THE POOR ARTIST?

David culled from Wikipedia

This rider has riddled art historians and critiques through the ages. 

Are there really poor artists?

From Michaelangelo to Leonardo da Vinci and our own Ben Enwonwu the clienteles have always been the rich. For the 14th-century renaissance artists, it was the Theocratic period and the church was the main client. So we are now conversant with great works like "The creation" in the Sistine Chapel and "David" (see pix). Artists dine with the crème de la cream. Fact. These artists virtually sat with leaders of their days. While knowledge is symbiotic, great leaders have recognized the creative spirit of the arts and the progenitor. They deliberately chose it and insert (him) on their mailing lists. Can they be said to be poor with the rich at their beck and call?

I recall I was in the office of one of the founders of a leading generation bank among many examples, some years ago. It was in the early '90s and the gateman came in & reported that Prof. Ben Enwonwu had visited and left angrily after some slight delay.

Reason?

The overtly performing security personnel, as usual, were climbing the tree beyond the leaves with unnecessary protocols. The MD jumped up, I read fear on his expression. He explained to me what had transpired. He requested I joined him to drive to the artist house immediately to placate the artist. We did that and everything returned to normal. I saw the power that the artist had, first hand. Can this artist be said to be poor when a whole MD left his work to placate? And some dare says "a mere artist". "No be draw and paint him learn for school?". Others will ask "you be house painter when they meet an artist.?". Ah! My people perish for lack of knowledge.

Severally from the era of Dodan Barracks holding sway, I have been invited by the powers that be when my works had to be presented to visiting Heads of Government as parting gifts. I then developed ancillary relationships that had dovetailed to more openings professionally & globally. My initial visas to all major countries have been facilitated without my appearance. My diplomatic relationship especially when these are developed world's annexes, recognizes the artist's importance. Currently, Nigerian artists are enjoying all world's. The relationships between the artists and his clients give the artist an advantage never ever imagined: access, prestige and socio acceptance from the collector's cliques and circle. Is the artist really poor?

Finally, a story is told in Greek mythology where an artist and a priest are put side by side before the frenzied and screaming crowd baying for blood. Only one of these two is to be released and the other to be sent to the hangman noose. The crowd calls for the artist to be released. "Free. Free the artist". He is equated to the gods and revered.

How the artist interprets this relationship whether horizontally or vertically is the manifest world that we see. Let us totally disregard and ignore the "poor cloak" blanket thrown upon this Noble profession. The importance of the artist may never be appreciated in the true sense until there is a systemic overhaul especially of a people's mindset.

As I run daily I jam the irrepressible Bob Marley and his freedom lyrics. From there I jump tracks to "George Michael's "Careless Whispers" and I imagine this "gift" of a song to mankind. While these tracks play I get lifted, higher and higher from Donner Summers to Teddy Pendergrass and then Barry White baritone voice to Whitney Houston. For one hour these and more come alive and engage my time travel. I then stand before the work by Pablo Picasso "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" and I marvel at the creation of man.

When Winston Churchill was asked to reduce the art budget during the war, he remarked: "what are we fighting for?". When a nation can rise to this recognition "The artist is not poor" in the true meaning of the word.

Need I say more?