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Sodangi ; Exploring Nigeria’s ‘Art’ World Towards Global Engagements,
BY ABUBAKAR YUSUF
For the vibrant, energetic, and charismatic leadership under the new Director General, National Gallery of Art, NGA, Ahmed Bashir Sodangi has portrayed the agency both to domestic and global sphere.
One year down the line at the helm of affairs, Sodangi held three exhibitions consecutively that had brought ‘Art’ to both national and international discourse.
The latest one hosted by the agency in May tagged ‘International Art Fair’ held at the exhibition pavilion with its theme”The Intersection of Treasures” attracted both local and international artists as well as bringing to fore the correlation between local and foreign artists.
The assemblage of both local and international professionals in the art world will not only galvanize the art world powered by Nigeria, but will bring series of innovation, Initiatives, as coming together will kick start a major program of cross ideas and consolidate artistic activities across global engagement.
The Sodangi led NGA and organisation of Art fair(s) , no doubt will promote cross cultural interactions between Nigeria as well as building a robust and dynamic art community across the globe.
It will also encourage more creative template and platforms for artists, opening up opportunities for empowerment of all kinds and growth in line with the reforms agenda and zeal to reposition the contemporary art, through innovations of the new leadership under Ahmed Bashir Sodangi.
Since promotion of Art and Artistic programs is one of the mandate of the National Gallery of Art NGA , the idea of frequent hosting of events cannot be overemphasized, as it tends to showcase the potentials of the country’s in “Art” and to also demonstrate the determination of Renewed Hope Agenda under the present administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not only in domestic sphere ,but global endeavors to the advancement of Art.
Along with the mandate, the transformation, innovative and Initiatives to drive the culture of Art in Nigeria is beyond mere nomenclature, but genuine reforms in the sector that has become the cardinal objectives of the new leadership under Ahmed Bashir Sodangi.
Aside the statutory functions of carrying out intermittent exhibitions, that involved both local and international participants, NGA have also signed a couple of MOU’s which aims to promote and project the sector into becoming one of the country’s major contributor to the GDP. Goethe institut, ATSUR, Google Art, Five Cowries, Museum for West African Art (MOWAA) are a few of such international organisations in the new NGA’s partnership
Coming at a time when the parent Ministry of Art , Culture , Tourism and the Creative Economy led by Hannatu Musawa is mobilising both human and material resources towards harnessing and promoting Art, Culture and Tourism values globally worth $100 Billion ,as the repositioning of the NGA under Sodangi was time tested and desirable.
The convergence and participation of both local and international experts which included head of government agencies, departments and their representatives , foreign ambassadors of countries demonstrated the zeal of the current leadership to take art to the proverbial promise land .
Also , the presence of notable exhibitors locally and internationally was a prove of the determination of sodangi led National Gallery of Art to transform the art world beyond boundaries.
Written BY ABUBAKAR YUSUF on yus.abubakar3@gmail.com.