Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos (CCA,Lagos) is an independent non-profit making visual art or- September ganisation set up in December 2007 to provide a platform for the development, presentation, and Newsletter N°10 December 2010 discussion of contemporary visual art and culture. It seeks to create new audiences and to prioritise [ ] media such as photography, animation, film and video, and performance art which have been under- Become a friend! represented in Nigeria. CCA,Lagos supports the intellectual and critical development of different Become art and culture practitioners through talks, seminars, workshops and exhibitions. In addition it a Supporter! encourages and promotes the professionalisation of production and curatorship in Nigeria Become a part and West Africa collaborating with artists, curators, writers, theorists and national of our world! and international organisations. Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos E: [email protected] 9 McEwen Street, Sabo, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria. W: www.ccalagos.org T:+234 (0)702 836 7106 Look Inside > > International Residencies > Forthcoming and Past Programmes > Artist Focus: Otobong Nkanga > Portfolio@CCA, Lagos > Art, Fashion and Identity: Karo Akpokiere > Contemporary African Art-Language, Dialect or Accent? by Antawan I. Byrd > Cosmolocalism: The Audacity of Place by Ruth Simbao > Invisible Borders 2010 > and more… Editors: Bisi Silva & Antawan I. Byrd / Contributing Editors: Jude Anogwih and Oyinda Fakeye Contributors: Ronke Adeola - Invinsible Borders 2010 - Karo Akpokiere - Jimoh Ganiyu Akinloye - Hansi Loren Momodou - Otobong Nkanga - Adewale Osoneye - Ijeoma Uche-Okeke - Ruth Simbao. Designer: Fabrice Lecouffe - witgraphicdesign.blogspot.com / Cover Image: Jude Anogwih and Adewale Osoneye. 1960-Independence Map (2010) / Edition: 1000 CCA,Lagos is published three times a year by Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos - 9 McEwen Street, Sabo, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria / © Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos Please direct comments and inquires to [email protected] or call +234 (0)702 836 7106 Board of Trustees: El Anatsui - Joke Jacobs - Valerie Edozien-Nwogbe We gratefully acknowledge the support Kehinde Oyeleke - Bisi Silva, Director. of AECID through the Spanish Embassy in Nigeria. p1/ •Welcome •Past Programmes •Contemporary African p3/ •Art, Fashion & Identity •Viva Africa! Felabration 2010 •Professional Development Art-Language, Dialect, Accent? •US Report: ICI Curatorial Tour p7/ •International Programmes at CCA, Lagos p6/ •Available Publications •Invisible Borders 2010 Forthcoming Programmes: •Independence Shorts •Artist Focus: •CCA, Library p2/ p4/ Contents •J.D. Okhai Ojeikere: •Oumou Sy ‘Kings and Queens Otobong Nkanga p2/ •Thinking Out Loud May Sartorial Moments and the of Africa’ •Images from Art-iculate Newsletter N°9 August 2010 p7/ •Cosmolocalism: [ ] Nearness of Yesterday •Watch Out! p5/ •Portfolio@CCA,Lagos p8/ •A Nigerian Library The Audacity of Place •Jimoh Ganiyu Akinloye We start by raiding the archive and cel- ing has enabled us to adopt a new format finished recently with the NSK Passport This is borne out by our 2009/10 Ful- ebrating the diversity of the work of mas- for this year’s three quarterly newsletters. project curated by Hansi Momodu. bright fellow Antawan I. Byrd whose im- ter photographer J.D. Okhai Ojeikere and Their support has also enabled us to be- mense contribution during a one-year presenting a modest selection of work fo- gin work on the forthcoming Democrazy None of these activities would be pos- sojourn sees him re-integrated as an cusing on traditional and western dress- publication. Arts Collaboratory has been sible without the confidence, support and adjunct curatorial assistant working on ing from the 50s to the 70s. Professional generous in supporting our exhibition pro- dedication of the CCA, Lagos’ board of several projects with us from his base in Welcome development as well as intercultural in- gramme as well as a pilot project in artist trustees. Their journey with us makes the the US. Celebrating Nigeria? As this final edition for 2010 is released, teraction continues to be a priority of our residencies, a workshop and curatorial work that we do all the more rewarding activities marking 50 years of independence go into overdrive. activities. We have two residencies in the development initiatives. Prêt-à-Partager and fun. To my colleagues – the back- Whilst we acknowledge the Ambivalence of Independence and the tensions inher- Nigeria can be adept at making the biggest noise, the baddest works, Uchay Chima Joel goes to Amster- was such an ambitious programme and bone that keeps the dream alive – Jude, dam, whilst Albert Portrony from the UK the partnership we formed with IFA and Oyinda, Kemi, Mama Niyi, Antawan and ent in the postcolony, we nonetheless parties and allocating the largest budgets – at the last minute. comes to Lagos. We will also collaborate Geothe Institute has been invaluable. Hansi my appreciation remains limit- look ahead to the promise of the next It seems our Federal government must have been momentarily with Triangle Arts Trust to organise their The Lagos and Johannesburg branches less. Their continuous manifestation of 50 years. A collective promise to work first workshop in Lagos featuring Nigerian of the Goethe Institute have shown that commitment, dedication and passion towards creating the places and spaces jolted out of their politricking and reminded of the importance for dialogue, discourse, interaction and st artists as well as artists from across the support is part of a continuum that must remains unwavering for the idea of CCA, of the looming date - 1 October. For the day’s celebration, the continent and further abroad. be developed and cultivated. An excellent Lagos. That we can work together yet, (in) exchange. A promise that will allow us to legislators promptly approved a whooping 10 billion-naira bud- example of this is the Advanced Training dependent of each other, speaks of the celebrate in 100 years—the true mean- get and had the audacity to break it down into its nonsensical Our library has benefitted immensely programme started in 2008 which dynamism of each member of the CCA, ing of Independence. The promise be- gins now. In the spirit of Owambe, Happy parts. from the generous of some organisations Lagos family. and individuals. This quarter we are ex- 2011! pecting over several boxes of publications Over the past month, I spent a great deal began exploring these issues earlier this Welcome to our World. of time visiting a hospitalised relative. year through our groundbreaking art just from my recent visit to America. Our major achievement has been digitalising During such trips, I would often pass by a photography residency programme, the Bisi Silva / Director tall abandoned building that never ceased recent NSK Passport project, as well as all the books in the library thanks to the to capture my curiosity. I subsequently in our programming under the theme efficient assistance of Britta Husken and learnt that this building was the first high of Art, Fashion and Identity. All of these Mojibade Oladunjoye. We hope to extend rise - consisting of 23 floors - constructed projects, with their supplemental talks, this digitalising to our collection of maga- in Nigeria, and was a gift (in 1960) to the panel discussions, workshops and events zines, journals and ephemera materials. 1 new Nigeria from Britain. It is called Inde- created a fulfilling, vibrant and dynamic Our ‘boast’ of being the largest indepen- pendence House. During my daily drive year. As the year comes to a close, our dent art library in Africa should surely past it, I found myself overwhelmed with programme will take on a more fluid char- come to fruition soon. Thank you so much a mixture of emotions and responses; a acter ranging from 1 and 2 days events to to all of you. The amount of people that sense of anxiety over the structure’s sig- 2-week projects providing for an eclectic have engaged with us this year has been nification; admiration for the tall dreams programme of presentations, workshops, nothing short of staggering and we are that Nigeria once harboured; and fear interactions, talks and exhibitions culmi- pleased by the interaction of so many lo- of its current state of abandonment and nating (funding permitting) in an exciting cal and international artists and curators. neglect—a state that is emblematic of the and ambitious presentation of work by I continue to extend my gratitude to the current condition of the country. the incomparable Senegalese fashion Prince Claus Fund and the Mondriaan designer Oumou Sy. For the Art, Fashion Foundation whose initial generous sup- All these emotions make this year’s pro- and Identity section of this issue, we give port in 2009 encouraged us to build on gramme On Independence and the Am- the emerging artist Karo Akpokiere the our programmes confidently. We are bivalence of Promise all the more urgent platform to create and document a series deeply appreciative for the support of the as a way of engaging with the past, the of textile designs based on his distinct Spanish International Development pro- present and anticipating the future. We graphic illustrations. gramme (AECID), whose substantial fund- 1 1960-Independence Map, 2010. Jude Anogwih and Adewale Osoneye. CCA,Lagos / Newsletter issue No.10 / September - December 2010 1 International Forthcoming Programmes Uchay Joel Chima Programmes Amsterdam, 7th Aug > 7th September 2010 Alite Thijsen of the One Minute