Painter
The work of Nigerian painter, Victor Ekpuk, explores the relationships, challenges and responses to changes that characterize the human condition. His work focuses on the indigenous African system of writing that employs graphic signs, codes to convey concepts and ancient writing forms of native Nigeria. The reduction of these writing techniques to their basic elements results in new symbols or codes in script-like drawings, which can then be used to express his contemporary experiences. When combined with Nsibidi signs, these “scripts” also provide the background narrative to the artist’s compositions. Ekpuk believes that “art could and should be used to bridge the communication gaps between the different peoples of the world. Through this interaction, other artists could partake and perhaps contribute to this ‘ritual communication’ of our social and cultural synthesis.”
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Mixed Media and Sculpture Artist
Ofiaeli Okechukwu Okoye was an international artist-in-residence at 18th Street for three months in 2000 thanks to UNESCO-ASHBERG Bursaries for Artists Program. Motivated in 1983 by creative impulses and a highly original aesthetic, Ofiaeli began to research full-time the construction, longevity, and aesthetics of his hand-crafter sculptures and utilitarian objects. He successfully was able to carve out a distinct, creative, imaginative and original medium to express the varying values, ideals and symbols in the African indigenous art. He also maintained a necessary balance between a traditional craftsman and a contemporary aesthetician and mater artist. His final exhibit, which he showed at 18th Street, showcased his dramatic imagery and visceral connection to nature. He used various species of palm, mahogany and mango seeds as well as other suitable dried vegetation to create his sculptures of hats, purses, photo albums, and other objects made from natural resources.
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