Encomium
‘We can tell our stories and experiences to the world through art’ – she quips
It was an early Christmas present – and a masterpiece at that for the about 150 people who experienced the 2015, For The Love of Art show at the Coral Reef Hall, Ikoyi, Lagos on Sunday, December 13, 2015.
Put together by poet, artist and writer, Shola Adewumi or Soulful Chameleon, as she is nicknamed, the artistic talent on show was top-notch and wowed all evening. Proving that she is not just all about business and money, the serial entrepreneur explored her artistic side, giving a glimpse into the depth of her creativity.
ENCOMIUM Weekly was there and we serve you highlights of the event…
SOOTHING MUSIC TO BEGIN THE NIGHT
Setting the ball rolling on the evening amidst the perfect mood lighting was music act, Phrance who delivered a soothing guitar-inspired performance.
DRUMMING TAKEN TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL…
Indigenous drumming band, Drumsville delivered a classic and artful performance in African music, not once did the audience stop bopping their heads, dancing and cheering on the energetic group who reeled out songs after songs.
SANTA WAS IN THE HOUSE
Christmas was strong in the air by the time Santa Claus took the stage; he joined a violin rendition of popular Christmas tunes.
RHYMES, RHYMES AND MORE RHYMES
It was a night of unadulterated poetry. The Soulful Chameleon herself started off with Ori mi; then it was
the turn of Oyinkansola Adesewa, a young poet and artist who gave a performance of real class while reciting her two-part poem, Peace and Black Beauty.
Performance poetry was the pick of the lot, however. First was Roadside hawkers and then Change – two socially conscious dramatised poems written by Shola Adewumi that can best be described only with an exclamation!
EFUNSETAN ANIWURA FOLK TALE RE-ENACTED
The loudest cheers came when a play depicting the life of Efunsetan Aniwura (the great Iyalode of Ibadan from 19th century Yoruba land) was re-created by the Soulful Chameleon, unleashing her creative
depth. It was a piece that put the rich cultural heritage of the Yoruba people on show.
LIVE ACTION PAINTING, PLUS MUSIC AND DANCE
Three visual artists painted portraits of some guests from scratch live on stage while dancers thrilled and soft music in the background serenaded the audience- it was creativity to the power of three!
We also spoke with the organiser, creative director and concept originator, the Soulful Chameleon herself, Shola Adewumi; here’s what she had to say…
For a maiden edition, it turned out beautifully. How does that feel?
I give all glory and honour to the King of kings. I am extremely grateful to everyone who made it possible.
How long have you nurtured this idea and what inspired it?
I have nurtured the idea for years because I am very creative and into art. So I’ve always had the idea to do a show like this to entertain, promote art and culture, to influence and impact.
How were you able to put together such an amazing array of performers?
Through God and diligent search. We conducted several auditions and were happy to have found the best of the best to work with on several levels.
What’s the aim of putting this together and would you say that was achieved?
The aim is to celebrate the diversity of art and its impact on society. Telling our stories and experiences through art. And yes, it was definitely achieved.
What are the challenges you faced putting this together?
Challenges weren’t as much as I was working with professionals. But we experienced some teething problems on the day of the show which affected time but I’m glad that we had such a wonderful audience.
What’s the next step for you, both personally and with ‘for the love of art’?
Next step for me personally is to continue with my daily bread (laughs). I have a catering company called Grubbies Catering and also Bespoke Event Planning and Decor so I have few jobs to do already.
As for the love of Art, I plan to do the it annually but better and bigger by God’s grace.
How do you juggle, business, art and your personal life?
I dedicated time to each aspect of my life. Each gets its fair time and attention.
What still drives you as an individual despite the success you’ve achieved for yourself?
To continue impacting, influencing and building to leave legacies in the hearts of people.
-MICHAEL NWOKIKE
