DOZIE ART SHOWCASES CULTURE AND HERITAGE
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Dozie Arts was founded by Vincent Chidozie Ugokwe in 2018. The name was coined from the gallerist’s middle name Chidozie meaning “Good Keeps “. Dozie was born in Aba, Abia State but migrated to the U.S in 2006 at the age of 13.
In September, Dozie Arts collaborated with Destination 2030 on an event during the General Assembly in New York, that celebrated and showcased the rich and diverse creative industries of Nigeria. Joining them for the event was Obi Asika, the Director General of the National Council of Arts & Culture in Nigeria.
A graduate of St. John’s University with a major in Finance, Ugokwe started his company upon visiting Nigeria after 10 years away. He was inspired by the works of local artist — from the masks to paintings. He felt it showed the beautiful culture and heritage that can be found all over Africa. The goal of his galley is to provide and showcase original African art to the world. The gallery sources all its painting and sculptures from African countries and partners with those artists to show showcase their works, many of them antiques.
Below are profiles of two of the artists in Ugokwe’s roster of artists.
Joseph Eze’s works involve experimentation with varied methods and mediums including conventional and found materials. His works tends to examine the themes of identity, nostalgia and stereotype. ISINKA, his studio in Lagos Nigeria, has been his base of operation since he graduated from the University of Nigeria Nsukka in 2002.
Eze’s work was most recently part of “View Double ID from CCH Ponder-Know Collection” at the Charles H. Wright Museum in Detroit. He has participated in art fairs within and outside Nigeria, including The Hamptons Fine Art Fair and Volta Art Fair this year. His works have been collected by several high-profile collectors and organizations including veteran journalist Ed Gordon, Emmy nominated actress CCH Pounder, and The Cash App Collections. His works have been featured in TEXTURES, a landmark exhibition organized by the Kent State Museum, and the Newark Arts Festival Exhibition at the Newark Museum of Art.
Olaniyi Omotayo is a self-taught artist from Akure, Ondo has been passionate about drawing from childhood. Omotayo’s passion for art was forged despite the punishment he received from his parents and teachers for the scribbles and sketches they found in his notebooks.
His impasto skin textures, reflective of his love of texture, stand for confidence. He has termed his style ‘IMPASTOREALISM’ which is the fusion of impasto and realism. This style helps him express his feelings about African art in a more distinct way and connects him better to his subjects.
He obtained his bachelor’s degree in 2018 at Adekunle Ajasin University where he was originally majoring in business administration. During that time, he did commissions to fund his art career and completed his studies with honors. In 2019, he moved to Lagos to pursue his art career and connect with artists, inspiring his trajectory. His aim is to uncover the untold stories about humanity, while positively influencing young people’s minds through his works.
Interested in works from either artist contact Dozie Arts.
On November 8, the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) opens The Shape of Power: Stories of Race and American Sculpture, the first exhibition to examine the role of sculpture in envisioning and constructing the concept of race in the United States.
The works cross time, scale and media and brings together American sculpture in its many forms to explore the ways in which it has shaped and reflected attitudes and understandings about race, and has served as an expression of resistance, liberation and a vital means for reclaiming identity. The exhibition includes 82 sculptures created between 1792 and 2023 ranging in size from palm-sized coins to monumental statues created from diverse media including bronze, marble, shoes, paper and hair. The exhibition features artists including Nicholas Galanin, Sargent Johnson, Simone Leigh, Edmonia Lewis, Roberto Lugo, Isamu Noguchi, Hiram Powers, Alison Saar, Augusta Savage, and Frederic Remington, among others.
UCHICAGO ARTS HOSTS REMEMBERING GHOSTS 2024 ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE EXHIBITION
Remembering Ghosts, the culminating exhibition for Arts & Public Life (APL) 2024 Artists-in-Residence cohort, features work by Candace Hunter (chlee), Ayanah Moor, and Johnaé Strong. This exhibition critically examines the intersections of history, memory, and identity as the artists navigate the residual traces of the past within the present. Through diverse media and conceptual lenses, the works presented in this exhibition explore the complexities of historical erasure, resilience, and the spectral influence of collective and personal memory. By engaging the ethereal, Remembering Ghosts asks viewers to consider how past narratives continue to influence modern society. It encourages contemplation on acts of reclamation and memory to reimagine futures.
In partnership with the Center for the Study of Race, Politics & Culture, Arts + Public Life supports individual artists through the Artists-in-Residence program by advancing the opportunities available to underrepresented artists in the Chicago and national arts scenes.
The exhibit is on view at the Arts Incubator in Chicago, 301 E. Garfield Blvd. through December 14th.
ART MELANATED’S INAUGURAL ART EMPOWERMENT SUMMIT 2024
The inaugural Art Empowerment Summit 2024, hosted by Art Melanated, was an informative full-day event that united the world of Black Art. Featuring engaging panel discussions and valuable networking opportunities, the summit brought together some of the most influential artists, collectors, and art professionals from the Black Art community. Pigment International served as a media partner
