors can see the defining moments that shaped his career. We organise exhibitions for young as well as established artists. The foundation also gave scholarships to the best second year students of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife, where my late father lectured and was appointed the first Professor of Fine Arts in Nigeria in 1971, Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), University of Lagos (UNILAG) and Ahmadu Bello University (ABU). These are some of the things the foundation does. Every year, we hold a lecture in his name and some of the prominent speakers we have had over the years include Chief Rashid Gbadamosi, Professor Wole Soyinka and Professor Yemi Oshibanjo, a former Attorney General of Lagos State.

The lecture brings people from all walks of life together, important art policymakers, diplomats and government officials to debate the propensity of art, to contribute positively to the growth of art in Nigeria. The foundation has a gallery where we promote art. We publish an art magazine distributed all over the country. The magazine serves to promote the works of young artists and talks about what is happening in the art world. We have an international contributor, who gives tips on photography and other forms of artistic expression. It is a three-pronged affair for the foundation.

Does your foundation have programmes that take care of skilled young artists not encouraged by their parents?

Of course, it does. Like I said, we give out scholarships to art students. Even the SNA gives awards and prizes to deserving artists as a way of encouraging them. This year, we are having an exhibition for student artists. We cannot go round everybody, but then our website and our secretariat are there. We also try as much as possible to publicize our activities and reach out to new members.

What activities has SNA outlined for this year?

We have a lot of programmes, but the biggest of them is our October Rain. October Rain is our annual exhibition where we have close to 250 artists participating every year. It has become the biggest single exhibition of artists in this country right now. It is an achievement by all standards for the SNA. This year, we plan to make it bigger, because Nigeria will attain 50 years of nationhood. We are also looking at launching our academic journal to encourage more research into art. We are trying to get a new secretariat. We would have galleries space, with a library and studio space for artists. We are also looking forward to have more workshops and seminars for artists on how to fend for themselves after school. We will teach those things like how to write art proposals, how to present finished works and other important topics.

What do members of the SNA stand to gain from the society?

They have a lot of benefits, because the SNA opens up a lot of opportunities to them. Like I said earlier, we are trying to get a secretariat where gallery space can be subsidised to members. The SNA endorses a lot of exhibitions for its members, and in doing that we try to introduce them to some of our clients and patrons. That increases the clientele base for our members. There are a lot of exhibition opportunities. International residencies await them too. We are starting our academic journal, an opportunity for those who want to publish papers on their research into art. In our newsletter circulated all over the country, a lot of artists' works are publicized. We are starting our student exhibition this year.

Does the organisation receive any form of support from the Federal or State Government?

At Lagos chapter, we do not, but collaborating with the state government on a number of projects this year. We are trying to have a Lagos State art competition for tertiary institutions, workshops for artists all in collaboration with the state government. We are trying to see if we can get them to endorse a Television programme where people will see the benefits and contributions of arts to the society.

How would you differentiate your father's generation of art from yours?

Art in the time of my father was more difficult, because at that time art was less appreciated in the country. In his time, they had to fight and break various barriers to achieve success. For instance, he was the only black student at the University College in London (UCL). So, it was very difficult for him to take his art to that level and to compete on the same stage as his international counterparts. It was very difficult for him to exhibit at some of the high rated places he did. Then, people were more into photography than art. It was easier to go to a home and see photographs of people than paintings. People would rather take a good photograph than buy an art work. In our own time however, it is a little easier because some of our mentors have made big names in the industry. It has been encouraging, because the pioneers have made the job easier. We have to be thankful to them, because they gave respectability to the profession. There are a lot of art graduates from the universities now. More exhibitions are being organised these days and the catalogues being produced are nicer following the advent of new technology. There are more galleries now and more importantly, there are more collectors. We even hold international auctions where works of masters are sold for as much as N15million. There is more visibility for African arts in the international scene. These are things that never happened in the past. We have been lucky because there is more appreciation for art in Nigeria. Judging the two different generations, I think we are better.

With the present technological advancement, do you see a future where computers will take over visual arts?

I think it is already happening, because we see a lot of digital photography where the camera and light are manipulated. We see a lot of digital arts these days. It is skillful though, but not exactly of the hand and mind as it is in painting and sculpting. I think art can never be extinct; the beauty of art is that it is all about variety. Skill always has its place when we have direct contact with our canvass and other materials. Other forms of art like photography only add to the beauty of art. Art is all encompassing, but I think genres like painting, sculpting and other direct forms where we have a feel of our materials still have their places.

What challenges would you say painters in Nigeria face?

Art materials are pretty expensive especially when you want the best art materials to work with. Some of the things we need are not actually here. Dealers of art materials don't bring the needed items, because most times, when they do, they are still out of the reach of the average artist. So, it doesn't make good business sense for them. I think that we need more exhibitions. We need to have a proper scale of measurement to ensure that there is more exposure for the artist.

Of all genres, why did you pick painting?

I have a natural talent for it. I might sculpt in the future, but I think everybody has his or her specialty and a means to express themselves. For now I am interested in painting. I love colours. I love the feel and smell of paint.

But for your father, would you have been an artist?

I would still be an artist, I believe that artists are born and not made. Since my childhood days, I discovered the talent in me. In my primary school, art won me friends and admiration. We cannot take out the fact that I was inspired and encouraged by my father. He gave me the confidence to become an artist. There was the general societal notion that artists are very poor and haggard looking, but my father erased that impression from my psyche. He always inspired us to go into our chosen profession with pride.

Looking at art in Nigeria, do you think we are where we are supposed to be?

Just like with all other professions, art in Nigeria is not there yet. As a country, we are all growing. So, I won't limit it to just the art industry. It can be a lot better, and we can have more structures in place. We can get to the point where people can secure loans with their art works as it is done in other developed countries. Unfortunately, the present state of art is a reflection of the state of the country. The country, as far as I am concerned, is in a very sorry state. Art being where it is now can get a lot better, but it is a function of the whole country.

How can the art industry be improved?

It can be improved with more commitments from artists. If we can come together in thought and spirit, I think it is only a matter of time.

Following the trend, what future do you see for art in Nigeria?

I see a very great future. I see a lot of private sector participation. I see government finally waking up to the realisation that art is a viable tool that can be used to awaken economic potentials in the country. I see artists envisioning for the country like it was done in the past. In the past, artists proclaimed the greatness of the Benin Empire. We could piece together the history of a people by looking at what they created, all the statues they made in the reign of a king to proclaim his greatness.

What plans do you have for this year?

This year, I hope to take the SNA to greater heights. By the grace of God, I have very hardworking executive, who are tested and have worked very hard to get the society to where it is now. My challenge this year is to continue to advocate art, increase the visibility of art and to make sure the foundation is running on full scale. I intend to have a solo exhibition this year. I will try to be stronger in my chosen profession, and to continue to promote visual art in Nigeria.

When you paint, what theme dominates you thought?

Right now, I am working on a series of portraits in which I believe a face tells a story. I am very interested in faces because through them you can see what people have been through. I draw attention to them so that people can actually look at those faces that I try to depict and see some of the stories in them and for inward reflection. I want people to ask themselves questions like who am I? Can I be a better person? What contributions can I make to the society when they look at my paintings? I believe in the 'afterworld' so I want people to always remember that there are consequences for our actions in the 'afterlife'. I want people to always remember where they are coming from.

What would you say stands you out from other artists?

Like the prints of our palms, we are all individuals. What stands me out is my personality. Every personality is different. Every work is different. No two artists can paint an apple exactly the same way. We all have our own strokes and colours we like to work with.

Would you say your father's choice influenced you as a painter?

To an extent, there is an influence, but we paint different things. He did paint a lot of dances and masquerades, but I am more interested in faces. We are different in that respect. Our choices of colours are different too. He used yellow and a lot of blue while I am more interested in red and yellow.

Who is Oliver Enwonwu?

I am the last son of late Professor Ben Enwonwu who incidentally is one of Africa's greatest artists. I grew up watching him paint and sculpt. So, I picked up a few things from there. Later on, I had some apprenticeship with him. Growing with one of the foremost artists was very inspiring. My father is my role model, so I always wanted to be like him. Presently I hold a PGD in Visual Arts from the University of Lagos (UNILAG). I am presently the chairman of the Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA), Lagos. I am also the Executive Director of the Ben Enwonwu Foundation, established in my late father's name. The foundation exists to promote and increase the visibility of visual arts in Nigeria.

Your father's leverage notwithstanding, what challenges did you face when you started out?

I faced a lot of challenges, because at a time I found it difficult making up my mind. I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do. I always knew that I had the gift of art, because I could draw and paint but ended up studying Biochemistry as first degree. Thereafter, I studied Applied Geophysics before coming back into Arts. I have gone full circle. My major challenge was actually making up my mind on what to do.

What then influenced you to make up your mind?

I found out that whatever I did, art-wise, turned out a success. The beauty of life is making money from what you actually enjoy doing.

Do you see a time when you will forfeit your talent for your career?

I have done my thinking, and I have braced up to my challenges. I think I have conquered that other part of me that kept drawing me away from art. I am in it fulltime and I am enjoying it so I think I have a future to look up to.