FOR THE PAST TEN YEARS
Introduction
John Adenle is a relatively new name in Solo art exhibition in Nigeria Nigeria
What is Plastic?
A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids used in the manufacture of industrial products. Plastics are typically polymers of high molecular mass, and may contain other substances to improve performance and /or reduce production costs. Monomers of plastics are either natural or synthetic organic compounds. The word plastic comes from the Greek, plastikos, meaning moulded. It refers to their malleability, or plasticity during manufacture, that allows them to be cast, pressed, or extruded into a variety of shapes – such as films, fibers, plates, tubes, bottles, boxes and much more.
There are two types of plastics: thermoplastics and thermosetting polymers. Thermoplastics are the plastics that do not undergo chemical change in their composition when heated and can be moulded again and again; examples are polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polytetrafluoroethylene, (PTFE). Thermosets can melt and take shape once; after they have solidified, they stay solid. These various plastics, Adenle sourced and used.
His Adaptations
The only thing that is permanent is change. This is due to the fact that changes occur every second of a person’s life. So, one has to adapt to such changes if one wishes to survive, especially in this austere time.
Adenle started adapting to different environments after leaving the university. With time, he appeared to be the victim of a triumvirate, personified in El Anatsui, Lanre Tejuoso and Raqib Bashorun. The influences of this trio, appear to be more on inspirational rather than on stylistics. For instance, Tejuoso was his student and friend while Anatsui was one of his mentors during his post-graduate studies at the University of Nigeria
However, a closer look at some of Bashorun’s metal installations, (Art Beat II, Light Attraction, Symbiotic, and Unity in Progress) albeit, have some similarities in visual arrangement, the ones of Adenle are adapted from plastics from the industries. Plastic from automobiles appears to be his preference and these he used in abstract forms.
Generally, it is believed that traditional Africa has artistic creations, especially the three-dimensional ones that respond creatively to the high philosophy of non-figuration, symbolization, interpretation, reorganization, perceptualization or conceptualization of nature or subject. (Oloidi, 2008). Adenle’s works are also found within this confine.
This artist’s works remind one of the Dada movement which pioneered the use of new artistic techniques such as collage, photomontage, ready-mades and the use of found objects. Artists like Marcel Duchamp, Hannah Hoch, Kurt Schwitters, Francis Picabia, Man Ray and others, often used everyday objects that were combined with more conventional art materials. Some of the objects used include panes of glass picture frames, metal pipes, bicycle wheels and other objects. Some innovations concerning materials used in art merely function in a supportive way, and other innovative materials are much more conspicuous.
The advent of Modernism and Modern art in the first decades of the 20th century inspired artists to test and transcend the boundaries and the limitations of the traditional and conventional forms of art making in search of newer forms and in search of new materials. The innovations of artists like Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cezanne, Paul Gauguin, Georges Seurat, Henri de Toulouse Lautrec, and the French Symbolists provided essential inspiration for the development of modern art by the younger generation of artists in Paris and else where in Europe.
Innovations in the creation of art forms, techniques and styles are believed to be the result of inadvertent artistic experiments by individual or group of artists. Like most artists, Adenle’s training has made him to be so thoughtful that his perceptive imagination propels him to conceive unusual forms that he expresses with media and technique within his reach.
The 20th century heralded use of plastic in art, however, the plastic making technology started in the latter half of that century and this encouraged artists to start using plastic as a medium. The use of adaptable materials in visual arts have attracted lots of interests across different parts of the world. Art Therapy with Plastic Bottle Caps by Todays Ellen, Aylingreen’s Recycled Bottled Whirligig, and Bent Bottle: Recycled Glass Art by Bryan Northup are good examples. Others are Recycling of Plastic Bags to Make Jewelry by Sarahg and Radical Recycks’ Plastic Bottle Flower Key Chain. Although the above mentioned individuals have experimented with, and exploited adaptable objects including plastics in their creative endeavours, theirs are mainly utilitarian, which are purely crafts. Adenle appears to have focused on the creation of forms with aesthetic wonders, but visual commentaries on his immediate and remote environments are plausible.
Shapes and Sense
Looking at the structure of his adaptation, a mixture of geometric and organic shapes juxtapose and superimpose to form a visually pleasant and acceptable whole. He was able to do these through processes of melting, gluing, and general assemblages. Some of these works have all the relief features of low, medium and high, which are achieved through drills, engraving, grating, burning, and bolting. These combinations of parts of different plastics find parallel in some African sculptures, especially in the West African sub-region. Sometime, these combinations produce shadows which add solidity and embellishment to each of the compositions.
Thematically, the exhibition is adaptation, which concentrates on adaptability of the formal structure on the objects. In order for the audience to have a complete appreciation of the works, it must perceive and analyze the arrangement in order to comprehend the necessity for making use of available tools to satisfy contemporary creative tastes. It is at that juncture, the on-looker will be able to make meaningful responses to the exhibits.
Formalistically Adenle’s adaptations have lots of technicalities that could inhibit the uninitiated-artist-to-be’s appreciation of these works. Some works created from the adapted plastics have recognizable shapes that the on-looker could give a personal interpretation, since it is the hope of the artist that members of the audience should be able to have enjoyment from what they see and feel. Although, like most artists, Adenle’s adaptations could pass messages on what is happening in his environment – social, religious, economic, political, etc., most times, the viewer is allowed to have his or her full aesthetic enjoyment, depending on how visually informed he or she is.
One of the works looks like a dare-devil suicide bomber who is ready to go to any length to achieve his unpopular mission. The object, though made of found plastic, looks like a man with head partly covered with a net-like face cap. The face has sunken eyes, a drooping nose and a mouth which appears chewing some intoxicants. Another object reminds one of the appearances of blown limbs from a Boko Haram’s dastardly act. The details of such limbs are conspicuously missing. Still related to the unpopular acts of the restive people in the northern parts of Nigeria, is the stylized map of Nigeria, with the rivers Niger and Benue shrinking or appearing to dry up because their ‘arms’ in the north have been atrophied. It may symbolize withdrawal of non-indigenes from the northern states. The application of colours in this composition, probably, reflects on the varieties of the rich culture in Nigeria
Other people with similar destructive tendencies living in the southern parts of Nigeria
Adenle’s adaptations are not used mainly to show the ugly sides of our nation, for one of the compositions could be described as a symbolic representation of the present president consulting with some northern elders over what appears to be endless killings and maiming in that part of the country. While the president appears to be in a mournful state, others around him appear flamboyantly dressed. The truth is that unity is a holistic issue and should be addressed as such. Adenle, who is sensitive to the socio-cultural problems of Nigeria, has used the deep conviction of his Christian background to appeal to all Nigerian to have a change of heart so that it could become a nation that people, the world over would cherish to live in.
Additionally, the inclusion of technical department in some Colleges of Education, and hopefully, where Adenle lectures, would heighten his aspiration in his new found love for adaptations. Consequently his self-actualization would have been fulfilled, while those of us, his colleagues, would happily share in his euphoria. May you soar to the zenith of visual exploits and use your art to make our society, a better place to live in.
REFERENCES
Adams, S.L. (1999), Art Across Time, New York
Oloidi, Ola, 2008, Philosophical and Ideological Triumvirate: Schools, Discourse and Styles in Schools and Movements in Modern Nigerian Art, Abuja
Raqib Bashorun, (2006), Unframed, Untamed Designs, Exhibition of Product Designs
Raqib Bashorun, (2008) Punctuation: An Exit Exhibition Catalogue
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/plastics_in_art
Geoffrey Aje Arueyingho (Ph.D)
Fine and Applied Arts Department,
From The Curator’s Desk
I had been to Abeokuta on several occasions, however, locating my destination each time I venture into the city has always proven to be an herculean task for me, As such always arm my self with detailed address and sketched map of my port of call. During one of my visits, I enquired about Abeokuta’s map but got none. Therefore, when John Adenle invited me for the preview of his body of works at Ojere, I was exited but the butterflies started floating in my belly. I had not been to that part of Abeokuta, therefore I knew pretty well that locating my subject would be a great challenge as I would be driving down in my car.
I invited my younger brother whom I thought would know the terrain better to accompany me. Though the idea helped a bit, at least, he was searching for street names while I was driving. He was better than me, but not good enough to make the journey to Ogun State College of Education a hitch free experience.
Each time I called Adenle, he would always ask about our location. This always baffles me because I already intimated him about the fact that I was not that familiar with that part of the city. After several wrong detours, perambulations and misdirection by passers-by which really prolonged our journey, we were able to get to Ojere with the aids of some landmarks that served as reference each time our host called. A journey of an hour stretched beyond two hours, no thanks to the deplorable state of our roads.
Ogun State College of Education is located in the hinterland of Abeokuta. as such, the luxury of huge land space is at its disposal. Adenle and Kenny Badaru who happens to be the current chairman of SNA in Ogun State briefly took us on tour of the campus after our arrival. Irrespective of one’s genre of art, the serenity in this milieu is more than enough to stimulate any creative mind to achieve great feats. Therefore, it came as no surprise when the artist introduced his body of work; the environment I believe is one of the contributing factors for his creativity.
Adenle, a member of academic staff in Ojere is not a neophyte in the field of visual art practice. Though this is his first solo exhibition, he has participated in several group exhibitions over the years. My first encounter with his highly experimental works was at Ogun State Cultural center about a decade ago. According to this incurable experimentalist, the whole episode of applying various degrees of heat to plastics of different colours, forms and sizes to achieve desired forms and textures not devoid of serendipity started in 1999. And since then he has not looked back. His exploration of plastics both in 2 and 3D format reveals a passionate experimentalist and environmentalist in Adenle; socio-economic commentaries run through his visual presentations.
The result of hard work backed with dedication culminated into what Adenle presented in this body of work themed “Adaptations”.
Welcome to Yusuf Grillo Gallery and have a pleasant surprise- filled visual feast.
Adeola M. Balogun, November, 2010 (Curator, YGG)
ADENLE’S ADAPTATIONS: A Reflection on Nigeria’s
Socio-political Deflections.
Kehinde Adepegba MA. PGDE
Art and Industrial Design Department,
Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu
Introduction
Artists in Nigeria, since post-independence era, had always responded to the disparate and paramount socio-political situations in the country. The beauty of that era is that there was the existence of hope, unity, love, patriotism, discipline, political will, justice, dignity of labour, national consciousness, federal character, etc. These were the virtues on which artists’ creations were based. Then Nigerian artists truly depicted these beauties in their resonating tints, tones, shades, textures and colours. Nigeria was indeed a beautiful bride among nations. Then, it was a thing of pride to be a Nigerian.
Fifty-one (51) years after independence, the story has changed and Adenle John is one of those artists who are deeply touched by the new spectacle of our socio-political debacle in Nigeria. This exhibition-ADAPTATIONS, is a product of a decade of his reflection on the many socio-political dejections in Nigeria as a nation, as shall be revealed by this critique.
Nigeria is an unfortunate child, who ironically is rich but impoverished. In the last few decades, the nation called Nigeria has been devastated by multiple problems and it does appear that our emerging leaders have run out of ideas. Religious conflicts, power outages and blackouts, corruption, injustice, tribalism, nepotism, insecurity, sectional militancy, poor funding of education, etc. now seem to be the order of the day. Adepegba (2010) laments these issues during the golden jubilee of Nigeria thus:
Nigeria’s 50th Anniversary is an important occasion that calls for a sober and visual reflection in a country where the plague of leadership is ravaging the citizenry, where darkness is shining brighter than electricity, where roads are permanently dotted with potholes and dishes, where lawmakers are the potential lawbreakers, where security men are security threats, where youths are jobless and roaming the streets, where only political office-holders have access to good health- not in Nigeria- in overseas countries, where education appears to be out of the reach of the masses and where petroleum products are scarce and costly in the midst of plenty crude oil. This is a country where we take one step forward and two steps backwards...
Adenle’s Experience through Experimentation
Adenle John began his teaching career in art in 1996 at Federal College of Education, Osiele, Ogun State, a place he found to be conducive for his many experiments especially in sculpture. One of such experiments of over ten years has resulted in plastic and wood manipulations, installations and adaptations. These years of preoccupation and introspection have been fired by the devastating socio-political changes in the country. As an insightful art teacher, he encourages his students to experiment with unusual materials and to understand art as a means of communication and education.
His background must have been responsible for this approach to teaching. In 1994, Adenle John graduated from Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo with a BA.Ed degree in art Education specialising in Sculpture. He proceeded in 2003 to University of Nigeria, Nsuka for his MA in art education. Presently, Adenle is studying for his PhD. in art therapy in the same University. In his academic and artistic interactions with his students and himself despites the shortcomings of our outdated art curriculum, Adenle has brought to bear his education and experience through his experimentation as a sculptor, an art educator and therapist. Igbaro and Raqib Basorun’s works, in the course of this experimentation, have also inspired the artist.
This ADAPTATIONS is the product of apt and overt conversions of plastics forms and wood surfaces into meaningful visual conceptualisations. It is a genre of creating new meaning from older objects. This experimentation also has the value of preserving waste by recycling woods and plastics. Also, he introduces metals and some found objects like plant seeds, bottles, bones etc., as necessary. Initially, he picked up plastics but has caught the fancy of buying automobiles plastics that have suggestive forms and malleable characteristics. The nature of these lifeless materials and media also require that while attempting to breathe life into them, Adenle burns, heats, melts, models, arranges and assembles them together as the case may be. They are also framed to create a useful joinery of two and three dimensions and planes.
Adenle’s Reflection on Nigeria’s Deflections- An analysis
For the purpose of analysis, six works will be reviewed from this visual menu called ADAPTATIONS. All the works share a common line of thought, which is Adenle’s reflection on the complex peripatetic deflections of Nigerian state. Adenle, as earlier articulated, uses his most potential weapon, his artworks, to express his pent-up sentiments and disappointments about his dear country, her socio-political tragedies and economic despairs.
Ori-yeye-ni-mogun/ Plastics and fibre glass/ 00 X 00
This is the first work carried out by Adenle in the progression of his experimentation with plastics. The work is a depiction of the plight of the downtrodden in the society. Ori-yeye-ni-mogun literarily means there are hundreds of innocent masses that are suffering for offences not committed by them. This does not apply only to those incarcerated without trial but include those now suffering economic and other forms of hardship that were caused by past leaders. The human heads in despicable circumstances in the picture represent these helpless and hopeless people. The message of the work is direct and down to earth and capable of arousing emotion and pity for the less privileged in the society who may not have access to fund to seek justice when wrongly accused or arrested.
National Cake/ Mixed Media (assemblage)/ 00 X 00
This work is symbolic of the way the revenue of the country is being shared at the centre especially by the national assembly. Apart from legislating for outrageous increases of their salaries and wages, they share and eat allocations meant for their constituencies without giving back to their electorates. They have not only caused political decadency but have also made the democracy to be expensive at the expense of economic development. The artwork reveals the scrambling at the centre for the national cake and the hunger and starvation represented by the dry bones at the four corners of the work. The thirty-six assembled bottles symbolizing the lawmakers from the thirty-six states of the federation are united in their unwholesome politics of eating the nation to the bone marrow. The work is a depiction of the reality that is staring at us in the face.
Unequally-yoked/ Fabricated plastics/ 00 X 00
Nigeria is an entity that seems to exist only as a geographical categorization. It is now clear that Nigeria, a nation so complex in nature and culture ought not to have been amalgamated together as one. This is the core message of the artwork. Adenle is insinuating that Nigerian peoples are unequally–yoked together. This fact has actually led to Biafra war and in recent time, it has led to fight for resource control, sectional militancy and tribalism. The plastic arrangement of the artwork outlines the map of Nigeria showing jumbled components that are forcefully joined in a marriage of inconvenience. The colours of the component plastics are in sharp contrast against one another. The black background is also signifying uncertainty that has already enveloped the nation and how it challenges our unity. The spotted red plastic at the delta area of the country may as well translate that our oil may be our time bomb if no discussion is facilitated at a national conference table.
Kokoro to n jefo/ Wood and plastics/ 00 X 00
This title is prefix of a Yoruba proverb that translates as: ‘The insect that infests a vegetable resides in its stems’. The insects or cankerworms that milk our national resources are not ghosts, they reside among us. The work shows a design replicating the effects of ants’ infestation on wood. Adenle tries to relay to us that the fact that our enemies are ourselves. These people are the politicians and leaders who are merely interested in what they are going to benefit from. We may also be surprised that the corruption at the surface may be a child’s play compared with the internal invasion already caused by this ‘pests’. This work warns us of the imminent implosion if the system is not fumigated with truth, probity and uprightness.
Hydra-headed/Plastics (Assemblage)/ 00 X 00
This is a work that depicts the nature of Nigeria’s multiple problems. Each national problem is hydra-headed as the works reveals. This means each big problem has smaller ones. The work is monster-like figure extending out into multiple heads. Each head can be interpreted as representing each problem viz-a-viz insecurity, power failure, corruption, religious conflict, tribal war and sectional militancy among others. The head that extends out more can be said to be that of power failure, which has always called for our attention. The fact that NEPA was changed to Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) has not led to any improvement. Since 1999, the Universal Basic Education (UBE) adopted as against 6-3-3-4 system of education has not shown any considerable difference. One policy follows another and what we have at the end of the day is policy somersault and more unending hydra-headed issues. This work captures this problem squarely
Reverse /Plastics (Assemblage)/ 00 X 00
Reverse explains the paradox of our growth and development, which is a mirage. We think we are moving forward yet in the reverse. We move one step forward and two steps backwards. Adenle’ s vision is not blurred, what he sees is what he represents. As much as he wishes to see Nigeria moving forward, he keeps seeing an inverted image that is bemused by roughness, coarseness and stone-heartedness.
Conclusion
According to Brain (1980) Art in Africa, fulfills a multitude of functions. It is a medium that serves multifarious purpose in the society. Some of these purposes are art for art sake, commerce, court, religion and magic, entertainment, status symbol and even self-expression. Through ADAPTATIONS, Adenle has chosen the last, that is, to express his innermost contemplation about the socio-political state of the nation. He does not only projects the problems for all to see but also offers solution in works titled: Angelic Visit and Voyage. This works suggest we can only depend on a divine intervention through angelic visit and taking a deliberate and conscious voyage away where we are to a better place where we could be.
By the success of these works, Adenle has joined the league of socio-political crusader who comments and offers suggestions on the social, economic and political ills of the society through his art practice. It is right to salute the courage of Adenle John, who did not allow the seemingly sleeping Osiele town to blur his vision of reaching out in this way. It is my hope that the reflection of this ADAPTATIONS will facilitate national projection towards a better governance. Congratulations.
References
Adepegba Kehinde (2010) ‘October Rain and the Reins of Time’. October Rain Exhibition Catalogue
Adepegba Kehinde (2011) ‘Evolution of A New State: A Tale of Two Builders’ October Rain Exhibition Catalogue
Brain Robert (1980) Art and society in Africa. London and New York: Longman
AN EXPRESSION OF MIXED MEDIA IN NIGERIA CONTEPORARY SCULPTURE.
The criterion for an evaluation a proper work of art solely rests on the major anvil of originality, uniqueness and value. The aesthetics inherent in the use of mixed media exhibited by Adenle, he finds fulfillment in the complex interplay of creativity. Therefore, it gives me pleasure to write these few lines on my encounter with the works of Adenle John Oyewole.
Adenle’s artistic representations in contemporary sculpture is characterized with the use of plastic, wood and some other mixed media in sculpture to make artistic formation of very interesting sculpture pieces. These he titled Adaptation in his solo- exhibition.
Perhaps, it would be ideal to think that Adenle is astride in the use of junks to make artistic representation on boards because in my few years of existence, I have not been privileged to see sculptures made out of plastic, and this is where I celebrate his originality. Further, Mr. Adenle John Oyewole has not abandoned the creative aspect as a researcher because these sculptures have intensified it.
Form this collection, we are brought into the world of Adenle as a passionate sculpture who expresses his talent through works of art. Apart from his duty as an academic, he has established himself as a frontline artist whose works and wealth of experience would inspire younger artists.
This effort should be celebrated!
Odubiyi James Abiodun
Head, Departmentof Fine and Applied arts
Federal College of Education, Osiele Abeokuta
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ARTIST’S STATEMENT
It is indeed appropriate to pause a while like Mr. Raqib Basorun, used punctuation marks to echo the fact the fact that change is inevitable.
In the search for over a decade, I have to pause so as to measure what is gone and ascertain the present to enable one to see the enormous challenges ahead in to the use of environmental wastes . In my journey on the creative use of solid wastes, it is fair to mention one of my lecturers Igbaro Josiah whose single work on plastic I came in contact with over ten years ago. This appears to be the sharpener of my focus on recycling as a way of reducing pollution. Couple with the ideology of Nsukka School of Art, the combustible elements in me became ignited.
Everything about rubbish is from the natural World, which comprises of organic and inorganic materials. For many produce wastes people. To dispose waste is simply drop it some place or in the open unregulated dumps and these have polluted everywhere. Waste is everyone ‘s business. We all produce wastes in nearly everything we do, but as we generated vast amount of unwanted wastes every year (industrial and municipal wastes), individual and government should make concerted efforts to utilize from the avalanche of generated inadvertently.
Adenle (2002) affirms that “ whatsoever you need someone is probably throwing it away. What is waste to one division is treasure to another, hence my exploration of the choice medium of communication “PLASTIC” which is one of the most prominent of the waste stream.
Straight way I sent female students into the female hostels to scavenge for disposed plastics and synthetic materials, this I called my “nursery experience”, because I met with strong wall of resistance alas not all plastics respond to heat. Some responded, while some insulated, a viable lessons which made me selective.
The next stage was the automobile plastics mixed with few metals sometimes. The interest was becoming stronger, it was baptism of fire to get response of the materials, when the fire is suffocated, the works are carefully installed.
Another stage similar in technique but with difference in the source of materials is the installation with industrial waste plastics, this brought in matured and defined figures with introduction of coloured plastics to balance the contrast.
As some waste products are already being exploited, especially for scarce of valuable metals, plastics and rubbers, artists especially sculptors should rise up the task. waste management experts and environmental protection agency (EPA) stress the 3R’s of waste management Reduction, Refuse and Recycling before final destruction. It is worthy to note that any artist recycling this medium is automatically reducing the menace of waste in the society.
The plastics explored in this body of work ranges from fabricated domestic plastics, bowls, installed with human faces and body parts to depicts how many thousands innocent souls are wasted during ethno religious and political riots I n the country. The work equally touches on the unseriousness in the execution of our political and economic policies even though there are one thousand and one committees, elders foras and consultations yet there seems no solution in view. In this tensed situation aggravated by all kinds of melt-down ranging from economic to domestic, militancy (niger delta) Boko haram, marginalization, injustice, religious conflicts, corruption, tribalism, examination malpractice, power outages e.t.c, the nation needs divine visitation to get out of the current predicaments.
Five different methods were used in carrying out these body of works as each other methods suggests mastery
I began with melting of found plastics on a prepared surface, watching to suffocate the light when interesting forms begin to appear. Because the materials used here were majorly domestic, the fire was easy to put under check. I suffocate intentionally to control or add some already prepared shapes or figures into the design.
Another method which was more challenging , because the combustion rate was high is the use of pure industrial plastic wastes. As such they are left to burn to a high tempo, having certify that the materials arranged initially or added in the course of burning are melting or forming whichever you chose, the fire is checked after which the remaining visible lumps from the fire are arranged or controlled while still malleable. Then other objects that are pre-studied are installed on the molten to form composition with the feature on the surface.
The third method ( a child of circumstance ) was the use of automobile plastic pipes of air-condition. The pipes were cut to sizes and shapes, then installed with adhesives to form free standing sculpture.
The fourth method was the use of the same pipe for dual purposes wall hangings and functional purpose like flower vase.
The last method was the use of Mita machine and gig-saw to cut lumps of solid plastic wastes into shapes, which were arrange conceptually.
Materials used in the course of this research are plastics (domestic plastic wastes and industrial wastes in different colours) automobile plastics, dash-boards, adhesives, acrylic binder, titanium dioxide, bolt and nuts.
I would not end my statement without a word on the safety precautions, since fire is involved in redirecting the form of this medium the risk is high, “Safety fist”. Your safety kits on ( nose cover, boot, hand gloves e.t.c. When the fire is on, suffocating it is a great challenge, presently I carefully put the fire off gradually through splashing of water at a distance, at the touch of water the tempo and noise from the fire immediately sends you away, but sooner the fire burns low. The action can be repeated if the is not off.
Still in the search of avenues and method s to temper this medium, necessitates a pause which is a momentary assessment of the artist ride into the world of plastic wastes. Thus it has been a tedious but interesting experience to put up this works together for this show.
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RE-USE AND NEW LIFE RE-USE
“After all, it is great adventure a great exploration
“After all, it is great adventure a great exploration
with the infinite beckoning on”
- Augustus Vincent Tack
- An American painter in
“Doing art together’ by Muriel Silberstein - Storfer (1982)
The metropolitan Museum of art Mable Jones
Visual arts has gone beyond the conventional approach to self-expression. Innovative thinking, creative diversity and exploration has opened up a wide range of new possibilities. Expectedly, this has led
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Experimental artists to break frontiers and surpass them in attempts to bring the required variety to spice up the creative word of artistic expression.
John Adenle has over the years towed the unusual path of looking beyond the conventional approach to creative expression and the classroom setting for inspiration this is however not surprising when one remembers the fact that hehlds a Masters degree from University of Nigeria Nsukka. The ripple effect of El-Anatsui must have caught up with him in his search for creative identity. He started with wood (almost towing the part of El-anatsui ) but suddenly made wonderful turn that led him to the dump yard, mechanic village and construction sites, what to expect in his home studio can be better can be better imagined. Alagba John sits for several hours daily admiring and ruminating over his junk collection, pondering what to make of it .
John Adenle has over the years towed the unusual path of looking beyond the conventional approach to creative expression and the classroom setting for inspiration this is however not surprising when one remembers the fact that hehlds a Masters degree from University of Nigeria Nsukka. The ripple effect of El-Anatsui must have caught up with him in his search for creative identity. He started with wood (almost towing the part of El-anatsui ) but suddenly made wonderful turn that led him to the dump yard, mechanic village and construction sites, what to expect in his home studio can be better can be better imagined. Alagba John sits for several hours daily admiring and ruminating over his junk collection, pondering what to make of it .
The forms and shapes in John Adenle’s expression were products of taking the junks out of their original context in terms of usage. While some were used in their original form others were modified to create new forms and shapes. The interesting thing about the body of works presented for this show is that the artists has been able to proof a very good point that not all domestic and industrial waste should end up at the dump site.
This initiative by John Oyewole Adenle is highly commendable in that it has reduced disposal needs and costs. Though he wears an almost completely grey hair cut, I call him a young man with a very interesting lifestyle when not practicing his art.
He is a choirmaster/pastor, footballer, Badminton player and farmer . I am sure that he will soon publish a book on what it takes to care for an aged mother who is well above 100years old as the last born.
He is happily married to Rachael and they are blessed with children.
I wish him the very best and a successful exhibition.
Chairman, Society of Nigerian Artists,
Ogun State Chapter
BEYOND THE PRODUCT: ADENLE’S SEQUENCE OF CREATIVE PROCESS.
Adenle John is creatively curious. He is very versatile and experimentally restless. I have noticed his diversity of interests in the transmutation of seemingly worthless materials into artistic spectacles. He has recently been manipulating natural and synthetic wastes into creative wealth. As a sculptor, he is quite dynamic. He experiments with variety of materials, using numerous methods in the process of production. I have seen him moulding with clay, casting with cement, welding metal, burning and engraving on wood, cutting and gumming plastic, mixing plaster and wrapping trees with coloured cellophane tapes. His use of materials and machines is equally dexterous. For him, art is not just defined by the finished product, art is more alive as a process.
An effective art teacher must understand how to explore a sequence of creative process that leads to desirable artistic excellence. He must mentally conceive ideas, translate the idea into visual reality through practical manipulation of materials and learn how to critically appreciate the produced artwork.
Adenle’s exploration of plastic wastes has led him to discover and expose the inherent melting nature of the material and its malleability. He has brought out peculiar forms that can only be achieved through the dynamic processes of cutting, heating and burning. There is no doubt that with more practice and research, he will have firmer control of the methods and materials thereby producing more refined shapes.
Kunle Filani (MFA, Ph.D)
Provost, Federal College of Education, Abeokuta
28th November, 2011
