The IU Southeast School of Arts & Letters, Fine Arts Department and IU Southeast Ceramics will host Nigerian artist Ngozi-Omeje Ezema for a virtual visiting artist lecture via Zoom on Wednesday, Sept. 30, at 11 a.m.
Ngozi-Omeje Ezema graduated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 2005 and later received her Master of Fine Arts from the same institution. After receiving her MFA, she was retained by her alma mater to teach ceramics. She has shown her work at the international women workshop (Art in the Dailies) at the Goethe Institute in Ghana, the CCA Lagos/Triangle International Artist Workshop in Nigeria and the Art in Public Space on Ecology at the Goethe Institute.
Additionally, she has exhibited in the Dakar Biennale 2020 in Senegal, the Korea Ceramics Biennale, the Icheon World Ceramics Centre and Cheongju Craft Biennale and the 60th Faenza Biennale Prize in Italy. Her Ceramic installation “Imagine Jonah II” was part of the First International Biennale in Central China, and “In My Garden there are Many Colours II” was part of the First West African Art Fair (ART X) in Lagos in 2016. Furthermore, she was a resident artist in Sevshoon Art Centre in Seattle in 2010 and configured the “Think Tea, Think cup I” as a permanent installation.
Her works of art are configured with globular clay units, clay rings, clay leaves, strings and savaged flip-flops from her environment, using them to accentuate her place in her immediate socio-cultural context. These artworks are a paradox of hope and despair, depicting how strength is drawn from pain and disappointment, thereby dialoguing between the two concepts.
“It’s important for students to gain a better understanding and stronger appreciation for what is happening in the global ceramics field,” said Brian Harper, associate professor of fine arts. “Far too often, we can get stuck looking at just the artwork of U.S.-based artists, but international artists can bring an entirely new perspective into the dialog in our classrooms here in New Albany. When we meet with Ngozi-Omeje on Wednesday, she’ll be live via video conference directly from her studio in Nigeria, so we are excited for the chance to meet with her.”
For the event Zoom link, email Brian Harper at harperba@iu.edu.