Exhibition of Nigerian art hopes to sow ‘seeds of culture’

An exhibition that highlights contemporary Nigerian arts opened Thursday at the Summit Gallery in southern Seoul.

The exhibition, entitled “Seeds of Friendship,” introduces 110 pieces of art including six sculptures by 22 contemporary Nigerian artists, under the slogan “planting the seeds of culture on friendship.”

Works of celebrated artists such as Tony Enebeli, who has a distinctive style of using plastocast and metal foil, and emerging young artists such as Kehinde Muraina are on display.

The opening ceremony kicked off with Jeon Hai-ok, a gayageum byeongchang specialist and designated national intangible cultural asset, singing and playing the gayageum at the same time.

Choi Jin-young, CEO of The Korea Herald and Herald Artday, a subsidiary of Herald Corp., delivered congratulatory remarks at the opening ceremony.

“This exhibition on Nigerian arts holds several meanings as we have a theme of sowing the ‘cultural seeds.’ The seeds grow and blossom flowers and fruits.” Choi said. “I hope that with exhibitions like these we share arts and cultures.”

Joining at the ceremony was Andy O. Ine, CEO of KrabHouse Ventures, an art gallery based in Lagos, Nigeria.

“I’m very excited to be here. The beauty of arts is that even though I don’t speak the language, arts speak to us. You enjoy it, it comes to you,” Ine said.

“Let’s take time to forget everything and enjoy this choice of artworks from Nigeria. Nigeria has amazing artists. I’m sure you will enjoy yourself.”

The exhibition runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Sunday.

The exhibition has been jointly organized by Herald Artday, Art Token and Art Tech Tree, and is hosted by The Korea Herald and KrabHouse Ventures. It is co-sponsored by the Nigerian Embassy in Korea, The Korea Herald and The Herald Business.