I am a self trained artist --Nelson Okoh

Nelson Okoh

A self taught artist, Nelson Okoh hails from Delta State, but was brought up in Lagos. Professionally, he has been painting and sculpting for over 15 years. In this chat with ADA DIKE, he speaks about his ongoing exhibition at Nike Art Centre, Lekki, Lagos, among other issues.

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How many solo exhibitions have you done as an artist?

This is my first solo exhibition, but I have participated in many group exhibitions in the past. It has not been easy for me in terms of financing a solo exhibition, that is why I have not done it before. This one I am doing presently, at Nike Art Centre, Lekki, Lagos which started on Saturday, October 12, will end on Saturday, October 19, 2013. It is first of its kind, among all the exhibitions that have taken place in Nigeria. Tagged: “Optical Variation,” art enthusiasts and lovers will surely get value for their money because my works are unique.

Many exhibitions you participated in were done in Abuja except this one. Why are all your exhibitions done in Abuja?

I have a close working relationship with Nike Art Gallery and I have been with them for over 10 years. So they understand my style of art and love to work with me. That is why I chose Nike Art Gallery.

What do you intend to communicate to the world about your artworks?

I want the world to know that art is life and I want people to know that life may not easily give one what he or she wants. When you work hard coupled with sincerity of purpose, you can be successful in life. Art has a way of affecting our lives psychologically and if we look at artworks, you find out that there is more to life than to people think. My work can affect and transform lives and also remind us that we should be optimistic. Art has a lot of roles to play in governance. Art is wide and there are a lot of interpretations about arts. So I want my work to affect many lives positively and appeal to humanity.

Nelson Okoh

Most of your works are women. How did you come up with that idea?

When you look around, you will see the most emotional people on earth, that is, women. I chose the feminine gender because women portray emotion and are vulnerable to so many things. The female figure is beautiful and well created by God in terms of stature and emotion. It is appealing to the eyes when you see them; there is nothing wrong to the male gender. I have a couple of male artworks in my workshop but have more of women.

One of your artworks has a body that appears to be headless, and it looks like a puzzle. Why did you do it?

For an artwork to be appreciated, be it painting or sculpting, it should be something challenging and people will enjoying looking at. There are so many meanings and interpretations about a particular work so that one that looks like a puzzle has a lot of stories about it.

Do you have a gallery?

I don’t have a gallery, but my workshop is located at 20, Bola Badmus Crescent, Off Badore, Ajah, Lagos., where most of my clients come to patronise me. Many gallery owners in Nigeria also come here to patronise me.

Tell us how your journey as an artist began?

I started drawing and painting from childhood when I was about six years old. At age 10, I was always with one of my uncles, a sculptor. So I also learnt some of the rudiments of sculpting from him. He’s is actually one of my sources of inspiration. Professionally, I have been working for 15 years.

What does art mean to you?

To me art is self expression if you want to loosen up and get rid of distractions. I am an artist that likes variety. I like to express myself by experimentation in my work.

How do you get inspiration to work as an artist?

Since variety is the spice of life and God is the artist of the universe, I derive a lot of inspiration from God.

I also get my inspiration from things around me including the waves of sea, dripping on a particular surface and other scenes. I look around me and come up with an idea which people always appreciate when they see it. There are some many inspirations one can derive from; it could be fire, raindrops, mountain, and trees, among others.

Why are you passionate about art?

I am passionate about art because it is something I enjoy doing. It is inborn and nothing can take it away from me. As a good artist, I am adventurous. My work are quite inspirational.

Who do you look up to, as your mentor?

There are so many of them and I cannot really pick one.

What is your future aspiration?

I am an advocate for a change, so I aspire to impact the world with my works.

How much does a piece of your artwork cost?

The price varies but the miniature costs N50, 000.00 only.

People don’t buy artwork on regular basis, how do you cope when you do not sell an artwork for a long time?

There are so many ways to make money from art business. You can sell though auction, exhibition and so on. So it is difficult for an artist to stay long without selling his works.

If you were not an artist what other profession would you have joined?

I would have loved to be a medical doctor or a scientist.

Do you have any other information?

I just want to advice the youth that no matter what you are passing through, you can be who you want to be with persistence and determination. Be consistent in every good thing and work hard. You can be a billionaire through a legitimate work.