By JAPHET ALAKAM
In what looks like a dramatic come back to his first love , multi talented artist and the President of WINARC Gallery Ikeja, Archie Abia Godwin penultimate week re opened his gallery for business. The Akwa Ibom state born artist who claims that he came into art by a divine intervention have carved a niche for himself through his brand of arts and ability to convert junk, waste, discarded materials into refined arts pieces.

The gallery situated at Ikeja which was closed for years now wears a new look and is stocked with new ranges of different art works that can meet collectors demand any time. Archie who is also an art dealer and promoter of Nigerian arts and crafts in a chat with Vanguard Art reveals that the current state of the art needs to be reviewed and in line with that he came up with fresh perspective to the creative discourse about the way forward for the art industry in Nigeria.

*Godwin Archie Abia beside one of his artworks at his studio in Ikeja

Need for conducive environment

According to the LASU graduate, the economy does not revolve around oil alone, art can as well play a better role in the development of the economy. “Nigeria is awash with abundant talents, but the inability of the Nigerian government to create a conducive environment for them to grow is the problem militating against their development.”He stated.

Archie, a mixed media artist who uses bone collage for most of his works disclosed that his coming back is like a rescue mission for arts and that his mission is to use art to develop culture and tourism. “I have just realised that I can use my talents in art to make this country great. That is why I am now putting this gallery back for major outing this year.” He added.

In what he termed a blueprint for art development in Nigeria, Archie is of the view that artists need to suggest to the government on what to do to move art forward and based on that he suggested two ways, which are the roles artist can play in the growth of the economy and how to improve art collection in Nigeria.

On the first option, Archie suggested that Nigeria should adopt the American model of 1930 that made art number one rescue platform during the great depression. According to him,America used the WPA’ s arts program that engaged thousand of unemployed writers and put them on the federal pay roll.

They also used the Federal writers’ project that produced about a thousand publications that focused on American history , folk lore, study of ethnic groups and record of the reminiscences of writers both young and old who were ready to put in their talents if the right incentives were given.

Another system was the Federal music project; – (F M P) that empowered about 15,000 out of work musicians. Nigeria should do same thanks to private sector that have been on the driving seat. There was also the Federal Arts Project (F A P) – that helped water colorists and drafters to prepare the index of American, design, which offered elaborate illustrations of American materials cultures.

And at night artists taught sculptor, painting, clay modeling and carving in county churches, settlement house and school – Jackson Pollock, Willen de keening and others destined to become important painters even painted for government and others.

On the second option, he suggested that the Government should open up art spaces so that artists will create jobs because artist are trained to create job on their own and any economic growth without job creation is a mirage.

He also suggested that government should as a matter of urgency place a strong embargo on the importation of art works and encourage research on arts materials, adding that Nigeria has competent hands to do this. By so doing, he further argues, government will be creating large market for the artists.