Africa’s
foremost financial institution, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, has partnered
the British Council, the UK’s international organisation for cultural
relations and educational opportunities, to sponsor the installation of
the Wind Sculpture VI by renowned British-Nigerian artist, Yinka Shonibare MBE in Ndubuisi Kanu Park, Ikeja, Lagos.
The installation of the Wind Sculpture VI
will be the first time that Shonibare’s work has gone on public display
in Nigeria.
The fibreglass artwork, six metres high by three metres
wide, forms part of a series of important large-scale works that marked a
new departure for Yinka Shonibare by working in fibre-glass and steel.
Using these materials, Shonibare investigates the shifting movement of
wind passing through fabricand
through these grand sculptures, he encapsulates the sheer volume of
wind three-dimensionally with exquisite dynamism. As part of the
unveiling of the sculpture, Shonibare will give a talk to students and attend a screening of his work at the site of the installation.
Yinka
Shonibare is a Nigerian-British artist renowned for his exploration of
the issues of race and class through the media of painting, sculpture,
photography and film. His trademark material is the brightly coloured
‘African’ batik fabric and one of his most famous works is ‘Nelson’s Ship in a Bottle,’
which, in May 2010, was unveiled on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar
Square, London with the support of GTBank. In 2013, the Bank also
supported Yinka’s Wind Sculpture “FABRIC–ATION,” one of hislargest and most comprehensive exhibitions.
The Bank’s support for the installation of the Wind Sculpture VIis
the latest of its sustained efforts to promote African and
Africa-inspired arts locally and internationally. It closely follows the
Bank’s launch, in September, of ART635, a foremost online repository of
African artworks and the leading platform for the promotion of
indigenous artists across the continent. Arts is one of the four pillars
of GTBank’s Corporate Social Responsibility policy and the Bank’s
support for Arts over the years ranges from collecting art work from
Nigerian artists, to partnering institutions to promote the value of
African Art in Africa and the international markets through project-lead
initiatives.
Commenting on the Bank’s unveiling of the Wind Sculpture VI, Mr Segun Agbaje, the Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank plc, said; “With
its bright colours of traditional African fabrics, Yinka’s Wind
Sculpture VI reflects the creativity of an artist who is incredibly
proud of his African heritage. As a proudly African and Truly
International Bank and an ardent supporter of Art, we are delighted to
co-sponsor the exhibition of this magnificent work of Art and we hope it
will intrigue and inspire everyone who views it.”
GTBank
has consistently played a leading role in Africa’s banking industry.
The Bank is regarded by industry watchers as one of the best run
financial institutions across its subsidiary countries and serves as a
role model within the financial service industry due to its bias for
world class corporate governance standards, excellent service quality
and innovation.
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