COMPRISING 109 art objects cast in metal or sculpted from stone and terra cotta, the exhibition is an assemblage of several extraordinary masterpieces made by artisans from Ife. It includes portrait heads, exquisite miniatures, expressive caricatures of old
age, lively animals, and sculptures showing the impressive regalia worn by Ife’s royalty.
The show first travelled in 2010 to Spain and was well received before touring the US and UK where it also received rave reviews. It is co-organized by the Museum for African Art, New York, and Fundacion Botin, Santander, Spain, in collaboration with Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM).
‘Dynasty and Divinity’ returned to Nigeria last year and had been on display at the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos since then. It is however now set for the Swedish Museums for World Culture in Stockholm, Sweden where it will show for eight months as from September 6.
Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, July 30 at the Lagos Museum where he announced the loan of the Ife works to the Swedish Museum, Director General, NCMM, Yusuf Abdallah Usman, explained that the show’s latest trip is as a result of its past successes.
Usman, who jointly briefed journalists with Amanda Thompson, Chief Registrar and Director of Exhibitions, Museum for African Art, New York and Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, High Chief Edem Duke, also highlighted the importance of showing the collections globally.
He said: “The relevance of showcasing these unique collections of Ife Art is to build a workable bilateral partnership with these institutions in areas of exchange of ideas, artefacts and capacity building for our museum professionals.”
Usman who added that the NCMM places premium on transparency and accountability in discharging its responsibilities, assured that “as custodian of our cultural heritage, we will continue to play our role in promoting and showcasing our rich cultural heritage to the world while ensuring their protection and security.
“I assure Nigerians that these objects will be returned at the expiration of the exhibition. The condition reports have been carried out here in Lagos Museum and adequate security measures have been put in place to ensure their safety.”
Thompson, on her part, reiterated the importance of the works and why her organisation will always collaborate with the NCMM. She said: “The art objects from ancient Ife, cast in metal or sculpted from stone and terracotta, are beyond doubt national treasures, and prove Nigeria to be one of the world’s greatest art centres of all time. Importantly, this exhibition demonstrates how many extraordinary works are still in the care of museums on the African continent.
“We have worked with the Nigerian National Commission for Museums and Monuments for many years now to bring the grandeur of Nigerian culture, its history, and artistic achievements to the attention of the world and take our responsibility for the care and preservation of the objects briefly entrusted to us very seriously.”
She assured that the Museum for African Art looks forward to more fruitful collaborations with Nigeria as it plans to open its new facility in New York City. “The Museum for African Art is honoured to continue to work with the Commission to share these treasures belonging to the Nigerian people with the world and to work to increase the appreciation and knowledge of Nigerian culture internationally. At every stage, as these incredible treasures were brought to the attention of the world, Nigerians have been involved as true partners. We hope that this project will inspire many others and will lead to greater worldwide awareness of Nigeria’s rich heritage,” she said.
Chief Duke expressed happiness that the Swedish public and others will find ‘Dynasty and Divinity’ educative and that its past successes are “evidences of how much the world appreciates our high level of development in the world of art.”
He cited the example of George Osodi’s ongoing photography exhibition of Nigerian monarchs in the UK and the five-page feature did on it in the UK’s Sunday Times as proof of Nigeria’s growing stature in world art. The show, he added “will further strengthen our partnership and collaboration with other cultural institutions and countries in our efforts to promote our rich cultural heritage.”
The Minister also used the occasion to announce Nigeria’s election into the Subsidiary Committee of the Meeting of State Parties to the 1970 Convention on the means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property at the First Session of the Committee held at the United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organisation headquarters in Paris France, early last month.
A member of the Nigerian delegation, Professor Folarin Shyllon, will serve as vice chairman of the committee whose members are drawn from Oman, Peru, Pakistan, China, Romania, Mexico, Egypt and Ecuador. Others are Bulgaria, Morocco, Chad, Madagascar, Japan, Italy, Greece, Turkey and Croatia.
Duke therefore charged the NCMM to use Nigeria’s election into the body “as an opportunity to help elevate our culture and art to the zenith” and “to identify and repatriate our cultural properties that have left the shores of this country through illegal means, as this act threatens our socio-cultural developmental initiative.”
On whether there is provision for any NCMM official to accompany the works to Sweden, Usman disclosed that two staff members of the commission will travel with the objects in two batches. They will remain in Sweden on an exchange programme for the duration of the show.
He further disclosed that the works were sourced from different museums under the NCMM and that only one out of the original pieces that toured Spain, US and the UK will not be taken this time because of its fragile state.
Responding to whether the works have been insured, Thompson said they have been insured from the moment they are packed and until they safely return to Nigeria next year.
tribune.com.ng
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