Nigerian-American ceramic sculptor, Femi Olajire Akande, is one of the few visual artists of Nigeria extraction making waves in Houston, Texas, United States of America (USA).
To him, art can play a crucial role in promoting peace and reconciliation in the conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, Ethiopia, and Syria. This can be done in a number of ways: conflict resolution through art, develop art-based programmes to teach conflict resolution skills and promote peaceful communication.
Akande is advocating that visual arts should be applied to achieve the same purpose in the Ukraine-Russian crisis.”Artistic expressions of reconciliation would encourage and facilitate reconciliation by promoting forgiveness, understanding and mutual respect message. Peaceful imagery – display peaceful images and artwork in public spaces to promote a culture of peace would also suffice.”
He said: “We can also adopt warriors to artists approach whereby we provide art training and resources to former combatants, helping them transition from warriors to artists. This is in addition to the use of art therapy for refugees through offering art therapy sessions to them and helping them process trauma in order to cope with displacement and emotional scars of war.
“Art education for peace is equally good. At this point, we can integrate peace education into art curricular by teaching children the value of peace and conflict resolution in these counties, as well as the organisation of concerts and music festivals that bring together artists from conflicting countries to promote unity and peace.
“We also have Art for social change which encourages artists to create works that address social and political issues, inspiring change and promoting peace, such as peace murals – create large-scale murals in public spaces, depicting messages of peace and unity and community mosaics that represent the diverse perspectives and experiences of these war-torn countries and community members thusly promoting unity and peace.
“Digital art for peace utilise digital art platforms to create and share art that promotes peace thereby reaching a global audience. Art has the power to inspire, heal, unite, promote peace and reconciliation in the conflicts between countries of the world by harnessing its potential such that we can work towards a more peaceful, harmonious and prosperous world.”
Providing historical background to his art for peace building initiative, Akande said. “In recent times, my research focused on the visual serenity of peace, exploring the ways in which art and imagery can convey narratives on the dimensions of peace.
“I’m talking about peace in the context of artworks that promote a sense of balance and well-being, physical, mental-inner calm and serenity, harmony and understanding, state of mental respect, cooperation between individual groups and communities; absence of conflict or violence -where there is no war and fighting; justice and equity – where everyone has equal rights and opportunity; and emotional well-being – where one feels content and fulfilled.
“Through my art advocacy, I aim to tap into the transformative power of art to inspire dialogue, foster empathy and a future where peace and social justice reign. My art explores the intersection of form and meaning, crafting functional educative and aesthetically striking pieces that prompt philosophical reflections on the human experience, and our pursuit of peace.”
On some of his series that border on his peace building initiative, the artist disclosed. “I lend my voice to the international outcry for peace by joining the United States, G7 Nations and peace organisations in urging a peaceful and diplomatic solution to the Ukraine and Russia crisis.”
Arise Oh Compatriots is a phrase that is derived from the former national anthem of Nigeria. The phrase is a call to action. It urges citizens (Compatriots) to rise up and respond to the need of their country. In broader sense, the phrase can be used to inspire and motivate people to take action, stand up for what is right, and fight for their rights and right of others. It also encourages people to come together and work towards a common goal or purpose. In the context of these series of artworks, the phrase is used as responding to the clarion call to seek peace.
“The art exhibit is a special expression through the use of a medium to speed up the anticipated peace in Ukraine. It’s a non-violent visual art created for conflict resolution to promote peace in the warring zones in Ukraine. The artworks were created when the war in Ukraine was escalating with threat from Russia to use devastating nuclear weapons. The war that was supposedly to end in few weeks is almost getting to two years.
“It is in my view that only peaceful resolutions could end the war rather than supplying ammunitions to kill and destroy children, women and the Innocents. The aged are dying every day, destructions of properties is on the higher side, farmers could no longer farm, there seems to be shortage of food in the area,” he lamented
In Arise Oh Compatriots 111, which he titles, Ambassador of Peace, he explains that the work “is metaphorically personified using squirrel symbolism as human representative of nations or world leaders to be led by America. The motion squirrels along the glazed broken wood signify the response from the world leaders while the American flag at the apex of the glazed broken wood represent the supposed America to lead the rest of the world leaders as ambassadors to mitigate the conflict.
“Within this context of artistic symbolism, the Squirrels are conceptualise as ambassadors of peace who are on the move to broker peace between the warring countries. The installation art offers unique philosophy of personification of men on the move to mediate or dialogue in the warring zone. A squirrel was adopted because creatures are symbol of either good or evil in Ifa divination – Ese Ifa. Within the context of artistic creation, the Squirrels represent good ambassador assigned to broker peace between Ukraine and Russia.
The painting Arise Oh Compatriots 1V, whose message was delivered with the representation of squirrel imagery with inscription ‘Peace Now’, on the body, have at the background of the painting, visual translation in the texts atrocities and effects of the war – deaths, sufferings, horror, hunger and destruction of properties going on at the war zone.
“The background of the painting also embodies names and symbolic colours to identify the two warring counties – Russia and Ukraine. Though subtle, the painting could spur other individuals to actively participate in calling for mitigation in Ukraine-Russian conflict,” he says in his artist’s statement.
