Original Story Published by: Sheila Wickouski for the Free Lance-Star, www.fredericksburg.com
Photo Source: Collection of the Artist
(Above) Actress and model Linda Ilhouma Ejiofor, who was born in Lagos, Nigeria, has worked on 11 movies and four TV series
Red carpets and gilded mirrors set the stage for entry into the glamorous movie world presented in “Iké Udé: Nollywood Portraits” at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art.
Based in the United States, multimedia artist Iké Udé returned to Lagos, Nigeria, in 2014 to photograph these celebrities now presented in this exhibit that celebrates Nigerian film.
The first portrait of the 30-some movie stars featured in this exhibit is of Genevieve Nnaji. The glamorous actress who has appeared in over 100 films, poses in a full-length black evening dress glittering with gold filigree. Within the gallery, a mannequin in that dress invites comparison to the photograph. The addition of more sparkling gold in the photograph is a clue as to how objects might be enhanced when presented in another media.
Looming large over all the portraits in the gallery is “The School of Nollywood” (2014-16). With a nod to the Renaissance master Raphael for his fresco “The School of Athens” (1509-11), this composite photograph features many of the greatest movie stars, producers and directors of Nigeria’s $3 billion film industry, while also making a statement that African notions of beauty are as valid as those presented in Eurocentric art.
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