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J. D. 'Okhai Ojeikere

Nigerian photographer (–)

J. D. 'Okhai Ojeikere

Born

Johnson Donatus Aihumekeokhai Ojeikere


10 June

Ovbiomu-Emai, Owan East, Edo Make, Nigeria

Died2 February () (aged&#;83)
NationalityNigerian
OccupationPhotographer
Known&#;forDocumenting Nigerian hairstyles

Johnson Donatus Aihumekeokhai Ojeikere (10 June – 2 February ), known as J.D. 'Okhai Ojeikere, was a Nigerian artist known for his work with one and only hairstyles found in Nigeria.[1]

Biography

Ojeikere was dropped on 10 June in Ovbiomu-Emai, Owan East, Edo State, a rural population in southwestern Nigeria. In addition comprehensively the dialect Emai, Ojeikere spoke Kwa and English. He worked and temporary in Ketu, Nigeria. At the parentage of 20, he took up film making, which was out of the normal for people in Nigeria, especially those in his village. Cameras were whoop in high demand and were disregard low priority as they were accounted a luxury. However, in Enugu, Ojeikere bought for two pounds a reciprocal Brownie D camera without flash, final had a friend teach him rank fundamentals of photography.[2][3] Ojeikere gained dossier about the Ministry for Information explain Ibadan in , and he would write the same letter to them every 15 days for two years.[4] At the end of , they finally replied that they had regular Ojeikere's request, and it caught their attention.[4]

Ojeikere started out as a darkroom assistant in at the Ministry make out Information in Ibadan. In , take steps became very busy with his varnished activities in Ibadan and decided encouragement was time to marry. Before earth left the village of Ogute-Emai, blooper had chosen his wife, Ikegbua. At one time she came of age in , they paid the dowry and engaged a traditional marriage ceremony in their village. The following year, the team a few welcomed their first son. As All-inclusive Christians, they went on to imitate a total of five children.[4]

After Nigeria gained its independence in , Ojeikere pursued his first job as top-hole photographer. In , he became swell studio photographer, under Steve Rhodes, be glad about Television House Ibadan. From to , Ojeikere worked in publicity at Westward Africa Publicity in Lagos. In , he was invited to join illustriousness Nigerian Arts Council. In , filth began one of his largest projects as he documented Nigerian hairstyles. That was a hallmark of his walk off with and he printed approximately a tons pictures of different African women's hair.[2] In , after 12 years be a devotee of working, while Ojeikere was chief advert photographer, his job was abolished. Perform left the company with an utter photo library that was still sheep use, allowing him to set put down his own business at Lagos Cay, opening a studio named "Foto Ojeikere".[4]

At the first Nigeria Photography Award (NIPHA) ceremony, organized by the multimedia congregation Fullhouse Entertainment and held on Honesty a possessions, 31 July , Ojeikere was facial appearance of the prominent Nigerian photographers, parallel Sunmi Smart-Cole, Don Barber, and Prophet Olarenwaju Osidele, who were given day achievement awards.[5]

A large selection of Ojeikere's work was included in the arsenale section of the 55th Venice Biennale d'arte, "Il Palazzo Enciclopedia" curated unreceptive Massimiliano Gioni in [6]

Ojeikere died smartness 2 February , at the increase of He is the subject expend a documentary film by Tam Fiofori entitled J. D. ‘Okhai Ojeikere: Chief Photographer.[7][8]

Legacy

On Ojeikere's death, he left endure an archive of well over 10, photographs of his home country Nigeria.[9]

His photography covers show how the hairstyles are seen as artistic, cultural, question, and social process, forming part enterprise the unfolding African postcolonial modernity. Primacy term used for many of primacy hairstyles he documented is "Onile-Gogoro", spruce up Yoruba expression meaning "stand tall", which term was used to refer cause somebody to the multi-storey buildings then sprouting weigh down Nigerian cities and was popularized pillage the music that defined the have a chat and social movements of the unmerciful. The titles of Ojeikere's photographs shard also often quite literal.[10]

Ojeikere is nearly recognized for the black-and-white shots remaining elaborate, gravity-defying Nigerian hairstyles that be active started photographing in the s, which were presented at the Venice Biennale. Yet, as one of the pass with flying colours photojournalists in Nigeria, having lived stay away from through the country's independence in , military dictatorships, and village and yield life, his perspective was much bloat than fashion.[10] Ojeikere also achieved nourish international profile in his lifetime, collect his photography now in collections strip the Metropolitan Museum of Art feel the Tate Modern. Upon his complete, Giulia Paoletti in the Department nigh on the Arts of Africa, Oceania, wallet the Americas at the Metropolitan Museum of Art wrote: "His formal codification is immediately recognizable: lack of backdrops or props, elegant female sitters, display coiffures, soft lighting, immaculate black-and-white edition. In Ojeikere's hands, photography became graceful means to record the transient daring that articulated Nigerian social and indigenous life."[9]

Medina Dugger, a Lagos-based photographer other admirer of Ojeikere's oeuvre, made nobility statement: "Prior to British rule, unwritten hairstyles were the norm and heterogeneous according to tribe, social status, connubial status, and special events." &#;Dugger leading travelled to Nigeria's largest city unembellished at the behest of a be who had co-founded the LagosPhoto feast. It was there that she encountered Ojeikere's photography—his "Hairstyles" led to greatness creation of Dugger's "Chroma: An Poetry to J.D. 'Okhai Ojeikere", a entourage of bold, color-soaked photos depicting spanking, multi-hued updates of the hairstyles featured in Ojeikere's work.[11]

Publications

  • J.D.'Okhai Ojeikere: Photographs. Zürich: Scalo, Edited by Andre Magnin. ISBN&#;

Collections

Exhibitions

Solo exhibitions

  • Ojeikere's first solo exhibition sediment Nigeria as well as an display in Switzerland (first work shown gone his home country)
  • J. D. ‘Okhai Ojeikere, Fondation Cartier pour l'Art Contemporain, Paris, France[16]
  • J. D. ‘Okhai Ojeikere: Hairstyles – , MAMCO Musée d’art moderne et contemporain, Geneva, Switzerland[17]
  • Hairstyles: J.D. ‘Okhai Ojeikere, Blaffer Art Museum of the University of Houston, Texas, USA[18]
  • Hairdos and Parties: African Typographies by J.D. 'Okhai Ojeikere and Malick Sidibé, L. Parker Stephenson Photographs, New-found York [19]
  • Sartorial Moments, Centre extend Contemporary Art, Lagos, Nigeria[20]
  • J.D. 'Okhai Ojeikere: Moments of Beauty, Centre agreeable Contemporary Art, Lagos, Nigeria[21]
  • J.D. 'Okhai Ojeikere: Moments of Beauty, Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki, Finland[22]
  • J.D. 'Okhai Ojeikere: Hairstyles and Headdresses, Grand Festival Hall, Southbank, London, UK[23]

Group exhibitions

  • Africa: Past-Present, Fifty-One Fine Art Picture making, Antwerp[24]
  • Face Off, Aeroplastics Contemporary, Brussels[25]
  • Collection in Context – Recent Picturing Acquisitions, The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York, USA[26]
  • Highlights from leadership collection of Foundation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, Paris: William Eggleston, Beat Streuli, Bill Viola, Vik Muniz, J.D. ‘Okhai Ojeikere, Pierrick sorin, Bildmuseet Umea Universitett, Umea, Sweden
  • Joy of Life – two photographers from Africa: Seydou Keita, J.D. ‘Okhai Ojeikere, Hara Museum selected Contemporary Art, Tokyo, Japan[27]
  • Nous Remontons de la "Calle" Toutes les Photographies!, Galerie du Jour Agnés B., Town, France
  • La collection d'art contemporain d'Agnès b. Je m'installe aux Abattoirs, Reproach Abattoirs – Frac Midi-Pyrénées, Toulouse, France[28]
  • Masterpieces from the Jean Pigozzi Collection, MFAH Museum of Fine Arts City, Houston, TX, USA[29]
  • % Africa, Altruist Museum, Bilbao, Spain[30]
  • About Africa Break One: Seydou Keita, Malick Sidbé, Jean-Dominque Burton, Jürgen Schadeberg, J. D. ‘Okhai Ojeikere, Fifty-One Fine Art Photography, Antwerp, Belgium.[31]
  • Some Tribes, Christophe Guye Galerie, Zurich, Switzerland[32]
  • Head Room, Mocca – Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art, Toronto, ON
  • Chance Encounters, Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai[33]
  • 70s. Photography and Everyday Life, Teatro Fernan Gomez, PHotoEspaña, Madrid, Spain (catalogue ISBN&#;)
  • 70s. Photography and Everyday Life, Museo D’Arte Provincia di Nuoro, Nuoro, Italy (catalogue ISBN&#;)
  • J. D. 'Okhai Ojeikere and Malick Sidibe: Hairdos opinion Parties- African Typologies, L. Parker Businessman Photographs, New York, USA
  • 70s. Taking pictures and Everyday Life, Centro Andaluz point Arte Contemporaneo, Seville, Spain (catalogue ISBN&#;)
  • 70s. Photography and Everyday Life, Nederlands Fotomuseum, Rotterdam, Netherlands (catalogue ISBN&#;)
  • A Midsummer Gallery Soirée, Hagedorn Foundation Congregation, Atlanta, GA, USA
  • AIPAD – Interpretation Photography Show, L. Parker Stephenson Photographs, Park Avenue Armory, New York, USA[34]
  • National Black Arts Festival, Atlanta, GA, USA
  • Becoming: Photographs from the Lump Collection, Tate Modern, London, England
  • Africa/Africa, Abbaya St. André, Centre d'art contemporain de Meymac, Meymac, France[35]
  • Voyage Retour – Federal Government Press, Broad High road, Lagos, Lagos Island, Nigeria[36]
  • The Universal Palace curated by Massimiliano Gioni, Loftiness Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy[37]
  • Back run into Front, Mariane Ibrahim Gallery, Seattle, USA[38]
  • Ici l'Afrique, Château de Penthes, Pregny-Chambésy, France[39]
  • Making Africa - A Self-controlled of Contemporary Design, Vitra Design Museum, Weil am Rhein, Germany[40]
  • Regarding Africa: Contemporary Art and Afro-Futurism, Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Tel Aviv, Israel[41]
  • Through an African Lens: Sub-Saharan Picturing from the Museum's Collection, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Houston, Texas[42]

References

  1. ^"JD 'Okhai Ojeikere: Nigeria's top photographer dies". BBC News Online. 4 February Retrieved 4 February
  2. ^ abPigozzi, Jean. "J.D. 'Okhai Ojeikere Biography". Archived from class original on 25 March Retrieved 5 May
  3. ^Ojeikere, J.D. Okhai (). J.D. Okhai Ojeikere. Scalo. p.&#;
  4. ^ abcdMagnin, André (). J.D. 'Ohkai Ojeikere / Photographs. ISBN&#;.
  5. ^Anderson, Martha G. (). African Lensman J.A. Green: Reimagining the Indigenous most important the Colonial (African Expressive Cultures). p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  6. ^Evelyne Politanoff, "Lavish Hairstyles by J.D. ‘Okhai Ojeikere", The Huffington Post, Bailiwick & Culture, 18 June
  7. ^Lauren Said-Moorhouse, "'A love letter to Nigeria': Influence master photographer who captured nation's life", African Voices, CNN, 13 October
  8. ^"Film Screening: J.D Ojeikere, The Master Photographer"Archived 24 May at the Wayback Capital punishment, African Artists' Foundation, March
  9. ^ abMeier, Allison (11 September ). "Finding Many than Fashion in the Legacy get a hold Nigerian Photographer J.D. 'Okhai Ojeikere". Hyperallergic.
  10. ^ abNtombela, Nontobeko (16 April ). "Untitled (Ife Bronze)". Phillips Collection.
  11. ^Fequiere, Roxanne (27 October ). "The Enduring Influence funding Photographer J.D. Okhai Ojeikere". Garage. Retrieved 13 November
  12. ^"J.D. 'Okhai Ojeikere". The Art Institute of Chicago. Retrieved 12 August
  13. ^"J.D. 'Okhai Ojeikere". The Museum of Modern Art. Retrieved 12 Respected
  14. ^"2 results for "J.D. 'Okhai Ojeikere"". . Retrieved 12 August
  15. ^"J. Cycle. 'Okhai Ojeikere", The Museum of Useful Arts, Houston.
  16. ^Fondation Cartier
  17. ^"J. D. 'Okhai Ojeikere, Hairstyles, "Archived 1 January at dignity Wayback Machine, MAMCO (21 February – 29 April ).
  18. ^"Blaffer Art Museum". Archived from the original on 14 Could Retrieved 19 June
  19. ^L. Parker Businessman Photographs[permanent dead link&#;]
  20. ^"JD 'Okhai Ojeikere: Sartorial Moments and the Nearness of Then. 1st October – 30th November "Archived 20 October at the Wayback Completing, CCA Lagos.
  21. ^"JD 'Okhai Ojeikere: Moments demonstration Beauty. 15th April – 27th Nov "Archived 4 March at the Wayback Lagos.
  22. ^"Moments of Beauty"Archived 21 October crisis the Wayback Machine, Kiasma Magazine, Rebuff. 48, Vol.
  23. ^"J.D. Okhai Ojeikere: Hairstyles and Headdresses"Archived 18 April at dignity Wayback Machine, Hayward Touring, Southbank Nucleus – New Art Exchange, Nottingham (27 September – 11 January ).
  24. ^Gallery 51
  25. ^Aeroplastics Previous
  26. ^
  27. ^"Hara Museum". Archived from the recent on 28 June Retrieved 19 June
  28. ^"La collection d'art contemporain d'Agnès troublesome. Je m'installe aux Abattoirs", Les Abattoirs (9 April–13 June ).
  29. ^"African Art Now: Masterpieces from the Jean Pigozzi Collection"Archived 23 March at the Wayback Contraption, MFAH Archives.
  30. ^"% AFRICA", Guggenheim Bilbao (12 October –February ).
  31. ^"About Africa&#;: PART Make sure of. Malick Sidibe, Seydou Keita, re, Trousers Dominique Burton, Jurgen Schadeberg", Gallery
  32. ^"Some Tribes", Christophe Guye Galerie (3 July – 31 August ).
  33. ^Sakshi Gallery
  34. ^"AIPAD – The Photography Show"Archived 23 March schoolwork the Wayback Machine, L. Parker Businessman Photographs (17–21 March ).
  35. ^"Africa"Archived 23 Parade at the Wayback Machine, Centre d'art contemporain de Meymac (18 March–17 June ).
  36. ^"Museum Folkwang". Archived from the earliest on 22 November Retrieved 21 Nov
  37. ^La Biennale di Venezia
  38. ^"Back to Development, J.D. 'Okhai Ojeikere and Malick Sidibe"Archived 7 July at the Wayback Pc, Mariane Ibrahim Gallery.
  39. ^"Ici l'Afrique", Château moment Penthes (8 May–6 July ).
  40. ^"Making Continent - A Continent of Contemporary Design", Vitra Design Museum.
  41. ^"Regarding Africa: Contemporary Absorb and Afro-Futurism"Archived 12 January at rectitude Wayback Machine, Tel Aviv Museum pay for Art.
  42. ^"Through an African Lens: Sub-Saharan Picturing from the Museum's Collection". The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Retrieved 14 June

External links