OKEKE, Uchefuna Christopher

Illustrator, Painter, Sculptor Address: Asele Institute, PMB 1001, Nimo, Anambra State. Birth: April 30, 1933, in Nimo, Anambra State. Training: Correspondence course in taxidermy, Omaha, Nebraska, USA; diploma in fine arts, Nigerian College of Arts, Sdence & Technology, Zaria, 1961, spedalizing in painting; seminar on West African religion, University of Ibadan, 1959; studied stained glass and mosaic techniques, Munich, 1962-1963. Profile: Full name, Christopher Uchefuna Okeke; husband of Ego Eunice Uche-Okeke; visual aids designer, St. Peter Claver College and College of Mary Immaculate, Kafanchan, 1954-1955; organizing assistant, Jos Museum, Jos, 1956; founded Cultural Centre, Kafanchan, 1958, now known as Asele Institute; freelance artist, poet and playwright, from 1961; publications artist, Federal Ministry of Information, 1961; employed, Franz Mayer Company, Munich, Germany, 1962-1963; directed Mbari Art Centre Workshop, Enugu, 1964—1967; drama partidpant, Commonwealth Festival, London, 1965; transfered Asele Institute to Nimo, 1967; head, visual arts section, Refugee Affairs Committee, Aba and Umuahia, 1967-1970; chairman, cultural sector, Nigerian National UNESCO Commission, 1971-1986; acting head, Department of Fine & Applied Arts, University of 362 Okeke Nigeria, Nsukka, 1970-1971; toured United States for the American Coundl on Education to lecture at universities and colleges, 1974; head, Department of Fine & Applied Arts, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 1976; dean, Faculty of Arts, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 1979-1981; visiting scholar, University of Minnesota, 1981-1982; director, Institute of African Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 1984; visiting lecturer, Department of Creative Arts, University of Port Harcourt, 1986-1987; illustrated Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart; stage set designer, Wole Soyinka's The Lion and The Jewel and other prominent Nigerian playwrights; deputy director general (Africa) International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, England; board member, Odinani Museum, Nri, African Studies Project, University of Ibadan; he is an eminent exponent of uli painting; belonged to the Zaria Art Sodety. Member: Arts Council of the African Studies Assodation; International Assodation of Artists; International Bibliophile Assodation, Paris; Sodety of Nigerian Artists. Solo Exhibitions "Life in Northern Nigeria," Jos and Kaduna, May 1956. British Coundl, Kano, 1958. Anglo-Nigerian Art Centre, Lagos, 1958. "Exhibition of Drawings," Rott am Inn, Wasserburg, Germany, 1962. "Exhibition of Mosaics and Stained Glass Windows," Franz Mayer Company, Munich, Germany, 1963. "Drawings by Uche Okeke," Goethe Institute, Lagos, February 8-19, 1965. "1965 Paintings: Uche Okeke," Hotel Presidential, Enugu, 1965. "Paintings, Uche Okeke," British Coundl, Port Harcourt, 1965. Mbari Gallery, Ibadan, 1966. "Uche Okeke Graphics," British Coundl, Enugu, 1967. "A Retrospective Exhibition of Uche Okeke Drawings and Prints: 1954-1972," Institute of African Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, December 14-16, 1972. "A Retrospective Exhibition of Uche Okeke Drawings, 1957-1978," Goethe Institute, Lagos, November 8-22, 1978. "Homage to Asele," African-American Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, April 5-May 1, 1982. "Uche Okeke: Drawings and Paintings," Katherine Nash Gallery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, May 3-June 13, 1982. "Uche Okeke: Contemporary African Paintings and Drawings," Dolly Fitterman Gallery, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, July 20-August 21, 1982. "Art of Uche Okeke," Goethe Institute, Lagos, 1983. Group Exhibitions "Contemporary Nigerian Drawings and Paintings," Jos Museum, Jos, 1956. Nigerian College of Arts, Sdence & Technology, Zaria, 1957. "Contemporary African Painters," British Council, Ibadan, 1960 "Kunst aus Zentralafrika," Berlin, Bremen, Dortmund, and Darmstadt, Germany, 1960-1961. Mbari Gallery, Ibadan, 1961. Exhibition Centre, Marina, Lagos, 1961. Nigerian College of Arts, Sdence & Technology, Zaria, 1961. Sixth Biennial, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 1961. "American Negro and West African Contemporary Art," Randle Memorial Hall, Lagos, 1961. Galerie Lambert, Paris, France, 1962.Nigerian National Collection of Antiquities, National Gallery of Rhodesia, Salisbury, Rhodesia, 1962. Ugandan Independence Art Exhibition, Kampala, Uganda, 1962. "Enugu Artists 1964," Mbari, Enugu, 1964. British Council, Port Harcourt, 1964. American Peace Corps Art Show, Enugu, 1964. Harmon Foundation, New York, USA, 1964. "African Arts of our Time," Civic Centre Museum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, 1964. "Inaugural Exhibition of the Society of Nigerian Artists," Exhibition Centre, Lagos, January 16-22, 1964. "Some Nigerian Graphics and Paintings," Mbari, Enugu, 1965. Sodety of Nigerian Artists, Lagos, 1965. First World Festival of Negro Arts, Dakar, Senegal, 1966. "Drei Kreuzwege-Drei Kontinente," Munich, Germany, 1967. "Kunst und Kunsthandwerk aus Biafra," Bonn, Cologne, and Trier, Germany, 1969. "Contemporary African Art," Camden Arts Centre, London, August-September 1969. "Oeuvres Africaines Nouvelles," Musee de l'Homme, Paris, France, February 13- April 13, 1970. "Moderne Malerei in Afrika," Museum fur Volkerkunde, Vienna, Austria, December 1970-February 1971. "New African Art in Czechoslovakia," Naprstek Museum, Prague, Czechslosvakia, January-April 1972. "Nigeria Prints 1973," Institute of African Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 1973. "Some East Central State Artists," Hotel Presidential, Enugu, 1973. "Exhibition of Prints," Gong Gallery, Lagos, 1973. "Exhibition of ContemporaryEast Central State Painting, Prints and Drawing from Asele Collection," Institute of African Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 1974. "African Prints: An Exhibition of Contemporary African Art," Kresge Art Gallery, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA, June 15-July 7, 1974. "Contemporary Nigerian Plastic Art Exhibition," Fourth National Arts Festival, Lagos State Cultural Centre, Lagos, 1974. "Art Exhibition: Nsukka School," Institute of African Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 1976. "Nigerian Contemporary Art Symposium, Nsukka 1976," Institute of African Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, March 22-25, 1976. "Exhibition of Prints," Gong Gallery, Lagos, 1976. "Prints and Textiles," Kresge Art Gallery, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA, 1976. FESTAC '77, Lagos, 1977. "FESTAC '77, Event No. 1, Nka Festival," Sports Commission Hall, Enugu, 1977. "The Living Art of the Igbo," Institute of African Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, April 1977. "African Contemporary Art," Gallery of Art, Howard University, Washington, DC, April 30-July 31, 1977. "Graphik aus Nigeria," organized by the Goethe Institute, Lagos, toured West Germany for two years, 1978-1979. "Introdudng Ana Gallery," University of Nigeria, Nsukka, January 1978. "Exhibition of Graphics," University of Lagos Women's Sodety, Lagos, July 1978. "National Art Exhibition," National Theatre, Lagos, September 30-October 7, 1978. "East Zonal Exhibition: Sodety of Nigerian Artists," Institute of African Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, October 25-28, 1978. 'The Nsukka School: Paintings, Drawings, Prints, Sculpture, Ceramics," Contemporary Arts Gallery, Rivers State Council for Arts & Culture, Port Harcourt, February 1-28, 1979. "Christian Arts in Nigeria," Holy Trinity Cathedral, Onitsha, June 1979. "Moderne Kunst aus Afrika," Staatlichen Kunsthalle, Berlin, Germany, June 24- August 12, 1979. "Modern Kunst in Afrika," Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 1980. "Neue Kunst in Afrika," Mainz, Germany, June 1980; Bayreuth, Germany, July- August 1980; Worgl, Austria, September 1980. "National Art Exhibition," National Theatre, Lagos, September 25-October 1, 1980. "Contemporary Nigerian Prints and Drawings," University of Nigeria, Nsukka, February 16-26, 1982. "Four Contemporary African Artists," Mintec Galleries, Port Harcourt, 1983. "Evolution in Nigerian Art," Lagos, 1984. "Contemporary Art from Anambra State," Kashim Ibrahim Library, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, March 1985. "Werbung fur Biafra," Iwalewa-Haus, Bayreuth, Germany, 1985. "Silver Jubilee National Art Exhibition," National Theatre, Lagos; Federal University of Technology, Owerri; Lugard Hall, Kaduna, September 26-October 1, 1985. "Treasures of the Asele Institute," Italian Cultural Institute, Lagos, December 10- 23, 1988. "Njikoka Fair Exhibition," Asele Gallery, Nimo, February 1989. "Uli: Traditional Wall Painting and Modern Art from Nigeria," Iwalewa-Haus, Bayreuth, Germany, June 15-July 15, 1989; Goethe Institute, Lagos, January 10- 25, 1990; Continuing Education Centre, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, February 12-14, 1990. Commissions Mural, Nigerian Independence Celebration, Lagos, October, 1960. Murals, Mbari Club, Ibadan, 1961. Mural, Eastern Region Library, Enugu, 1964. Sculpture, stone, "Edi Sculpture," University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, 1966. Portals and archbishop's throne, wood, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Onitsha, 1971- 1974. Tapestry, Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Presidential Lounge, Lagos, 1977. Writings by the Artist Drawings by Uche Okeke I foreword by Ulli Beier. Ibadan: Mbari Publications, 1961. [24]pp. illus. (New African Artists Series, 1). "National Museum," Morning Post (Lagos) December 2, 1963. "We Can Learn from Germany," Nigerian Outlook (Enugu) January 27, 1964. "Nigerian Art is Dynamic," Morning Post (Lagos) March9, 1964. 'The New Nigerian Artist," Morning Post (Lagos) March 18, 1965. Poems: Young Commonwealth Poets: AnAnthology of Verse. London: Heinemann 1965. Poems: New Voices ofthe Commonwealth: AnAnthology ofVerse. London: Evans, 1968. Geschichte der Ibo-Kunst. Dortmund: Dortmund Kulturamt, 1970. 24pp. (Dortmunder Vortrage series, 97). Tales ofLand ofDeath: Igbo Folk Tales. New York: Zenith Books, Doubleday, 1971. 114pp. illus. "TheStory of the Contemporary Art of Nigeria's Eastern States," Ikorok: Bulletin of the Institute of African Studies (Nsukka) 1 (2): 35-46, 1971. "Ekeama," [dance drama]. African Arts (Los Angeles)5 (2): 50-51, winter 1972. "Panorama of Nigerian Art," [reviewof "Contemporary Nigerian PlasticArt Exhibition," Fourth National Arts Festival, Lagos, 1974]. Nigeria Magazine (Lagos) nos. 115/116: 34-55, 1975. Igbo Art. Manuscript for Asele Nimo Documentation Centre, Nimo, 1977. [unpublished]. "Igbo Drawing and Painting: Two Little-Known Art Forms," Ufahamu (Los Angeles) 6 (2): 106-115, 1976. bibliog. "The Search for a Theoretical Basis for Contemporary Nigerian Art," Nigerian Journal of the Humanities (Benin City) 1 (1) 1977. "The Place of Art in the Traditional Culture of Nigeria," Ugo (Enugu) no. 1, October-December 1977. Natural Synthesis: Collected Notes 1959-1970. Nimo: Asele Institute, [n.d.]. "Igbodo Art and Culture, pp. 307-314. In: Nsukka Environment 1978 I edited by G. E. K. Ofomata, Enugu, Fourth Dimension Press, 1978. [together with C. U. V. Okechukwu], "The Art Culture of the Nsukka Igbo," pp. 271-285. In: Nsukka Environment 1978 I edited by G. E. K. Ofomata, Enugu, Fourth Dimension Press, 1978. "An Introduction to Contemporary Nigerian Art," New Culture (Ibadan) 1 (1): 14- 23, November 1978. illus. "Ozo Title Taking: The Dilemna of the Contemporary Igbo," Ugo (Enugu) 1 (2) November 1978. "History of Modern Nigerian Art," Nigeria Magazine (Lagos) nos. 128/129: 100-118, 1979. illus. "Introduction to Nigerian Art Institutions: The University of Nigeria, Nsukka: Fine & Applied Arts Department," New Culture (Ibadan) 3: 12-19, February 1979. illus. "Towards a Rational Policy of Art Patronage in Nigeria," New Culture (Ibadan) 1 (4): 14-20, March 1979. illus. "The Plastic Arts: School of Arts and Crafts," New Culture (Ibadan) 1 (7): 10, June 1979. "The Plastic Arts: Contemporary Art: Earliest Influences," New Culture (Ibadan) 1 (8): 10, July 1979. "The Plastic Arts: Commerdal Art," New Culture (Ibadan) 1 (9): 14, 63, August 1979. My Strategy for Creative Development: Asele Institute. Paper presented in a seminar, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, January 11, 1982. [unpublished]. Design Inspiration Through Uli. [s.l., s.n.], 1982. 20 leaves, [33) leaves of plates. [unpublished]. Art in Development: A Nigerian Perspective I edited by Uche Okeke. Nimo: Documentation Centre, Asele Institute; Minneapolis: African American Cultural Center, 1982. 90pp. illus. Art Culture of Anambra State: The Eri Inheritance. Nimo: Asele Institute, [1985]. 50pp. bibliog. "University of Nigeria's Initiatives in Nigerian Art Culture," Ikoro (Nsukka) 6 (2): 17-20, July 1985. [Opening address at the exhibition: "Echo: UNNSilver Jubilee Exhibition of Nsukka Students' Art 1970-84," Ana Gallery, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, February 13, 1985]. "Keynote Address on the Theme of the Workshop Thoughts on Visual Literacy," pp. 12-14. In: Visuals in the Educational and Cultural Development of the Child, Lagos, Nigerian National Commission for UNESCO, Federal Ministry of Education, 1986. Treasures of Asele Institute; [an exhibition marking the 30th anniversary of Asele Institute, Nimo, Anambra State, Nigeria, held at the Italian Cultural Institute, Lagos, December 10-23, 1988]. Lagos: Italian Cultural Institute, 1988. 28pp. "Briefs on Artists Presented," [flyer inserted in exhibition catalog with biographical notes and an illustration by Okeke]. "African Traditions of Drawing," pp. 19-20 [and] "Compiling and Keeping Reference Materials," pp. 20-21. In: Illustrating for Children, Ibadan, Children's Literature Association of Nigeria, 1988. "Art Culture of Anambra State: The Eri Heritage," pp. 24-35. In: Souvenir Brochure: February 14th-18th, 1989, Abagana, Njikoka Local Government Headquarters, [1989]. [An historical overview of modem art developments, particularly in Anambra State]. Awards & Honors First prize, outdoor painting competition, Nigerian College of Arts, Sdence & Technology, Zaria, 1957; first prize, Esso calendar competition for Nigeria's Independence; "Illustrator of the Year," Nigerian National Commission for UNESCO, 1971; Certificate of honour, 25th anniversary, Sodety of Nigerian Artists, 1989. Public Collections Akademie der Kunst, Berlin. Asele Institute, Nimo. Broadcasting House, Radio Nigeria, Kaduna. Iwalewa-Haus, Bayreuth, Germany. Oil painting on paper: "Christ," 1960; oil painting on hardboard: "Mythologic Creature." Lagos University Library, University of Lagos, Lagos. Formerly in the collection of the Federal Sodety of Arts &Humanities, Lagos. Gong Gallery, Lagos. Hampton University Museum, Hampton, Virginia, USA. Works formerly in the Harmon Foundation Collection. Lagos State Council for Arts & Culture, Lagos. National Gallery of Modern Art, Lagos. Gouache: "Shrine Memorial"; wood sculpture: "Ekeama." New Culture Studios, Ibadan. Ovuomaroro Gallery, Lagos. Staatliche GraphischeSammlung, Munich, Germany. State House, Enugu. University of California, African Studies Center, Los Angeles, USA. University of Minnesota, University Gallery, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.