Vilsquare, a Nigerian research and strategy consulting company committed to global development agenda has launched a virtual art exhibition with over 25 pan African artists participating.
The exhibition which started on Tuesday, 26 May 2020 is part of the organisation’s efforts to sensitize the public on the raging global pandemic COVID-19 by using art inspired imagination from various artists from Nigeria and beyond to share contemporary narratives aimed at educating and inspiring hope among the people.
Speaking on behalf of Vilsquare, Obialunanma Nnaobi said, “the visual arts exhibition seeks to inform the Nigerian public and Africans in general on the issues around the pandemic while also celebrating the spirit of our resilience as a people. As an organisation, Vilsquare is concerned about the growing socio-economic effect of the pandemic, but we are quite optimistic that humanity will win the war against the disease. This is our own special way of documenting the issues and perspectives of the moment, creatively fusing technology and art”.
On her part, the curator for the exhibition and member Vilsquare Makers’ Hub, Ms. Yemisi Ola-Afolayan, listed Artists who will be showcasing their art on the platform to include: renowned Liberian Painter and Textile Artist, Baba Shabu, Nigerian Sculptor and African Arts Historian, Dr Otonye Bille Ayodele, German-based Digital Media Artist, Ifeatu Nnaobi, Photo Realist, Olalekan Julius Adeyemi, Kenyan Photo Artist, Michael Khateli Auna, as well as upcoming artists Nissi Odewumi and Bashir Kabir.
She noted further that, “each of the artists will be using their various areas of specialization to sensitize the public on COVID-19. This event aligns with Vilsquare’s mandate to enable a more inclusive, sustainable society that serves all citizens. The event themed “Exploring COVID-19 through the Lens of Art” will run for the next two weeks on the platform – https://vilsquare.org/3dvae/.; The gallery will be open to the public until June 8, 2020”.
There are now more than 100,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus across the African continent, with a number of African countries proposing a range of prevention and containment measures against the spread of the pandemic.
