Ayela-Uwangue Nosawema is equally a versatile multimedia artist who has dedicated his life to expressing the depths of human emotion through style and class in his work.
By Eberechi Obinagwam
Some run into opportunities that enable their potential to blossom. Some identify their potential, develop them to talents and explore opportunities to make them blossom. Ayela-Uwangue Nosawema, a graduate of General Art and Painting, Federal Polytechnic Auchi, is of the latter category.
Edo State-born Nosawema is a painter with class. But not an accidental artist, as some other ones out there. For him, it was a career thought through and nurtured to fruition with time. He always wanted to be a painter at a time when most of his childhood friends fancied medicine, engineering or accounting. Hard work and persistence, worked in his favour.
By an exciting stroke of fate, the decision has since paid off, resulting in his resounding success in the field. Many instances abound to advertise the extent he has excelled in the industry.
To indicate his clout in the field, Nosawema has participated in significant art exhibitions and competitions, including the Edo State Council for Art and Culture (Igue Festival Art Exhibition), Visual Arts Competition of the Embassy of Spain, Life in My City Art Festival (Enugu) and many others.
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Nosawema is equally a versatile multimedia artist who has dedicated his life to expressing the depths of human emotion through style and class in his work. With a solid educational foundation in General Art and Painting from Federal Polytechnic Auchi in 2017, Nosawema honed his craft by experimenting with materials, from traditional acrylics and oils to unconventional elements like clothes, ropes, and archival images.
How it started
His artistic journey began with a childhood fascination with the beauty of paintings and drawings, often found in TV cartoons and magazines. This early inspiration, coupled with the encouragement of his family propelled him to turn his passion into a career, establishing his studio, Wemaye Art Studio, in Lagos.
At Wemaye Art Studio, he pours his heart and soul into creating pieces that oscillate between the abstract and representational, capturing the essence of human mood with intense passion and conceptual depth.
Startup capital
Nosawema said sourcing capital was a little effort with bigger results due to the nature of his art. He said; “I was able to improvise with different mediums and materials found in my environment to create my art and luckily when I sold some. I got the capital to set up my business.”
Penetrating the market
Nosawema encountered some obstacles that could have deterred one with feeble mind but he was driven by conviction and belief in his novel brand. Penetrating an already saturated market was not easy for the young creative artist. His unique technique and style did not help because most collectors and galleries found it unconventional as they struggled to understand his works. This caused his works to suffer multiple rejections. But he was undeterred. He continued. And with the consistent push, the ‘unconventional’ gradually started gaining the attention of the honchos in the industry.
He told TheNiche, “As I will always say there’s no smoke without fire. That means no competition with the champion. So, penetrating the art market was not easy due to my technique and style. Most collectors and galleries found it initially difficult to understand my kind of art. But gradually, I am getting accepted into the market.”
His confidence lies most in the positive reviews he gets, and the money that started coming from sales. This made him craft the motto: ‘Giving up is not an option.’
Business challenges in Nigeria
Nosawema said his major challenge as a business owner in Nigeria is the exchange rate. “The exchange rate of our currency is alarming,” he lamented.
He also identified unstable electricity supply as a major factor given how it limits the creative process, especially when he needs to work at night.
Japa
Nosawema said though art is more appreciated and valued overseas, leaving the country has not been his main option.
He said he still believes that Nigeria will get better, “But if I get the opportunity to japa for a good cause, I will go and come back and invest here in my motherland.”
Nosawema has participated in various workshops, seminars, Art talks, art fairs and exhibitions, including the Art Expo Benin in 2019, the Miniature Art Fair Lagos in 2019, Day Dream (Group Exhibition) Crowne Art Gallery, Benin Nigeria in 2021 and Parallel Passage (Group Exhibition) Kokopelli Gallery, Lagos in 2023.