By Japhet Alakam

For those who have followed the works of Mrs Chinze Ojobo, a well-travelled Nigerian artist who has exhibited most of her works in the United States of America and Europe, the works she displayed at the National Museum last week was a clear transformation from her formal paintings elements of strong hues and shades to a more intricate rendition mostly in installations.

With use of bold primary colours cut off from African fabrics beautifully displayed, contrasting with the burlap brownish background, and unique style, Chinze was able to announce to the world that she has finally arrived.

• Girl Child,one of the works displayed at the show

Accolades from admirers of art

The works speak for themselves as her unique style of putting together art pieces which has won her accolades from admirers of art the world over was once more brought to the fore as she dazzled art enthusiasts with about 25 stunning works that addressed contemporary issues in the land.

In fact, if the works were displayed at the National Assembly before the equality bill was thrown out, the bill would have received a resounding yes. It was a unique demonstration of ingenuity, creativity and sense of innovation, a clear indication of what a man can do, a woman can do it better.

The exhibition titled Unfinished Business,an exhibition of contemporary arts and installations, which was a response to a series of unfinished issues which had bothered the artist for years was declared open by NIMASA boss, Chief Peterside Dakuku, on March 22.

Some of the works include,The Girl Child; Play to Win; Surulere at Sunset; Seed of Potential;Though I walk through the Shadow; Social Media; Royalty; Coronation; Politicians; The Marriage; Soulful Dirge and many others.

The works were so fascinating that the chairman of the occasion, Chief Peterside Dakuku described it as amazing. The NIMASA boss who could not hide his feelings after going round the body of works tasked the youths to create employment for themselves with their talents so that they can be celebrated as Chinze. He commended the artist for the work, saying “she has got us thinking out of the box, when you come to an exhibition, what you are looking is for the identity of the people, their contemporary challenges, what’s happening in the society, the sense of entertainment and sense of appreciation, she has gone beyond all these”.

One of the works that caught the attention of many was the Social Media, that depicts two young ladies sitting together around a table with drinks but totally consumed with their iPad and iPod not realising that they are so close to each other but yet so far away in thought. The work speaks volumes about the obsession of our youth with technology and the internet.

According to Dakuku, “the work addressed another social challenge, the lack of conversation in the land, we are not discussing about things that bother us, the sheer challenge we have.

These days, there is a new culture that needs to addressed where people go out but they don’t talk, communicate, there is total communication gap.”

Another major artwork displayed tagged Girl Child which depicts images of little innocent girls with various facial and bodily expressions that speaks about how oppressed the girl child in our society is and how resilient they are no matter what life throws at them.

As a woman and mother that has passion for the Nigerian girl child, Chinze believes that the girl child issue is not yet over as there is so much the society can still do to protect them. She celebrates the girl child with the piece that speaks about the travails of the girl child in todays’ society and all they are subjected to from an adolescent age to adulthood.

“Life’s Journey” takes art lovers on a journey and tells the story of how every human has a calling and that we are all wired a certain way.

All that is needed is for each one of us as individuals to discover our calling and make the best of it.

Speaking about the works, Dakuku said, she looked at the discordant tunes among the political class, they are pursuing their own personal interest instead of the common national interest, the work addressed a major challenge, the need for our political class to come together and pursue our national interest.