AMIAF 2023′ will show ideological link in visual arts, Afrobeat music –Durodola

January 14, 2023 Village Reporter

Lagos-based multi disciplinary Nigerian artist, Yusuf Durodola, is the curator of the 2023 edition of ArtMiabo International Art Festival (AMIAF) which will hold in the first quarter of this year. Durodola, a Guinness World Record Achiever (Largest Painting by Number) for Ecole de dessin, Lagos, Nigeria, spoke with Saturday Telegraph on how the second edition of the yearly festival will bring together creative professionals beyond the visual arts field, and other issues

Large-scale art exhibitions such as art fairs and festivals have become regular in international and local spaces. From a curator’s perspective, how can the Lagos art scene benefit from such yearly gatherings?

Right now, art fairs or festivals are on the increase. This achievement has reshaped the manner in which people in Lagos appreciate, embrace, and invest in art. Commendably, it has helped to speed up the understanding and value of art. With art fairs or festivals like AMIAF, guests that are new to the Lagos art scene get to have an increased level of understanding of art. It goes beyond Lagos, but in Nigeria and Africa in general. Therefore, art fairs or festivals have become the instruments to reactivate and reeducate both the indigenous and International art enthusiasts about art from Nigeria and what it represents.

Aside, what else should the people look forward to during the event?

For AMIAF 2023, which holds between April 27 and May 1, 2023, at EbonyLife, Victoria Island, Lagos, it brings to light the discovery of many talented artists and committed art galleries or institutions within and outside Lagos. Art festi-vals like AMIAF is changing the narrative of how our art is perceived and the quality of art created after the event.

The number of visual artists it is grooming has also increased. This is happening as art festivals or fairs have given Lagosians a different experience when it comes to engaging art and representing the impact of art on a large scale. The aforementioned is separate from the fact that yearly events aid the development of the tourism industry and encouragement of investors in the Lagos economy. In summary, it provides more education and awareness which has helped expand the collection of art across all ages compared to what we had before.

AMIAF 2023 has Art of Afrobeats as its theme. The question that comes to mind is, what has Afrobeats, a music genre, got to do with visual arts?

To start with, the theme is ‘artofafrobeats’. The festival is bringing out the commonality aspects of visual arts and rendition of Afrobeats ideology and music. We are looking at the philosophy behind Afrobeats, which is about taking creativity to the people, speaking the art language that can connect properly to the audience. You cannot talk about Afrobeats or Afrobeat music without referring to artists that worked with Fela Anikukapo Kuti and the present-day Afrobeat artists.

AMIAF 2023 is on the Afro ideology, not about having Fela’s face in visual representations. This is not about painting Fela, Wizkid, or any other Afrobeat artists. We are digging up history to expose where Afrobeat originated from and you will realise that visual artists played a major role.

The theme, ‘artofafrobeats’ is a total package looking at the connection between music and art. This year’s event aims to display the influence of art in the success of Afrobeat while celebrating visual icons like Lemi Ghariokwu, Babatunde Banjoko and others who collaborated with Fela’s ideology and brought the late legend’s iconic image to light. That said, there is hardly anything in today’s world without a connection to visual arts.

Music, theatre, and art cannot be separated. For instance, album covers are created by graphic and fine artists. Also, fashion designers come up with the feel of the costumes that stage musicians like Fela wear. I believe this year’s AMIAF will enable people to learn and see the hidden masquerades in the background of Afrobeat.

This is to show that visual artists have always been behind the scenes. Afro in music simply means African beat. But the ideology of the Afro itself is the art of the street, the art of heart, the art of a deliberate action or movement. One of the many reasons Fela’s image is iconic has to do with the fact that he had a good sense of what he represented in the very artistic way he presented his stage craft.

You are mostly known in the performance art space. But you have been chosen to curate this festival, which is a commercial show. Do you see this as a bigger challenge from your past experience or it comes as just another show?

I have also curated and co-curated shows featuring some of the biggest Nigerian artists such as the 2019 Ajorin; Dancemetalphor and 2021 Fact File, both organised by Thought Pyramid Art Centre, Lagos. I also curated Nike Art Centre’s 2022 Spotlight Arts and Artists Review and worked as creative director for many art shows. The only difference is that AMIAF 2023 is an international festival. Nonetheless, I see it as another experience to expand my impact on the Nigerian and local art scene.