A Nigerian artist, Oliver Enwonwu, has said that despite the indelible imprints of artists, modern African art has been erroneously seen as African artists copying Europeans.
Enwonwu said this in an episode of the podcast ‘Crucial Conversations’ hosted by Aziza Atta of Ozoza Lifestyle.
Enwonwu, who is the son of renowned sculptor and painter Ben Enwonwu also said modern African Art has been reduced monetarily which has affected its value.
“You see that prices for modern African art are not where they should be. That is a far cry when you compare the money paid for the work of a much younger artist who is probably not up to 45.
“This shows that the contemporary artists are now given due recognition than the modern artists who actually birthed them.
“This is because of the efforts of the modern masters who were dismissed as copying the western artists.
The artist further stated that critical discourse can be used to address these issues as he blames some Africans are in prestigious institutions where they can make a case for African modern art but they are all making the same mistakes.
His father, Ben Enwonwu was arguably the most influential African artist of the 20th century, his pioneering career opened the way for the postcolonial proliferation and increased visibility of modern African art.
He was one of the first African artists to win critical acclaim, having exhibited in august exhibition spaces in Europe and the United States and listed in international directories of contemporary art.
In 2019, his work was sold in London for 1.4 million dollars. In 2018, his best known portrait, Tutu, was sold at 1.6 million dollars.
