Interview with a Yoruba Artist
In honor of the exhibition on Yoruba sculpture at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, reporters for Museum Kids were invited to the Museum talk to Bolaji Campbell, a Research Fellow in the Department of the Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas.
Here's what Mario and Elizabeth asked Bolaji:
Where do you get the ideas for your works of art?
In Yoruba culture, the women make paintings on sacred shrines to honor particular deities [gods], heroes, or heroines. [A shrine is a religious place where people come to pray or pay their respects to a god or ancestor.] These artists use what is called African primary colors--red, black, and white--and simple designs. Much of my inspiration comes from these shrine paintings. I also am inspired by textile [fabric] designs done by Yoruba women.
Tell us about your background.
That's a mouthful! I was brought up in Nigeria and went to elementary, high school, college, and graduate school there. I got my M.F.A. [an advanced degree] focusing on studio art and art-historical research, and then I began teaching.
Why did you become an artist?
As a little boy, after I did my homework, I wanted to play in the sand. I would take a few sticks and draw images in the sand. Art wasn't taught in elementary school then. Later, I remember an English literature teacher asking me what I wanted to be. She was shocked when I said an artist.
What brought you to the United States?
I was invited by the University of Tennessee at Knoxville to be an artist-in-residence and to teach African art.
Do you have any future art projects lined up?
I'd like to start a new series of paintings looking at Yoruba divinities. There are well over 401 gods and goddesses, so there is more than enough material!
What would you tell kids to keep in mind when they're looking at the Yoruba exhibition?
They should look out for human figures--especially women and children--as well as animals like dogs, elephants, birds, tortoises, snakes, and horses; and how they have been made use of creatively in the sculptures. They should also look for such basic shapes as triangles, squares, and circles.
Do you have any advice for kids who'd like to start working seriously on art projects?
- If you're serious about creating works of art, try to set aside time every day to practice your drawing and painting. You don't need a lot of time--maybe before you go out to play.
- Be yourself. Make pictures you really want to make.
Don't worry about the rules at first. For example, don't let someone tell you, "Oh, if you're drawing a cat, the tail has to be bigger than the eyes."
Be free.
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