OKPU Eze

Painter, Sculptor Address: New Africa Centre, 28 Bishop Onyeabo Street, Ekulu, Enugu, Enugu State. Birth: November 1, 1934, in Umuobialla-Isuikwuator, Imo State. Training: Largely self-taught; studied at Technical Institute & Trade Centre, Enugu, 1950-1955; Technology &Techniques of Materials, Westham Technical College, London, 1963-1964; Trollope and Collis, London. Profile: Full name, Augustine Okpu Eze; works manager, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Lagos and Enugu; designer/artist and executive chairman, Modern Interior &Technical Company, Port Harcourt; director, Institute of Contemporary African Arts, Umuobialla; executive chairman, Modern Interior & Technical Company, Port Harcourt; director, New Africa Centre, Enugu; guest art critic, Nigeria Magazine; freelance artist and designer. Member: Royal Society of British Artists; London; Society of Nigerian Artists. Solo Exhibitions USIS Library, Enugu, 1961, 1962. Exhibition Centre, Marina, Lagos, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964. Independence Building, Lagos, 1963. National Hall, Lagos, 1961, 1962, 1963. Mbari Club, Ibadan, 1963. New Vision Centre, London, 1963. Transcription Centre, London, 1963. "Subconscious Subjection," Goethe Institute, Lagos, October 9-22, 1982. "Timeless Search," National Gallery of Crafts &Design, Lagos, August 31- September 15, 1984. "Legacy of Images: TheSculptures of Okpu Eze," Italian Cultural Institute, Lagos, April 15-29, 1989; New Africa Centre, London, May 1990. Group Exhibitions First World Festival of Negro Arts, Dakar, Senegal, 1966. "Kunst und Kunsthandwerk aus Biafra," Bonn, Cologne, and Trier, Germany, 1969. "East Zonal Exhibition: Society of Nigerian Artists," Institute of African Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, October 25-28, 1978. "Four Contemporary African Artists," Mintec Galleries, Port Harcourt, 1983. "Nigerian Sculpture," The Mall Galleries, London, July 1-13, 1986. "Creative Dialogue: SNAat 25," National Theatre, Lagos, November 27-December 10, 1989. "Vision for Excellence," Home Design Centre, Lagos, December 16-23, 1989. "Images of the Nigerian Nation," National Theatre, Lagos, September 19-October 13, 1990. Writings by the Artist "The Cult of Convention," [review of an exhibition of Emmanuel Odita]. Nigeria Magazine (Lagos) no. 75: 83-84, December 1962. illus. Awards & Honors First recipient, Mbanefo Trophy for Art, Eastern Nigeria, 1956; sculpture prize, Economic Commission of West Africa States, Lome, Togo, 1990. Bibliography Beier, Ulli. "Eze: A Nigerian Surrealist Painter," Nigeria Magazine (Lagos) no. 75: 79-80, December 1962. illus. Ekwensi, Cyprian. "One Step Beyond," Nigeria Magazine (Lagos) no. 79: 299, December 1963. illus. Zaki, Jusufu. 'Toward an Art Revolution," [letter to the editor]. Nigeria Magazine (Lagos) no. 87: 235, 304, December 1965. illus. "Our Authors and Performing Artists-II," Nigeria Magazine (Lagos) no. 89: 133-140, June 1966. port. Ekwensi, Cyprian. "High Price of Nigerian Art," Nigeria Magazine (Lagos) no. 88: 36-41, March 1966. illus. Subconscious Subjection: An Exhibition of Oil Paintings, Gouaches, Temperas and Water Colours: 9-22 October, 1982, Goethe Institute, Lagos. Lagos: [s.n.], 1982. 14, [3]pp. illus. Four Contemporary African Artists; [exhibition held at the Mintec Galleries, Port Harcourt, 1983] / introduction by Uche Okeke. Nimo: Asele Institute, 1983. [folder], illus. Eze, Okpu. Timeless Search: Recent Oil Paintings, Stone and Ebony Sculptures; Dialogue and Catalogue; [exhibition held at the National Gallery of Crafts & Design, Lagos, August 31-September 15, 1984]. Lagos: National Council for Arts & Culture, 1984. 51pp. illus., port. Nigerian Sculpture at the 269th Exhibition of the Royal Society of British Artists, The Mall Galleries, London, July 1-13, 1986 I foreword by Frank Aig-Imoukehuede; introduction by Babatunde Lawal. Enugu: New Africa Centre, 1986. 24pp. illus. Reviewed: Dennis Duerden, "Universal Values," West Africa (London) no. 3593: 1501, July 14, 1986. illus. Lawal, Babatunde. "Charting a New Course: Three Contemporary Nigerian Sculptors," pp. 44-47. In: Tapping Nigeria's Limitless Cultural Treasures I edited by Frank Aig-Imoukhuede, Lagos, published for the National Festival Committee by the National Council for Arts & Culture, 1987. [Reprint of an essay in Nigerian Sculpture at the 269th Exhibition of the Royal Society of British Artists, The Mall Galleries, London, July 1-13, 1986]. Legacy of Images: The Sculptures of Okpu Eze: Bronze, Wood and Pigments I text by Chike Aniakor. Enugu: New Africa Centre, 1989. 96pp. illus. Reviewed: Chinye Wadibia, "Eze's Fusion of Tradition and Technology," Lagos Life (Lagos) April 6- 12, 1989; Jahman Anikulapo, "Okpu Eze, Suzanne Wenger Exhibit," The Guardian (Lagos) April 8, 1989; "ICI Hosts Okpu Eze," Daily Champion (Lagos) April 8, 1989; Adamson Momoh, "The Legacy of Images," Daily Times (Lagos) April 15, 1989, page 12; Ademola Oguntayo, "Icons of the Mind," African Concord (Lagos) April 24, 1989, page 31; Tunde Kolawole, "Legacy of Artists," Nigerian Tribune (Lagos) April 25, 1989; Kodilinye Obiagwu, "Reaching Beyond the Confines of Tradition," Sunday Times (Lagos) April 30, 1989; Jahman Anikulapo, "Okpu Eze: Sculptings on the Fertility Rite," The Guardian (Lagos) May 6, 1989, page 11; Olu Oguibe, "Legacy of Images: The Sculptures of Okpu Eze," West Africa (London) no. 3793: 765, May 7-13, 1990;Humphrey Bekaren, "Cosmic Dualism," The African Guardian (Lagos) May 8, 1989, page 37; Dupe Odumade, "Destroying to Create?" Vanguard (Lagos) May 11, 1989, page 9.