...The SaintsAwards Project...

This is why Martins opted for Architecture instead; we started together in year one at the Nsukka School of Arts, as a matter of fact, it was fate that drove me back to this experience as I had earlier opted for Law for no reason other than "the artworks" won't take you any step near a bright future.

The low-morale of the artist and his works, his environmental and financial position, the denial of the economy and a very slow progression into the mainstream of the society, all this put together and more unprintable absurd ideas why you're going to live poor if you pick the brush as a means of survival had discouraged some creative minds stocked with brilliant ideas on how to wake a dead elephant. I had one of the best art shows in my third year in the university and this singular feat draws me closer to the authority, a lot of people in the creams of the society I would not have had much access to as a 'would-have been lawyer' came to see what the young chap has to offer...because part of the highlight was something explorative you'll like to witness... I felt partly fulfilling!

But, Like Zubby's guardian had predicted, my roses almost waned in the four walls of the university, I found out after graduation, that the society was a very large world with little contact with the artist, it was very difficult to fit into the system...most artists earn very little and could hardly fit in into the mainstream... she said; what you have is aspiring young artist with some fantastic dreams but the art won't sale when you put it out in the society compared to other professions. so, a probable picture of a hungry artist not capable of solving his own problems is inevitable...This art won't sale was my simple conclusion!

It took me another 6 years of 'out of school' experience to prove this idea wrong. One of the best thing that could happen to any man is an experience of visual creativity, whether you're a medical doctor, engineer, or an IT whiz kid, whatsoever your profession, the fact is art is selling in different shapes. And from my personal discovery, the artist creates the wealth…of ideas, information and skills before anybody could invest on it.

Aesthetics won't sale if you think aesthetics...that's 60% or 75% of that 'Milk Maid' title oil on canvass art piece hunged in almost all the gallery dotted around this exclusive suburb of Lagos...what about functionality; how many art piece out there meet this criteria and what makes your art functional...
Art is all about philosophy, of the mind, body, the society, and its concomitant values. The essence of an artist is in his ability to fit into this divine order of creativity, bringing life into every objects of his imagination and putting that idea into service. Service is what distinct art from other professions.

God almighty is the chief artist, in his studio was a sculptor piece called Adam, but the lifeless effigy called Adam was a mere aesthetic object until God breathed into it...that was a service God gave to add life and zest to his own art piece, that same art piece called Adam is still alive today in me and you reproducing from artists to scientists, politicians, engineers and much more building a better world of hi-tech ideas although some might argue that the figure Adam was a functional object meant to beautify God's garden, the truth is, its original purpose wouldn't have sold out if God did not add life into it.

Then, how functional is a 'Functional art'? I am using a flat screen pc monitor, the size of a phone box by shape, this is a functional art...this is an object of creativity, but the fact is this piece is not one bit associated with our kind of art that is merely synonymous with poverty...The average society won't waste a second to put it clear...this is an IT innovation.

When our creativity and aestheticism is void of service it certainly won't sale... this is what some smart gallery in places like London has discovered so every year they bring together a group of artists to showcase their works and in the line you read words like "proceeds from this exhibition is going to so and so projects... artist and galleries come together to form a kind of support group to the systems that controls the society, ironically, the same society that has no place for artist.

How is this achieved? There is a gallery from London, Kambai arts, sort of an art organization, whom I have witnessed making good use of this idea of service to the immediate community and the society at large using art as a medium, it creates a platform where artist especially young and old artist from impoverished regions in Africa could come together and showcase their artworks which generate maximum exposure and remuneration for artists whilst creating cultural and educational awareness for participating individuals…by this means art is selling through kambani’s ideas... as a matter of fact I am yet to find out if the creator of Kambani arts is a visual artist or just one good collector. Because Martins my one time schoolmate did finished a 5-year course in architecture but he is in the studio painting right now to get some prominent place of note in the same society he was trying to please against his own creative conscience.

Artist both young and old especially from less privileged societies like ours should come together with creative ideas on how to serve and build a better society using art as a medium... as a group art will sale but as an individual you just have to keep knocking on some probably influential doors just to make a simple living.

Governments and other institutions sometimes might give a supporting hand to the arts to raise their status or the low incomes but their support is ineffective; Art is a creative thing, how creative has any of the government been? They only repeat what is written in a paper called 'Constitution' done by some group of possibly dead people.

In order to boost sale of our artworks and give some of our artist a rare of hope we certainly must imbibe a giving and sacrificial attitude as a matter of duty…we will definitely make more sales instead of creating a personal wealth our art will be a means of service through which we generate monies both for us and our patronage.