By Innocent Anaba
Former Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, SAN, has called for a comprehensive review of laws governing intellectual property rights to improve and protect the creative works of artists.
The former Lagos State governor made the call at the solo art exhibition of Grace Olamide Etigwe-Uwa in Lagos, which served as a gathering point for art lovers, critics, and artists.
He said: “This is a time when the human civilization is rewarding talent like no other time in the history of the human race. And thus the best is yet to come.
“What we need to do as a people is to help find those talents, help nurture them and provide the environment in which they can prosper. As you will see, this is the foyer of a hotel that has been converted for the purpose of these exhibitions. So, we need, perhaps by way of development, more exhibition centres now to allow talent to develop.
“We need to consult with those who are specialized in these works, like the curators, to advise us. Our architects, for example, and those in the building industry need to pay attention now. Our sporting arena, performance arena need to have all of these multi-purpose capacities integrated in them, so that they serve more than one purpose.
“And of course, we need a revision of laws to protect what these people create. It’s God-given talent and we need to give it its full value by putting the force of law behind it,” he added.
The artist, Grace Olanma Etigwe-Uwa, on what inspired her, said: “The title of the exhibition is Lost in a World of Light and it focuces on the theme creativity. Sometimes, you are lost in the vision and you can’t see. With this exhibition, I want people to feel what I felt while taking the pictures, I want people to feel the kind of journey I went through. I want people to feel it. I want people to research it, I want people to reflect on it when they view my works.
“To all those who have helped me find my voice as a photographer, to my mentors, my family, the curatorial team, friends, thank you all for your endless encouragement and for your honest feedback.”
On his part, her father, Mr Etigwe Uwa, SAN, said: “Her work is very encouraging. She tells people that through her work, that even if things are not very well, even if there isn’t light, physical light, you can still be happy, you can still feel fulfilled.
“And that you can have a lot of light in the form of prosperity, in the form of all the good things of this world, and you will still be unhappy. That’s why you can be lost in the world of light, in spite of the fact that you have everything around you. But then you can have people who have nothing at all, like some of the pictures we’ve seen in Makoko.
“You see the wonderful and endearing smiles of those people. And you realise that there is some inner light that radiates from within. And so, that’s the theme of what she’s doing.
“And apart from appreciating the work of art, her work is also something that encourages people. And that makes me very happy. It makes me very proud,” he added.
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