Africa’s foremost financial institution, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, has
partnered the British Council, the UK’s international organisation for
cultural relations and educational opportunities, to sponsor the
installation of the Wind Sculpture VI by renowned British-Nigerian artist,
Yinka Shonibare MBE in Ndubuisi Kanu Park, Ikeja, Lagos.
The installation of the Wind Sculpture VI will be the first time that
Shonibare’s work has gone on public display in Nigeria. The fibreglass
artwork, six metres high by three metres wide, forms part of a series of
important large-scale works that marked a new departure for Yinka
Shonibare by working in fibre-glass and steel. Using these materials,
Shonibare investigates the shifting movement of wind passing through
fabricand through these grand sculptures, he encapsulates the sheer volume
of wind three-dimensionally with exquisite dynamism. As part of the
unveiling of the sculpture, Shonibare will give a talk to students and
attend a screening of his work at the site of the installation.
Yinka Shonibare is a Nigerian-British artist renowned for his exploration
of the issues of race and class through the media of painting, sculpture,
photography and film. His trademark material is the brightly coloured
‘African’ batik fabric and one of his most famous works is ‘Nelson’s Ship
in a Bottle,’ which, in May 2010, was unveiled on the Fourth Plinth in
Trafalgar Square, London with the support of GTBank. In 2013, the Bank
also supported Yinka’s Wind Sculpture “FABRIC–ATION,” one of hislargest
and most comprehensive exhibitions.
The Bank’s support for the installation of the Wind Sculpture VIis the
latest of its sustained efforts to promote African and Africa-inspired
arts locally and internationally. It closely follows the Bank’s launch, in
September, of ART635, a foremost online repository of African artworks and
the leading platform for the promotion of indigenous artists across the
continent. Arts is one of the four pillars of GTBank’s Corporate Social
Responsibility policy and the Bank’s support for Arts over the years
ranges from collecting art work from Nigerian artists, to partnering
institutions to promote the value of African Art in Africa and the
international markets through project-lead initiatives.
Commenting on the Bank’s unveiling of the Wind Sculpture VI, Mr Segun
Agbaje, the Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank plc, said; “With its
bright colours of traditional African fabrics, Yinka’s Wind Sculpture VI
reflects the creativity of an artist who is incredibly proud of his
African heritage. As a proudly African and Truly International Bank and an
ardent supporter of Art, we are delighted to co-sponsor the exhibition of
this magnificent work of Art and we hope it will intrigue and inspire
everyone who views it.”
GTBank has consistently played a leading role in Africa’s banking
industry. The Bank is regarded by industry watchers as one of the best run
financial institutions across its subsidiary countries and serves as a
role model within the financial service industry due to its bias for world
class corporate governance standards, excellent service quality and
innovation.