‘Eye of An Artist’ is an inquiry into the artist’s definition of beauty and captures the opinions of 19 artists at different stages of practice offering their views.
This documentary forms part of the art project ‘Beautiful: The Exposition’ that questions the interpretation of beauty in art, especially from the standpoint of the artists.
The project, true to its description as an exposé, saw the combination of:
- Art exhibition of paintings and hyperrealism drawings by the contemporary Nigerian artists Ronke Komolafe and Chidynma Ochu.
- Display of works from select private collections, exhorting the role of The Collector
- Presentation of the book ‘Beyond Aesthetics: Use, Abuse and Dissonance in African Art Traditions’ whose thematic inclination panders to that of the project by Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.
- The documentary ‘Eye of An Artist’ by Kennii Ekundayo, which engages the views of the participating artists. The project counters the popular narrative that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder and posits that beauty lies in the eyes of the creator, who in this case is the artist. The interviewed artists respond to questions ranging from the basis of their artistic practice to how their experiences in the art has formed their various definitions of beauty.
The artists include:
1. Chief Dr Mrs Nike Monica Okundaye – Batik & Adire textile designer
2. Professor Peju Layiwola – Art Historian, Adire textile designer, Sculptor
3. Muraina Akeem – Sculptor
4. Ayoola Mudasiru – Painter
5. Ayoola Omovo – Painter
6. Ibe Ananaba – Painter
7. Oliver Enwonwu – Curator, Gallerist, Painter
8. Sadiq Williams – Painter
9. Iyunola – Painter
10. Godwin Samuel – Painter
11. Raji Babatunde – Painter
12. Ugonma Chibuzo – Painter
13. Adekile Mayowa – Hyperrealist
14. Yusuff Aina Abogunde – Painter
15. Emmanuel Odumade – Painter
16. Abinoro Akporode Collins – Sculptor
17. Adeojo Oluwaseun – Painter
18. Sylvester Aguddah – Collagist
19. Augustine Nwoke – Painter
Kenni Ekundayo: “I believe beauty to be an (intentional) creation of a creator that is designed to be enjoyed by the beholder. I see a dress that I think is beautiful, I believe it was designed to be perceived as exactly that by the dressmaker; same goes for when I interact with a work of art that I believe to be beautiful—the artist produced it to be viewed and enjoyed as that. It is what led to the creation of this film, to interrogate and document the creator (artist)’s opinion and interpretation/presentation of beauty.”