By Mcphilips Nwachukwu

As part of its commitment to deepening the promotion of African arts, Guranty Trust Bank, whose former Managing Director, Tayo Aderinokun died last month, has a pact with Tate Gallery of Modern Art, with the view to expanding the frontiers of African arts.

The Bank under the leadership of late Tayo Aderinokun, initiated a number of projects including; the successful sponsorship of London based controversial artist, Chike Ofili, at Tate Gallery and Yinka Shonibare’s breath taking installation work, Nelson’s Ship at the popular Trafalgar Square, all in the UK.

Also as part of efforts in this direction, GTBank sponsored the exhibition of Nigerian Masters at Terra Kulture, Benin Bronze Festival in Benin, poetry festivals and play productions among other artistic activities.

Besides acquiring well over one thousand art works distributed and mounted at strategic positions in their various branches in Africa and the UK, the Management of the Bank in recognition of all of these has come up with a plan to partner with UK’s high profile gallery, Tate to creating a plank for the projection of arts of African origin to global artistic developments.

L-R: Segun Agbaje, Acting MD GTBank and Chris Dercon, Director Tate Gallery, UK after signing the agreement in UK.

Unveiling the plan to the media in Lagos last week, Segun Agbaje, Acting General Manager of the Bank said : “Today, we announce an important partnership between Tate and Guaranty Trust Bank plc to improve international awareness about the various genre of African Art and provide new opportunities for Artistes across the continent.

“At Guaranty Trust Bank plc, we believe that art is an intricate part of African heritage and complete reflection of everything it means to be African; creative, beautiful, industrious, and hopeful.

This conviction has led to our involvement in numerous Art promoting initiative over the years and is the bedrock for this new partnership with Tate.”

Continuing,Agbaje added that , “ We believe this partnership with Tate will play an important role in fueling economic and social progress and are therefore committed along our African and international stakeholders to strive together with Tate, African artists, curators and Culture Institutions to actualise the goals of this collaboration…”

To realise this dream, the Bank by this agreement will ensure the creation of a curatorial post at Tate Modern Gallery to ensure an exploration of contemporary art practice in the region; and also, deepen knowledge and understanding of the impact of art from Africa.

The agreement, also will ensure an availability of acquisition fund to enable Tate to enhance its holding of works by African artists.

Finally, the agreement will necessitate an annual project in London and Africa that will enable continuous exchanges between young artists, curators, collectors and cultural institutions.