By JAPHET ALAKAM
The visual art sub sector, one of the sectors in the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation in 2011 recorded an encouraging success compared to what was obtained in the previous years.

AS a result of the 50th independence anniversary of Nigeria in 2010, the sector recorded tremendous growth as it was activity filled to the extent that one would have expected that the tempo would be sustained in the year 2011. But that was not to be, as most of the activities in all the sectors in the Ministry and especially in the Gallery of art were slowed down either as a result of poor funding or late disbursement of funds.

*Bruce Onabrakpeya's work

However, one area that witnessed tremendous change since its inception was the visual art market or the art auction. Auctions are a relatively new addition to Nigeria’s art world and are testament to the increasingly positive light in which local art is being viewed, and of collectors’ willingness to invest more of their money into the arts.

The history of art auctions in Nigeria started with Mr. Chike Nwagbogu, the proprietor of Nimbus Gallery who organised the maiden art auction in Lagos in December 1999. In that auction,which Nwagbogu claimed was meant to create a more democratic climate for the marketing and evaluating of the art without the subjectivity of one buyer or collector, had Bruce Onobrakpeya’s painting, Palm wine Women raking in the highest hammer sale for 1.7Million Naira.

Ever since that time to date, Art auctions have been adding stronger value to the contemporary Nigerian art as the works of the masters, Ben Enwonwu, Demas Nwoko, Kolade Oshinowo and others have at different auctions sold in millions, the highest been Enwonwu’s Anyanwu that went for 28 million at the last Art House Contemporary Art Auction hel;d , last year in Lagos.

Different art auctions held in Lagos and Abuja last year to further strengthen the evolving market. For instance, in Lagos, Arthouse held its 6th and 7th auctions in May and November respectively, while TerraKulture held its 3rd auction in May and in Abuja, Terra Kulture in collaboration with Mydrim Gallery organised the first Visual Art Auction in the capital city and the results of all the auctions confirmed the increasing market value of contemporary Nigeria art.

The total sales of the works at the different art auctions ran into millions of naira, a clear demonstration that the sector is capable of transforming the nation’s economy if the players do their works well

Data available revealed that at the 6th Arthouse art auction held at the Civic Centre Lagos in May, that the top five of the sales were: Enwonwu’s African Dances (cold cast, resin bronze, 40.5 in., 1982-89), N8m; Ghanaian artist, Victor Butler’s Waiting on God (oil on canvas, 86 x 71 in., 1985) N6.2m; Enwonwu’s Untitled (oil on board, 22.5 x 18.375 in., 1981) N3.8m; Enwonwu’s Drummer (bronze, 23 in., approx 1970s) N3.3m; Bruce Onobrakpeya’s Tottem of the Delta (copper foil relief on board, 57 x 72.5 in., 2004) N2.9m.

And at the 7th auction held at the Wheatbaker, Ikoyi, Lagos, the top five sales were; Ben Enwonwu’s Anyanwu (142.2 cm., excluding the base, 1956) N28m, Ben Enwonwu’s Untitled (1980, oil on board, 109.2 x 43.2 cm), N8m, Ben Enwonwu’s Untitled (1980, cold cast resin, 112 cm), N5.5m,Ben Enwonwu’s Untitled ( 1972, oil on canvas, 61 x 51 cm), N4.5m and Chidi Kwubiri’s Town Crier (2011, acrylic on canvas, 130 x 250 cm. was next at N2.6m.

Also at the 3rd Terra Kulture auction held in Lagos, the top five sales were: Enwonwu’s Untitled (ink on paper, 37.5 x 32 in, 1980), N13.5m; David Dale’s Tribute to African Woman (charcoal and watercolour, 26.6 x 37 in., 1995), N5. 5m; Bruce Onobrakpeya’s Dance in the Bush (etching, 40 x 115 in. 1998), N3m; Yusuf Sina’s Mood of Nation (oil on canvas, 42.5 x 49.5 in., 1994) N3m; Okpu Eze’s Untitled (oil on canvas, 28.5 x 52.5 in., 1984) N2.5m.

While at the TerraKulture/Mydrim Abuja auction,the top five sales were:Bruce Onobrakpeya, Sahelian Masquerade Panel 4, etching 59 x 87 inch (1987) N4m. Kolade Oshinowo, African Woman, mixed media, 53 x 33 inch, (2011). N2m. Segun Aiyesan, Coloured Race, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 96, (2011) N1.5m, Kolade Oshinowo, Home at Sunset, oil on canvas 39 x 39 inch, (2011). N1.2m and Fidelis Odogwu, Kalakuta Republic, metal, 44 x 31 inch (2010) N900, 000.

The results of the auctions have shown that Nigerian visual art is a viable investment option for the numerous people who are looking for where to invest their money.

Enwonwu piece Anyanwu that went for N28m was indeed an auction record for Enwonwu and the visual art community. At the International scene, Enwonwu last auction record was £66, 000 (N16 million naira) for a 1957 piece titled Negritude (acrylic and watercolour on card (120 x 75 cm), sold at Bonhams, London, U.K., in 2009.

The sales of the works of Ben Enwonwu, who is now late ‘,and most of the works done in the 50s/60s is a clear manifestation of the fact that art has become a thriving enterprise in Nigeria, a revenue-generating venture and one of the best option for investors. The results actually portend a very good future for artists and the nation.

Going by the way the market is evolving and relying on all available indicators of growth, there is no gainsaying the fact that if government introduces policies that will recommend artists and works to the public; and especially financial institutions that this previously dormant sector may after all become one of the most important sectors to look up government’s diversification of the economy.