Asiru Olatunde (1918-1992)
29 Jul - 23 Jul 2005
As part of the Africa05 season, this exhibition is devoted to an artist often considered to be the father of modern Nigerian sculpture, Asiru Olatunde. Trained as a blacksmith, Olatunde began making small animal brooches when his health began to fail. With the encouragement of the writer, Ulli Beier, Asiru transferred his technique to larger sheets of copper and aluminium, beating out stories based on Yoruba folklore, history and religion. Within a decade his work was being exhibited internationally and held in numerous public collections including the Smithsonian's Collection of African Art.
The exhibition comprises loans from two private collections and that of the Iwaliwahaus at the University of Bayreuth in Germany. A catalogue will be published to coincide with the exhibition and can be ordered in advance (price £10).
