Owambe at A Whitespace Lagos 22/1/2014

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Big 60 & International Video Art Festival Lagos 2014/2015

A Whitespace,
58 Raymond Njoku
SW Ikoyi
Lagos

January 22nd 7pm

The second annual festival hosted in collaboration with A Whitespace - Lagos continues with work by Nigerian and Indonesian artists, with films being made available by OK Video. The screening will feature 10 years of Indonesian film alongside a curated exhibition of Nigerian videos entitled ‘Owambe’ and features an installation fro Odun Orimolade. The screening is supported by the British Council Nigeria

Owambe
The gathering of people in celebration is an important part of the Nigerian culture. The milestones of life are marked through community gatherings, music and dance, with the ‘Owambe’ being a classic example of this. Owambe translates as "He/She was there", a colloquial expression for a party where the who-is-who in the Nigerian society are in attendance. Visual cues tell of ties to a celebrant through fabric materials that provide uniformity and a sense of belonging. The entire scene is illuminated by shimmering headpieces (gele) and brilliantly coloured costumes (aso ebi), all creatively embroidered and worn with accustomed grace. Reciprocity is practiced in that giving flows in all directions, from the celebrant to the families and the guest; there exists a commonality in the dispersal of gifts.


Van Lagos collaborated with invited Nigerian video artists to explore/interpret Owambe, and how Nigerian communities and cultures contribute to the wider cultural discourse of the global community.

featuring work by:
- Oyinda Fakeye
- Jude Anogwih
- Emeka Ogboh
- Uche Okpa Iroha
- Wura Natasha Ogunji
- Buki Bodunrin

and and installation by:
Odun Orimolade

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