Benedict Chukwukadibia Enwonwu M.B.E (Nigerian, 1917-1994) Yoruba Drummers, 1974
Provenance : [Timeline chronologique]
1974-01-01 | Acquired directly from the artist, circa 1974; By direct descent; A private collection
[Propriété non datée]
- As an iconic theme that has remained current, if at intermitting points, throughout Ben Enwonwu's career, 'the drummer' hones in notions of cultural and emotional signifiers for the artist
- Enwonwu himself said of music: 'The arts of drama, art and music enter into almost every aspect of African life
- They are the mean by which to express sorrow, joy and happiness.' (Ben Enwonwu, 1950)
- An earlier example can be seen in Benin Drummer (1951) more abstract and surreal in composition, and a later example of the theme is The Drummer (1978)
- The later version was commissioned for the facade of the Nigerian Telecommunication (NITEL) building on the Marina in Lagos
- This was one of the first skyscrapers (and at the time, the tallest) to be erected in Nigeria
- Therefore, there is a sense that the drummer theme is one of great significance not only to Enwonwu, but also to his homeland and culture
- Much like the content of the work, the execution of Yoruba Drummers flows in a rhythmic lyricism seen in the swooping motions of the facial details of each subject
- In a style that could be likened to the playful tendencies of William Hogarth (1697- 1764), the figures' expressions are animated and characterful, the figures present are given distinct personalities claiming significant presence within the work
- While stylistically playful, these figures are finely dressed suggesting that they are respected figures, contributing to a sense of occasion and celebration exudes through this work
- During his tenure at the University of Ife, Enwonwu frequently took sketching trips to the rural suburbs of the city
- He was particularly interested in capturing local people engaged in the activities of daily life
- The present work was created during his penultimate year serving as a Professor of Fine Arts at the University of Ife, a position he would leave in 1975
- The first Nigerian to hold the post, he actively participated in discussions concerning the nature of postcolonial African culture following the country's independence from the United Kingdom in 1960
- Enwonwu championed the anticolonial ideologies associated with the Negritude movement, particularly the value of a Pan-African aesthetic advocated for by Léopold Sédar Senghor to formulate a Black cultural identity rooted in indigenous traditions
- Created in the same year as the Tutu series, the present work marks the year of artistic elevation for the artist
- Ogbechie identifies the 1970s as a period of transformation in Enwonwu's practice, however we can identify tropes such as the blue palette and personal essence of the subjects captured within the works correlating between both Tutu (1974) and here in the Yoruba Drummers(1974)
- The characterful nature of the present work makes it a standout piece in the Enwonwu's oeuvre
- It displays the pure mastery of the artist and constitutes a wide display of his seemingly unstoppable and infinite talent
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