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Emmanuel Eni, 2015

Emmanuel Eni (born in Igbanke in Nigeria) is a Nigerian painter, sculptor, multimedia and performance artist, poet and philosopher.[1]

Early life

Eni studied art at Igbobi College in Lagos, from 1982 to 1984. He then studied fine arts at the Polytechnic University Auchi, where he earned his Ordinary National Diploma in fine arts. He holds a bachelor's degree in sculpture from University of Benin, Nigeria.[citation needed]

Career

Eni has exhibited his work at several biennales including Biennale d'art contemporain de Lyon, the Biennale in Dakar (Dak'Art) and documenta 12 in Kassel Germany.[citation needed] He is a speaker at both private and public conferences. His work is known in the Western world, most famously his philosophical art. The Guardian describes him as an "iconoclast of unusual proportions". Eni is the writer and performer of Blackman in European Kitchen, the creator of the "basic metric scale for art products" in Death of the Curator drama, and the inventor of light painting art.[citation needed]

Works

Eni creates sculptures in bronze, fiber glass, re-enforced concrete and terracotta. His work focuses on the use of recycled materials, as well as some new materials. His most famous work is entitled "Elephant", which for the artist represents the mother of all animals and the largest terrestrial mammal.[2] Eni claims that without elephants, nature will no longer exist.

"Elephants" is made of steel re-enforced concrete with the elephants complexion of "earths colour" just emerging from a mud bath.[citation needed]

Installations

Eni's Israel and Palestine installation is a shaped wall made of empty recycled cans, adorned with dynamite dummies. The installation shows the formal language of two components, one of which requires the other.

Performances

"Peace Restoration performance" - Israel and Palestine

This performance developed from the eponymous installation. The Peace Restoration performance grew to present a platform to deconstruct and interact with the visual installation. The performer employs the flags of Israel and of Palestine, waving them to depict the breakdown in peace. The performance ends with the rolling and tying up of the two flags, in a ceremonial pattern suggesting continued efforts at peace.

"Blackman in European kitchen" - a poetic dance musical poem-lyric

Eni performed this piece in about 70 performances in Africa, Europe, US and Scandinavia. Its text was published in Masquaradeundressing poetry collection. The work includes two drummers and three dancers over a duration ofis 25 minutes.

The piece is about an African who suddenly finds himself in a European kitchen. He is hungry, he cooks. His hostess is a woman named Sabina who is celebrating her birthday, including many expected guests. He perceives the kitchen as a great, shiny, piano. This brings new ways to overcome his challenge. The confrontation with the new kitchen, so unlike his old world, explores the differences and similarities of varied cultures.[citation needed]

Exhibitions

"THE BOOM" exhibition of new light painting art and sculptures

Bibliography

References

  1. ^ https://www.newsghana.com.gh/emmanuel-eni-returns-renew-in-yusuf-grillo-gallery
  2. ^ "Largest terrestrial animal". Answers.com. Retrieved 2019-06-01. [unreliable source?]
  3. ^ "HASKE ZANEN: ENI'S ART OF LIGHT AND REDISCOVERY", agwuenekwachiblog (in German), 2016-07-24, retrieved 2018-08-20
  4. ^ "Museum für Völkerkunde zu Leipzig: Kunstinstallation Emmanuel Eni - "death of the curator"" (in German). Retrieved 2018-08-20.
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