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| Okwun |
Joe Eme Okwun’s first experience in arts business
was in 1982 after he took first in drawing and second in
miscellaneous designs in secondary schools competition in old Imo State and
Late Chief Sam Mbakwe awarded him scholarship. For over two decades, he has
done many jobs and participated in many exhibitions In this interview with ADA DIKE, the Abia State born artist sheds
light on his career.
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Many
younger artists have joined the arts profession, why this large turn out?
I always use the word ‘striving’. Arts have
come to stay. The younger artists that left the profession are now coming back
and they are now coming back and working behind the masters.
The masters had made their mistakes but the
younger ones are now tapping from the masters. That is why they have many good
works today. Any discipline that at the end of the day you will not have
anything that would come out of it is a bad one. But they have seen the green
light in the tunnel that is why people are coming into it and they are working
hard to get to the top.
What
motivated you to go into arts profession?
From the onset I knew I am inclined and
once you are inclined there is a tendency that once you venture into such a
discipline, you will excel. That is what led me into arts world. I saw it from
a tender age that I am an artist. I was almost deviating because of the
response I had some years ago. I later realised that people have begun to reckon
with arts. I then worked hard to attain that height. I knew that it is inborn
in me so I have to develop it.
What
year did you realise that you would become an artist?
Not even from secondary school but from
primary school. In 1982 when I was in class three in secondary school, and Late
Chief Sam Mbakwe was the governor of the then Imo State, I represented the
State in arts competition and took first in drawing and second in miscellaneous
designs.
Late Chief Mbakwe awarded me scholarship. That
was my first experience in arts business.
How
do you cope with challenges?
At times, you would have a work which does
not come out well and people would criticise it. I am very good at absorbing
comment so that it would help me to improve.
So far so good, it has been wonderful and I
am equal to the task with the ups and downs.
What
is the price of the cheapest artwork you have?
The cheapest one is N15, 000.00 while the
highest price is N900, 000.00.
Is
it a lucrative venture?
Honestly, it is because we are just beginning.
Even at that, it is lucrative because it is one of the disciplines one cannot
just venture into if he is not inclined. You must have the talent before you
can venture into it.
It is also a discipline that when you are
getting old people would begin to reckon with you and the value of your work
would increase. I know for sure that in the next ten years, people will see
greater things from Nigerian artists.
A
lot of Nigerians don’t buy arts works due to economic meltdown. How often do
you sell your works?
Most of woks I do are commission jobs. The
exhibitions I participated in is just to widen my scope and sell my works to
people across the globe. I thank God for what He has given me. At times, I
would see a client I would sell a work for N20, 000.00. Psychologically, I
weigh my client and know the kind of people who need the works. Presently, my
sales are overwhelming. I have a lot of works I know I cannot finish in the
next 20 years. I also don’t wait for a commission job to come. I create works for
people to come and buy. So the business is wonderfully doing well.
Despite the economic crunch, there are some
people that no matter the economic situation, they would want a piece but the
only thing I do is to be able to fight that price to let it go.
Professionally, I would say it was coming
intermittently. I would not be able point out the exact time but I knew that I
would become a professional artist in 1982.
I started full time by working with
advertising houses. In 1987, I had one of the biggest commissions. That was
when the full time business started.
How
will arts give a boost to the economy?
Arts would boost the economy because we are
having more people into arts industry now. Some people, which are the curator,
sell it outside the country. Some of them sell some works they bought at N200,
000.00 in Nigeria at N1million. Instantly, they are getting something out of
minor. It is helping the economy because idle minds have woken up from slumber
and people are busy working.
Currently, some people now use arts as
collateral. You give your work to collect something you need. At the end of the
day, you retrieve your work. It is happening in a wider dimension.
Quote
Honestly, it is because we are just
beginning. Even at that, it is lucrative because it is one of the disciplines
one cannot just venture into if he is not inclined. You must have the talent
before you can venture into it.
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