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Brief Art Focussed Profile on Chima Ezeilo
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Chima is an Architect by training, a Housing Specialist by profession but an art Lover by desire. He has been keen on art since childhood, a natural artist himself, his claim to fame beginning with the portrait he painted when he was 13 years old of the then president of Nigeria, Alhaji Shehu Shagari. The president was so impressed by the portrait that he invited Chima and his father to State House, Lagos to officially present it. Since then Chima’s love for art has progressively grown. He loves the abstract expressive elements and has been inspired by the likes of Hans Hoffman, Jackson Pollock and Ashile Gorky. He is an admirer of Wassily Kandinsky and his Der Blaue Reiter movement. As an Architect he respects the Bauhaus Movement and its diverse depictions, inspired largely by Mies Van De Rohe. He likes certain cubist artists, especially Albert Gleizes and although not a general fan of Surrealism, he adores the work of Salvadore Dali. Inspired to a great deal by his mother, he has often visited galleries of the great renaissance artists like Titian and Giovanni Bellini. Though not a strong fan, he is enthralled by their detailed life representations with 'alive' expressions. His true love lies more for what he coins abstractism. Chima has held a solo exhibition in the Commonwealth institute, London and has been commissioned by clients to paint a number of pieces over the years. He admires the use of vibrant colours in African art, especially when emotive and graceful. He advocates that people love art they can “feel” and become emotionally in tune with, hence tactile and textured surface work is especially admired. Chima respects the extreme talent within art establishments in Africa and is keen to focus his efforts on promoting African artists. © Kambani Ltd 04 |
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Former Nigerian President Alhaji Shehu Shagari receiving the self portrait from Chima at State House, Ribadu Road, Lagos. The president then shared some words of encouragement with Chima. |
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