Felix Eboigbe
Fine Art African Sculpture Felix Eboigbe was born the eldest son of a Benin tribal chief in Nigeria, West Africa. Today he is a Nigerian-American sculptor whose works are exhibited throughout America, Europe and Africa. But for Eboigbe, his dream of becoming an artist was not easily achieved. Eboigbe's family expected their eldest son to either become a doctor or an engineer, but the Princess Day Catholic School that young Eboigbe attended changed those plans. While at the school library, he saw photographs of marble and wood sculpture that had a striking effect upon him. The sculpture in those photographs brought the realization to Eboigbe that, more than anything, he too wanted to "create art with his own hands." At the age of 16, and against the wishes of his parents, Eboigbe left college after three months and went to Lagos, Nigeria, to serve as an apprentice to the famous Nigerian sculptor, Ben Aye. The usual apprenticeships last five years in African cultures, but Felix was so gifted with natural artistic skill, and learned so quickly, he completed his training within three years. In 1967, Eboigbe opened his first art studio on Lagos, and soon he was invited by the Lagos University Art Department to teach all modes of sculpture in wood and marble. His "work had gained a voice of its own and began to sell." During the first three years, he sold $18,000 worth of wood sculpture. The proximity of the foreign embassies located in Lagos attracted business and a great deal of interest in Eboigbe and his unique art. At the same time, Eboigbe began drawing critical acclaim from America and European countries. Through the efforts of the Ford Foundation, the United States Information Agency and the American Embassy, Eboigbe was invited to come to America as a teacher and resident sculptor. Of the many major universities that invited him to sculpt and teach on their campuses, Eboigbe selected Indiana University at Bloomington, Indiana. In 1970, already known as one of the best sculptors in Nigeria, Eboigbe came to Indiana University as an Artist-in-Residence, sponsored by the Indiana University Foundation, the department of Afro-American Affairs, and was to come to the country where so much of his art was exhibited and sold. Eboigbe's preferred medium is wood, "it is alive, almost a piece of sculpture already," he believes. Eboigbe sculpts mostly in walnut, cherry, ebony and sometimes in Indiana cedar. Though skilled in marble and ivory sculpture, he favors the beauty and texture of wood grains. Schubert Jones, art critic, says of Eboigbe's art, "…Some of the finest wood sculptures I have seen… He handles abstraction and representational work with equal facility and all his work has a mystique that is purely a personal trademark. The command of his material is most impressive...(his work) has a power and straight-forwardness which one equates with artists who know exactly what they want to do." (January 17, 1979) Eboigbe's sculpture is conceived in two styles, either abstract or realistic sculpture depicting characters from the Benin tribal history. He may spend from two weeks up to two years on any single piece depending on the difficulty of the subject. Eboigbe does not sketch before beginning to sculpt. He looks at the wood, the pattern of its grain, and gets a "feeling" from the piece, whether it might have a traditional African or an abstract character. Often the subject of the piece will be obvious, such as when "there is an African girl dancing right out of an 8-foot piece of wood." Since coming to the United States, Eboigbe sculpts in American Walnut more often than the Black and King Ebony he used in Nigeria. Another difference in his work since he left Nigeria is the size of many of his sculptures. Here in America, Eboigbe has found that he sculpts larger, more imposing figures, as if in response to the largeness of American trees and architecture, unlike those found in his own country. Some of the pieces he has created in America stand 7 to 9 feet tall and weigh up to 450 pounds. When Eboigbe begins to sculpt, he uses his own hand-made ebony mallets to shape the wood. The only other tools he uses are chisels and an axe. He uses hand tools to record each minute detail of traditional African physical features or dress, creating an original work of art. For abstract pieces, he creates mainly female figures, or animals. The abstracts are characterized by a clear celebration of shape. The realistic traditional sculptures, usually warriors, women and chiefs, show rigid control of line movement. In his traditional style of sculpture, Eboigbe believes detail is important, not only artistically, but historically as well. Because African tribes have no written history, events and customs of cultural significance were passed to each generation through language and epic stories. Many of Eboigbe's sculptures are physical translations of Benin legends told to him by his grandfather. He believes that with his art, he can help to record and preserve, in a unique and beautiful form, the cultural, religious, and tribal history of Benin for future generations. Visitors to Eboigbe's exhibitions often note the spiritual impression created by many of his pieces. The traditional realistic sculptures possess a quality of emotion whether it be the somber rigid pride of an elaborately costumed Benin King. Or the lithe, sensual motion suggested by a barefooted dancing girl. Regarding this spiritual quality, Eboigbe explains that his work embodies the essence of Africa, the country and its people, from which he captures moments and moods preserving them forever in his sculpture. Currently, Felix Eboigbe, whose name means "happy and innocent," has his sculpture displayed in public and private collections throughout Europe, America, and Africa, in small towns, major universities and metropolitan museums. He has exhibited his work twice at the United Nations plaza in New York City, and has been recognized for outstanding achievements in the field of art by the publication International Who's Who in Art and Antiques and Nigerian Artists: A Who's Who and Bibliography. Collectors of Eboigbe's work include Bill Cosby, David Brubeck, the Governor of the State of Ohio, and some major corporations like Texaco and Cincinnati Bell (1995). Eboigbe has brought his art to students of all ages in lecture/demonstrations presented all across the United States. As he was taught by Ben Aye, Eboigbe believes that "…you have to let a student be free to create his own art, then guide him." This pilosophy of teaching has proven so successful, enrollment in Eboigbe's Indiana University classes had to be limited, with many students being turned away each semester because of demand for the course. Felix Eboigbe's sculpture was first presented in the United States at the Indiana University museum in 1970. His first one-man exhibit was at the Matrix Gallery, Indiana University in 1971. Subsequent one-man shows include St. Louis, Missouri, 1971; Cleo Rogers Memorial County Library, Columbus, Indiana, 1971; North Shore Art League, North Shore, Illinois, 1972; Claflin College, Orangeburg, South Carolina, 1972; Franklin College, Franklin, Indiana, 1973; Thor Gallery Louisville, Kentucky, 1973; South Bend Art Center, South Bend, Indiana, 1974; The Commons Art Center, Columbus, Indiana, 1974; Florida International University, Miami, Florida, 1975; Arts Exclusive Inc., Watch Hill, Rhode Island; Vincennes University, Vincinnes, Indiana, 1976; Oak Park River Forest School, Oak Park, 1976; Deligny Galleries, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 1976; Boone Grove School, Boone Grove, Indiana, 1977; First National Bank, Elkhart, Indiana, 1977; Afro-American Arts Institute, Bloomington, Indiana, 1977; The African American Institute, United Nations Plaza, NY, NY, 1977-1978; Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition, Washington D.C., 1978; Jasper Art Center, Jasper, Indiana, 1978; Wise Middle School Art Gallery, Wise, Virginia, 1978; The Space Gallery, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 1978; The Indianapolis Childrens' Art Museum, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1979; Art Gallery of Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, 1979; Matrix Gallery, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, 1980; University of Houston, Houston, Texas, 1981; Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, 1982; Western Inn, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1982; Graphic Glass Gallery, Bloomington, Indiana, 1982; Art Link Gallery, Fory Wayne, Indiana, 1982; Tangeman Fine Arts Gallery, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1984; Fine Arts Center, Highland Park, Illinois, 1984; Purdue Union Gallery, West Lafayette, Indiana, 1984; Hiesland Fine Arts Gallery, Miami, Ohio, 1985; The Loft, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1986; The Atrium, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1986; "Felix Eboigbe: Contemporary African Sculpture," Lexington, KY, 1988; Gardner Student Center, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio, 1989; Cincinnati Museum of Natural History, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1990; National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center, Wilberforce, Ohio, 1992; Purdue Union Gallery, Purdue, Indiana, 1993; Kathy McCoy Design Services, Inc., Batavia, Ohio, 1994; Madison House, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1994; Alzheimer's Association Fund Raiser Dinner, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1996. Eboigbe's wood sculpture has been featured in multiple-artist exhibitions that include the following: Wooster College Exhibition, Wooster, Ohio; National Wood Carver's Association Exhibition, Columbus, Indiana; Black Fine Arts Festival, Illinois State University, Bloomington, Illinois; Art Education Association of Indiana, French Lick, Indiana; South Side Community Art Center, Chicago, Illinois; National Black Expo' 1972, San Francisco, California; Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, Indiana; Arts Exclusive Gallery, Simsbury, Connecticut; Jacques Baruch Gallery, Chicago, Illinois; Matrix Gallery, Bloomington, Indiana; Bloomington Area Arts Council, Bloomington, Indiana; Three Blind Mice Gallery, Bluffton, Indiana; Indiana Artists-in-Residence Exhibition, South Bend, Indiana; Festival of the Arts, Southern Vermont Arts Center, Manchester, Vermont; American Cancer Society Creativity Close-up, Indianapolis, Indiana; Deligny Galleries, Fort Lauderdale, Florida; United Nations Plaza, New York, New York; Cincinnati Home and Garden Show '85, Cincinnati, Ohio; Cincinnati Arts Consortium, Cincinnati, Ohio; "Africa: An Exhibition," Central State University, Wilberforce, Ohio, 1988; Midwest Sculpture Invitational, Midwest Museum of Art, Elkhart, Indiana, 1988; Miami Valley Arts Council, Miami, Florida, 1990; Ameriflora's Seeds of Change Exhibit, Ohio, 1992. Tour exhibitions include a tour of New York state museums and a tour of Ohio with the Ohio Arts Council's Minority Arts Program. Eboigbe has lectured and exhibited in Denmark, Canada, Switzerland and in grade schools, high schools, and colleges throughout many states. He has presented lecture/demonstrations at: North Shore Art League, Winnetka, Illinois; The Children's Museum, Indianapolis, Indiana; University of Houston's Continuing Education Center, Houston, Texas; Simdim Galleries, New York City; Boone Grove School, Boone Grove, Indiana; Black Fine Arts Festival, Illinois State University, Bloomington, Illinois; Matrix Gallery, Bloominton, Indiana; New York City Metropolitan Museum of Art; Rockefeller Museum. In the capacity of Artistic Advisor, Eboigbe has served the Sabo Museum, Chicago, Illinois; The Museum of Connecticut, Harford, Connecticut; Eli Lilly Museum, Indanapolis, Indiana; The Children's Museum, Indianapolis, Indiana; Indianapolis Museum of Fine Art, Indianapolis, Indiana; Museum of Nigeria, Logos, Nigeria. Among his many honorary and monetary artistic awards, Eboigbe has been honored by America, Nigeria and the United Nations for his unique African Sculpture. He has appeared on "Good Morning America," and has been interviewed on " Voice of America," NBC television stations in Lagos, Nigeria; Indianapolis, Indiana (WISH-TV, WRTV-TV, WTHR-TV); Bloomington, Indiana (WTTV-TV); Louisville, Kentucky (WHAS-TV); and Miami, Florida (WPLG-TV, WTVJ-TV). Eboigbe's affiliations include memberships in National Wood Carver's Association, National Black Artists' Union, and Southern Vermont Artists' Association, Inc. Perhaps the most extraordinary aspect of Eboigbe's artwork is that each piece is absolutely unique, a one-of-a-kind, never to be duplicated. To own this rare form of art is truly an exclusive privilege. The recipient of Ohio's first gifted and talented sponsored by Ohio's Board of Regents, Artists and Scholars Fellowship Program, he currently resides in Cincinnati, where he has lived since October of 1983. |