Abayomi Barber

The Fisherman - view at Hourglass Gallery

Abayomi Barber works at Hourglass Gallery
Abayomi Barber profile at Hourglass Gallery

Abayomi Barber, one of the most influential artists of his generation, has made his mark as a painter, sculptor, and perhaps most importantly, a teacher. Starting at an early age, inspired by Ife figurines, Barber experimented with a variety of mediums and expanded his talent and vision, quickly outgrowing his home and moving to Lagos to broaden his exposure. Several years later, he went to London to further his training. There, he worked mainly in sculpture, creating impressive works which include the bust of Winston Churchill displayed in the House of Commons, but also began his experimental style of landscape painting, one which blends invention and realism to reveal a deeper story, similar to the dreamlike canvases of Dalí. On returning to Nigeria, he joined the University of Lagos and assisted in the establishment of the creative studio, where his influence would be felt in his mentorship of some of the nation's most interesting and prominent artists.

Though Barber, now 78, is still widely recognized for his accomplished work in sculpture, his landscapes are better known in his home of Nigeria. At the surface, they are beautiful images captured by a man with a love of nature and reverance for creation which seduce the viewer to join him in his glorious world. Looking more deeply, one discovers hidden meanings and subtexts of the underlying story within a realm of possibility where nothing is precisely as it seems.

Eternal - Hourglass Gallery

The Abayomi Barber School, started in 1973, may arguably be Barber's greatest legacy to the arts. It's emphasis is not upon formal curriculum, in the traditional sense, or specific requirements. Rather, it is an informal school with a focus on the most critical aspects of formal school training, the importance of drawing as the basis of artworks and the need to observe keenly as well as see and measure accurately. Through those who have learned from Abayomi Barber include such respected artists as Muri Adejimi, Olu Spencer, Busari Agbolade, Toyin Alade, Kent Ideh, Bunmi Lasaki, and Bayo Akinwole.