My first impression of REWA’s art is its bright, harmonious, intense, and rich nature. The vibrancy and life in each picture draw you in, to examine its construction with excitement. She studied Physiology & Pharmacology at University College London and worked in the Insurance industry, so it was interesting to explore REWA’s development as an artist and approach to her work. It was a pleasure to talk to her about her career and future projects.
Hi REWA, a pleasure to speak to you about your amazing work. Congratulations on your career. How did become involved in the arts?
Thank you very much! Formally, my creative journey began in 2016 when I was living in Johannesburg but informally, it began much earlier than that. I’ve always had a relationship with art. Growing up, my father encouraged my creative drive and his expansive art collection from West Africa provided further impetus for my development. I’d always doodled and sketched but it wasn’t until 2016 that I truly discovered my artistic style and began to create consistently and in earnest.
You studied Physiology & Pharmacology at University College London and work in insurance. I’m often curious to know how working artists with non-art academic backgrounds approach their careers. It’s argued this brings a different or added dimension to work and appreciation of the arts?
I’ve long since left the Insurance space behind but still operate within the Financial Services space. I definitely like to think it brings a different dimension. Some may beg to differ and think it detracts focus – I don’t agree. Because my time is split, it means that my art time is laser focussed and also means that I am very clear with the direction, duration, and production of my art projects. By proxy, I am very discerning with the opportunities I accept and the platforms/galleries my works are shown in. For example, I don’t accept offers to have my art recreated on t-shirts or phone cases, nor do I agree to show my work on online platforms that someone somewhere, one-day workup and thought that they’d like to do, with no clear direction as far as curation and purpose. I am trying to ensure longevity and ensure my place in the historical narrative of Nigeria and view such things are roadside distractions. I don’t have/keep artist friends so, beyond discussions with curators and gallerists and interviewers, I don’t spend much time discussing theory or trends and prefer to focus on output – maybe I’m just a weirdo and you ought to run a mile: -S! My background has helped me to be incredibly organized as far as my work goes, organized in terms of invoicing, archiving, sales tracking, etc. I believe that this duality, for lack of a better term, is symbiotic – the art brain cannot exist without the finance brain, the finance brain cannot exist without the art brain. Who says you must be one thing and one thing only anyway? That’d make for a very dull, limiting existence, don’t you think?
Are there any artists who have particularly influenced your work and if so why?
No, there are artists I strongly admire. Van Gogh because he began his art career in earnest at the same age as I did and went on to become immortal. Toyin Ojih Odutola because her works are so visually stunning. I admire many different artists for different things but none have influenced my work. I have a very clear singularity of purpose – to bring Igbo culture to the fore, and I haven’t found an artist yet who occupies a similar space.
Your art has been exhibited in numerous locations in South Africa, Nigeria, and Dubai, to name a few. Are there particular artworks or projects you’re most proud of and why?
I am proud of all my projects because they represent different facets and different times in my life. Also, every exhibition has been a series of validations which for a self-taught artist like myself, can be very important to one’s ego and self-accreditation. Showing at the Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town was such a great moment for me because it has always been my goal to show at a notable museum. Showing in Lagos and London, naturally, I’m proud because both are home. New Orleans, that’s my spiritual home so I always love to show there! All the different exhibitions resonate with me for various reasons.
Please tell us more about the KWETU Exhibition in London.
This was a bit of an unexpected boon. Little old me was plodding along and minding my business when I was approached the Greater London Area curator, Eve Makena, who asked whether I would like to form part of the exhibition to commemorate UNESCO’s International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its abolition, in conjunction with the city of London. The exhibition celebrates art from people of African and Caribbean heritage, from London and the Diaspora. It will be virtual due to the physical limitations of the coronavirus but this doesn’t detract from its heft. I was incredibly grateful for the opportunity because as I already mentioned earlier, such opportunities serve as validation and are a driving force to propel me onward.
The themes you cover are relatable and educational. I particularly love ‘Inyo Uno/ the knocking ‘as a piece. This is featured as part of a series covering marital rites and traditions? Do you employ a particular methodology in your research in the areas addressed in your work?
Thank you! I love her too! At the risk of sounding pedestrian, my art is drawn from life itself and deeply anchored in the place and culture from which it was derived, that is, the culture of the Igbos of Nigeria. For context, the Igbos are one of the three major tribes of Nigeria and comprise the largest group of people living in the south-eastern region of the country.
I spent my formative years in England, raised with my biracial mother and white grandmother. I only returned to Nigeria in 2016 and began learning about my heritage in earnest. So with my art, it was very important to me to draw on elements of cultural awareness and audience education with my work because I didn’t just want to create art for art’s sake. It is my hope that one day, my work will be included in art historical dialogue about Africa, beyond the confines of the wide-reaching Contemporary African Art designation, therefore, edification plays a huge role in my narrative. This was very prevalent in my series, INU NWUNYE: Bride Price.
This series showcased a young woman’s passage from INYO-UNO – the knocking/introduction ceremony which heralds a betrothal, IBUNABAITE – the bride’s primary visit to her fiancé’s home, URI – eight days spent with the bridegroom’s family where she is assessed as a worthy potential housewife, through to IGO MUO and INU-MMANYA – the marriage and (palm) wine-carrying ceremony. Many of these traditions have since died out as cultural customs faded to the pervasive western systems.
Having recently undergone both traditional and white (western) marriage ceremonies myself, I was keen to depict and highlight the now obsolete marital practices of the Igbo culture. In this way, I educate an audience and in the process, educate myself.
How a culture survives depends on its people’s capacity to learn and transmit it to succeeding generations. Post-colonialism, we, imported Western practices and customs. Through my art, I would like to provide viewers with an understanding of who we are as a people, educate about our rich legacy and educate a wider audience on the symbolic practices of our forebears before it is lost entirely.
Are there any subjects you would like to address but haven’t as yet?
None immediately spring to mind. As I progress through life and continue learning about my heritage, new ideas tend to spring forth. One day, in the not too distant future, I’ll cover the civil war in Nigeria that birthed Biafra to shed some more light on it but that’s still a long way away…
What is your biggest challenge as a visual artist?
I can’t speak for all visual artists but personally, as someone who didn’t organically grow in this space, it can be tricky to navigate. Knowing the right curators, getting your foot in the door with galleries. So far, fortune has definitely been shining on me as opportunities have a way of falling into my lap but I have always found with life that the harder I work and persist, the luckier I become! On the more tangible, operational side – obtaining materials in Lagos can be challenging! On the one hand, procuring canvas and stretching/framing is very straightforward. However, paints and primers can be so difficult to come by! I end up stuffing my suitcase with such items when I travel out. Also, international shipping costs out of Nigeria can be quite crippling.
What advice would you give to young artists embarking on their careers?
JUST START! If you never begin, how do you know how it might end up? Just start…
As a self-taught artist, do you have a strong view on the merits of formal training and how it relates to your success?
Formal training is definitely not without its merits. Learning the technical skills, introduction to periods and works of artists you may otherwise never have come across, and importantly, the network you engage when you attend a prestigious art school, seems you almost graduate with a gallery and collector waiting list! These are all invaluable. I had considered enrolling in an MFA program but then my son came along and it was no longer possible. I don’t see it as the be-all and end-all, however. For now, I do what I can, within my limits. This means working daily, continuous improvement to perfect my craft, and getting my work shown on targeted, intentional platforms.
Are you currently working on any projects?
A new body of work called Umu Ada. The ideology of Umu Ada was created by tradition during the pre-colonial era where women were held sacred and they participated in collective decision making on political, legal, and social issues. Long before the colonial masters arrived in Africa, during and after colonialism, women had been a vital cog within the Igbo society. Their involvement and representation in this process were primarily done through the Umu Ada. The Umu Ada are defined as the powerful daughters in Igbo culture. Umu Ada means native daughters of common male ancestors or “daughters of the soil’. Umu Ada is also a collective term for all first daughters. My upcoming exhibition, at the Band of Vices gallery in Los Angeles, will highlight and acknowledge the various roles that the Umu Ada play in the political, economic, religious, and social life of the societies within which they operate despite their limited access to resources and paternalistic domination. I am very excited by this collection as it is challenging me on a number of levels. Needless to say – watch this space!
Where can our readers find out more about you?
Hopefully, I’ve engaged you enough, dear reader, to want to find out more J!
Instagram: @artbyrewa
Website: www.artbyrewa.com
Thank you Occhi Team for this opportunity.
Images, courtesy of REWA.
Artwork: Kaitochukwu. The Gathering I
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