FUNKE ADETUTU writes that there is more to a piece of wood than meets the eye, as wood carvers creatively turn lifeless logs into beautiful but functional pieces
This hazy harmattan afternoon, the misty cold, a hangover from the early hours of the morning, still hangs loosely in the air as artisans hurriedly go about their business at the Oke fia area of Osogbo. School children just returning from school are decked out in their sweat-soaked uniforms under the scorching rays of the sun. A few yards away, two women quibble over two pieces of iced fish. At a motor park overlooking the railway line, bus conductors shout their destination to the hearing of passers-by who seem disinterested in the noise around them. It seems unbelievable that creative works which grace shrines, homes across the country nay the world are actually produced in this raucous area.
Meanwhile, Adebanbo Osuntomi is at work in front of his home which doubles as his workshop. He picks up a saw to cut a piece of wood into equal halves, but it appears the edge of the saw isn’t sharp enough. Hence, he is forced to expend another ounce of energy before it obeys his command. He sniffs hard at the piece he wants to work on, nods with approval, picks up a chisel and hammer, and begins to creatively carve out an image he alone can understand.
“The secret of the wood lies in the carver,” Adebanbo explains, while using the back of his hand to wipe off beads of sweat from his forehead. “It’s is not known to the ordinary eye. I can use a piece of wood as a base for the figure or I can decide to use it as the figure itself. I can use it as human shadow. I can turn it into anything, depending on what comes into my mind.”
True to his words, there are many things inside a lifeless log of wood which an ordinary person cannot see. This is why it becomes incredible that out of these logs, Adebanbo and his men fashion out beautiful images that have become the toast of many tourists within and outside the country.
What these men do not know as they work their bones sore this afternoon, is that their works are the subject of discussion in classrooms, art showrooms and museums, even in the home of art collectors the world over.
Adebanbo has produced works of art that protect the grooves in Osogbo and beyond from intrusion and decay. His works include well carved images of Soponna and Sango, the Yoruba god of thunder. They are strikingly eclectic images which cannot be ignored even by a non-believer. Adebanbo believes art cannot be disconnected from its religious functions because creativity is part of ritual life. Hence, the fusion of art and religion is at the core of his art and the singular purpose of his work is to protect the sacredness of nature. His works present a mixture of architecture and sculpture.
As far as Adebanbo is concerned, the best wood for his work is Ebony, although he uses Tick and Apia. “I use Apia for wood door that comes with images on them. I use Apia because it is durable,” he says. Although they get wood supplies from sellers at times, Adebanbo and his apprentice go to the woods in search of logs for their craft. The price depends on the size. It could be N5, 000 or N6, 000. As he explains, “We can make many images from a log of wood. It depends on the height and the size of the image that I want to carve.”
Wood carving is more than the artistry involved in the craft. The Yoruba are more apt to think of the art as an act of Oju’na in the Yoruba dialect, meaning “creative imagination.” They believe the creative imagination is executed with skill and an understanding of the subject, rather than seeing wood carving as an object. For them, artistry is the exploration and imaginative recreation of received ideas and forms, usually from the divine. It is a vital part of being, and creativity is associated with the divine. Therefore, the work of a wood carver is a blend of creativity and the divine, beauty and functionality.
For a practitioner of the trade like Stanley Osarenren, wood carving is a statement about humanity or some aspects of human life, besides which it is an intuition of truth about the natural world.
“For the designs, I don’t use pictures. I will call it a gift. We all have our specialties as carvers. As for me, I specialise in abstract works. For instance, I just finished working on two lovers abstract. There is another one named ‘figure’. This is the figure of a woman carrying a pot. It could also be that of a woman carrying a baby. This form of carving is realistic carving. It is human,” explains Osarenren. Hence, wood carving is a means of conveying an intuition about divinity. These artisans are simply using their craft as an expression of their inner beings.
Since Nigerian culture is intrinsically woven with African religion, carved images are a mediating factor for both religion and culture in Nigeria. The predominant rituals in creative works like wood carving become even clearer with the appreciation of the fact that both art and religion were considered twins of the same transcendental offshoot.
Thus, for faithful of the traditional religion, visible forms are but mirrors of the unutterable myth of earth and heaven reflecting on each other. If art expresses reality in images and religion expresses ultimate reality in symbols, then religious art expresses religious symbols in artistic images. Wood carving is therefore the meeting point for the finite and infinite, and the functionality of the craft occupies a significant place in this enterprise.
For most collectors, the meaning ascribed to carved images could provide paradigms for the consideration of their functions. Such images functions as a tool to maintain a concept of reality by giving form to the ideas or observations of not only the individual but the carvers themselves. These ideas or observations are translated into concrete forms by the carvers who at times are ignorant of the functionality of their craft.
“Wood carving is functional in many ways,” says Odia Ofeimun, poet and literary critic. It preserves and enhances a people’s culture for it serves as a method of record keeping and makes culture mobile. Historical records are embedded in forms of art, which serve as a means of preserving the people’s culture. Most times, they function as objects of worship.”
Another function of images carved from wood is the aesthetics. It brings beauty to the home. Often times, however, there is an overlap between these functions, hence art could entertain, express a people’s idea of reality and record their history all at once. What is implausible is for art to fail in performing at least one of the aforementioned functions at any given time or space.
“Wood carving is a form of visual art,” says Adropo Ewenla, a student of visual art at a state university. Works of art consist of two elements, the inner and the outer as well as two levels of knowledge, esoteric and exoteric. The esoteric knowledge level usually informs the inner element of art through knowledge, which is informed by the artist’s intended meaning for his work.”
Therefore, this could be a story that goes with the work of art, the content of which may consist of private or public concerns. This knowledge is accessible to a few people, the artist in this case. “The outer element of art gives expression to the inner element and manifests at the exoteric knowledge level, for it is accessible to all. It is expressed in aesthetic values and decorations. The outer element gives the images carved their visible and audible qualities. Both elements are significant and affect their performance or presentation,” Ewenla adds.
However, a new generation of artists is looking at other modern forms through which they can express themselves. Ubong Boniface is a carver at Mende Maryland in Lagos. He represents a new generation of carvers whose works have found expression in different forms of art. “I learnt wood work but nor carving,” he explains. “I do what I call ‘cut and paste’ technique. After I was tutored by my friend’s father, I became learned in the art. I realised that I can paint but I decided to go for sculptor. I find it the most expressive and it is more lucrative.”
In the meantime, Boniface is putting finishing touches to a piece he titled Back from Labour. His kind of art which he named “fibre glass” comes under sculpture. This is another more modern form that he uses to express his creativity. A 2 by 3 piece of Back from Labour, he says, could earn him N15, 000 or more depending on the status of the customer. “Before you do any art,” he advises, “you have to dream it. You have to finish everything inside your mind so that it will come out the way you want it.”
However, the aesthetics of carved images make it a marketable commodity, even though most carvers in Osogbo and Lagos are complaining bitterly about low turnover. “I don’t want to limit myself to the Nigerian market. I plan to export my products abroad, but it’s not been easy, I must say. Different economic policies have posed a serious challenge. But I hope one of my plans will materialise,” says Adebanbo with a spark of enthusiasm in his eyes.
But despite this challenge that carvers face, the place of wood carving remains unequalled for most collectors, as a result of its beauty and functionality.
This hazy harmattan afternoon, the misty cold, a hangover from the early hours of the morning, still hangs loosely in the air as artisans hurriedly go about their business at the Oke fia area of Osogbo. School children just returning from school are decked out in their sweat-soaked uniforms under the scorching rays of the sun. A few yards away, two women quibble over two pieces of iced fish. At a motor park overlooking the railway line, bus conductors shout their destination to the hearing of passers-by who seem disinterested in the noise around them. It seems unbelievable that creative works which grace shrines, homes across the country nay the world are actually produced in this raucous area.
Meanwhile, Adebanbo Osuntomi is at work in front of his home which doubles as his workshop. He picks up a saw to cut a piece of wood into equal halves, but it appears the edge of the saw isn’t sharp enough. Hence, he is forced to expend another ounce of energy before it obeys his command. He sniffs hard at the piece he wants to work on, nods with approval, picks up a chisel and hammer, and begins to creatively carve out an image he alone can understand.
“The secret of the wood lies in the carver,” Adebanbo explains, while using the back of his hand to wipe off beads of sweat from his forehead. “It’s is not known to the ordinary eye. I can use a piece of wood as a base for the figure or I can decide to use it as the figure itself. I can use it as human shadow. I can turn it into anything, depending on what comes into my mind.”
True to his words, there are many things inside a lifeless log of wood which an ordinary person cannot see. This is why it becomes incredible that out of these logs, Adebanbo and his men fashion out beautiful images that have become the toast of many tourists within and outside the country.
What these men do not know as they work their bones sore this afternoon, is that their works are the subject of discussion in classrooms, art showrooms and museums, even in the home of art collectors the world over.
Adebanbo has produced works of art that protect the grooves in Osogbo and beyond from intrusion and decay. His works include well carved images of Soponna and Sango, the Yoruba god of thunder. They are strikingly eclectic images which cannot be ignored even by a non-believer. Adebanbo believes art cannot be disconnected from its religious functions because creativity is part of ritual life. Hence, the fusion of art and religion is at the core of his art and the singular purpose of his work is to protect the sacredness of nature. His works present a mixture of architecture and sculpture.
As far as Adebanbo is concerned, the best wood for his work is Ebony, although he uses Tick and Apia. “I use Apia for wood door that comes with images on them. I use Apia because it is durable,” he says. Although they get wood supplies from sellers at times, Adebanbo and his apprentice go to the woods in search of logs for their craft. The price depends on the size. It could be N5, 000 or N6, 000. As he explains, “We can make many images from a log of wood. It depends on the height and the size of the image that I want to carve.”
Wood carving is more than the artistry involved in the craft. The Yoruba are more apt to think of the art as an act of Oju’na in the Yoruba dialect, meaning “creative imagination.” They believe the creative imagination is executed with skill and an understanding of the subject, rather than seeing wood carving as an object. For them, artistry is the exploration and imaginative recreation of received ideas and forms, usually from the divine. It is a vital part of being, and creativity is associated with the divine. Therefore, the work of a wood carver is a blend of creativity and the divine, beauty and functionality.
For a practitioner of the trade like Stanley Osarenren, wood carving is a statement about humanity or some aspects of human life, besides which it is an intuition of truth about the natural world.
“For the designs, I don’t use pictures. I will call it a gift. We all have our specialties as carvers. As for me, I specialise in abstract works. For instance, I just finished working on two lovers abstract. There is another one named ‘figure’. This is the figure of a woman carrying a pot. It could also be that of a woman carrying a baby. This form of carving is realistic carving. It is human,” explains Osarenren. Hence, wood carving is a means of conveying an intuition about divinity. These artisans are simply using their craft as an expression of their inner beings.
Since Nigerian culture is intrinsically woven with African religion, carved images are a mediating factor for both religion and culture in Nigeria. The predominant rituals in creative works like wood carving become even clearer with the appreciation of the fact that both art and religion were considered twins of the same transcendental offshoot.
Thus, for faithful of the traditional religion, visible forms are but mirrors of the unutterable myth of earth and heaven reflecting on each other. If art expresses reality in images and religion expresses ultimate reality in symbols, then religious art expresses religious symbols in artistic images. Wood carving is therefore the meeting point for the finite and infinite, and the functionality of the craft occupies a significant place in this enterprise.
For most collectors, the meaning ascribed to carved images could provide paradigms for the consideration of their functions. Such images functions as a tool to maintain a concept of reality by giving form to the ideas or observations of not only the individual but the carvers themselves. These ideas or observations are translated into concrete forms by the carvers who at times are ignorant of the functionality of their craft.
“Wood carving is functional in many ways,” says Odia Ofeimun, poet and literary critic. It preserves and enhances a people’s culture for it serves as a method of record keeping and makes culture mobile. Historical records are embedded in forms of art, which serve as a means of preserving the people’s culture. Most times, they function as objects of worship.”
Another function of images carved from wood is the aesthetics. It brings beauty to the home. Often times, however, there is an overlap between these functions, hence art could entertain, express a people’s idea of reality and record their history all at once. What is implausible is for art to fail in performing at least one of the aforementioned functions at any given time or space.
“Wood carving is a form of visual art,” says Adropo Ewenla, a student of visual art at a state university. Works of art consist of two elements, the inner and the outer as well as two levels of knowledge, esoteric and exoteric. The esoteric knowledge level usually informs the inner element of art through knowledge, which is informed by the artist’s intended meaning for his work.”
Therefore, this could be a story that goes with the work of art, the content of which may consist of private or public concerns. This knowledge is accessible to a few people, the artist in this case. “The outer element of art gives expression to the inner element and manifests at the exoteric knowledge level, for it is accessible to all. It is expressed in aesthetic values and decorations. The outer element gives the images carved their visible and audible qualities. Both elements are significant and affect their performance or presentation,” Ewenla adds.
However, a new generation of artists is looking at other modern forms through which they can express themselves. Ubong Boniface is a carver at Mende Maryland in Lagos. He represents a new generation of carvers whose works have found expression in different forms of art. “I learnt wood work but nor carving,” he explains. “I do what I call ‘cut and paste’ technique. After I was tutored by my friend’s father, I became learned in the art. I realised that I can paint but I decided to go for sculptor. I find it the most expressive and it is more lucrative.”
In the meantime, Boniface is putting finishing touches to a piece he titled Back from Labour. His kind of art which he named “fibre glass” comes under sculpture. This is another more modern form that he uses to express his creativity. A 2 by 3 piece of Back from Labour, he says, could earn him N15, 000 or more depending on the status of the customer. “Before you do any art,” he advises, “you have to dream it. You have to finish everything inside your mind so that it will come out the way you want it.”
However, the aesthetics of carved images make it a marketable commodity, even though most carvers in Osogbo and Lagos are complaining bitterly about low turnover. “I don’t want to limit myself to the Nigerian market. I plan to export my products abroad, but it’s not been easy, I must say. Different economic policies have posed a serious challenge. But I hope one of my plans will materialise,” says Adebanbo with a spark of enthusiasm in his eyes.
But despite this challenge that carvers face, the place of wood carving remains unequalled for most collectors, as a result of its beauty and functionality.
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