Setting the pace and blazing the trail just as often said can be as simple as, beating footpath and embarking on a journey to a place no one has ever been. This been established, Femi Coker, the curator at Femi Art House in Lagos has proven this saying severally and he is soon to become a renown artistic icon in the black continent and confidently the world in general following his remarkable feat the world can’t afford to push to the back door.
In this interview with Nifty Travel, Femi Coker explains the marriage between travel and art alongside his passion, struggle and the force behind his soon-to-be, world acclaimed invention.


Can we meet you, please?
My name is Femi Coker, from Lagos Nigeria. I majored in philosophy at the Ogun State University, now Olabisi Onabanjo University.
I cut my teeth, working with one2one communication and Skills Integrated, both, Telecom/ Public Relations Services Provider. Respectively as a marketing executive.
I moved on to GOGE Africa, as a research /marketing executive and onward to Nike Arts Gallery, as curator and manager.
I’m a self-trained mixed media artist, a culture vulture, a published poet and an innovator.

What triggered your interest in art and what will you say, led to the emergence of Femi Art House?
I have always been a passionate and imaginative person and my working experiences with both GOGE Africa and Nike Arts Gallery, further deepened and broadened my interest creatively, to promote Africa’s rich artistic and cultural heritage on my own platform in 2009. Femi Art Warehouse!

What does art mean to you?
To me art serves the same purpose as music: it inspires, edifies, educates, informs, entertains, and challenges. The same way artistes address contemporary and global issues, same way artists do!

What is every artistic work of yours trying to achieve?
Each of my artistic work is unique on its own and serves to promote a theme in a monumental way. For instance, if am working with a drum, it is not only in sheer size or height, that it intimidates, in content too, which makes it truly exceptional. Making it a museum on its own!

Which area(s) of art are you particularly focused on. What can you be identified with?
I am a self-trained mixed media artist, therefore, I possess the capacity to work with any material. More importantly, I seek to passionately promote Africa’s rich artistic and cultural heritage through my artistic and creative expressions.

In art, everyone has got a muse. What is yours?
Africa’s history, heritage and humanity.

What is the motivating factor behind all your artistic creations?
Repositioning Africa’s true history and project its true essence in a grand and monumental fashion to the entire world.

Apart from your innovations what else can we find in Femi Art House?
Apart from my unveiling and thematic exhibitions, I run a culture club, a language centre, a textile gallery, a reading club and organizes a yearly Easter Artfest and the Badagry International Art Fair.

Have you ever considered placing your works for sale or do you just make them for your gallery alone?
Not all my works are for sale. Some are for exhibition purposes, though some have been acquired. And I have also been commissioned to produce some others.


Your world largest textile map seems really impressive. What will you say influenced it? Did it ever go through any form of African or international exhibition at all?
It was inspired by the diversity of Nigeria and the many different cultures, which are usually expressed in the fabrics and textiles of the peoples.
The map was unveiled at the Badagry Heritage Museum in 2014, to commemorate Nigeria’s centenary celebration. And also exhibited in collaboration with the National Museum to commemorate International Museum Day in May of 2014.

Will you want to share any Guinness book of records achievement credited to you lately? If any?
None has been credited to me. Though I have written to them on a few occasions. But the fact is, some of my artistic and creative works still doesn’t exist in the world. Such as:
World’s tallest drum
World’s largest recliner
World’s longest cap
World’s biggest straw mat art
World’s longest photo collage sentence
World’s largest textile map etc
I do my research before I embark on these initiatives or projects.
Sooner than later, I will be validated.

Has Guinness world record failure to include your works of art into her record been a major discouragement for you?
The failure of the Guinness world record to acknowledge my accomplishments doesn’t discourage me in any way, because it is just a matter of time before I am validated.
As a matter of fact, it serves as a stimulus for me, to be more consistent, dedicated and passionate.

Amongst all your creative works which will you label to have challenged you so much?
Every single one is unique and challenging and I have a dedicated team to work with. I can say the drum, because of the skills required for its production.

Which has landed you more fame?
The drums and the textile map.

How best do you think African youth can harness their hidden potential in the face of a certificate focused labour market?
Looking inward to explore their talents, to understudy a successful role model and learn or acquire skills and expertise in vocational training, observe global trends and learn something new and in demand.

Recently you said and i quote: “Our educational system is heavily Eurocentric one of the reasons why we are not making any progress” Can you broaden on this?
According to Babs Fafunwa, the seven cardinal goals of African Traditional Education are:
• To develop the child’s latent physical skill.
• To develop character.
• To indicate respect for elders and those in the position of authority.
• To develop intellectual skills.
• To acquire specific vocational training and develop a healthy attitude toward honest labour.
• To develop, appreciate and promote the cultural heritage of the community at large.
• To develop a sense of belonging and to participate actively in family and community affairs.
Suffice it then to say, that this education was aimed at training a child physically, developing his character, intellectual training, vocational training and respect for elders and peers. More so, the Russian system of education is founded on their culture, the same goes for Chinese system of education etc. Their tradition serves as the catalyst for their sustainable development. If our system of education is modelled after our culture, it will become more practical and productive.

What will be your ideal Nigeria or world educational system?
Finland’s educational system is rated the best in the world and it even outperforms that of the US, because it is made suitable for the learner and very flexible, as everyone doesn’t learn at the same pace and are endowed with different talents.

What is your 2019 going to look like? What are the projects still in the pipeline?
2019 promises to be very interesting and challenging. My current project is the world’s biggest chair/library.

On your path to greatness, what has been your greatest challenge, amazing moment and the moment you never imagined will happen?
Inspiration comes from the Almighty and I have lent greatly to trust more in myself and depend less on people. Amazing moments are usually the processes of making the monumental works.
Being commissioned to design and produce the photo collage to commemorate the UN at 70.
A monumental drum acquired for the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding (CBCIU)
A monumental piece acquired by Prof. Wole Soyinka.
Being commissioned to design and produce the world’s tallest drums for the maiden edition of Nigeria’s Drums Festival in Ogun state in 2016 and African Drums Festival in 2017.
Collaborations with the United Nations Information Centre.
Collaborations with the National Museum Onikan, Lagos.
Performance /exhibition at the Black Heritage Festival.
Performance /exhibition at the world Sango Festival, Alaafin of Oyo’s Palace.
Performance /exhibition at the American International school 60th Anniversary celebration etc.
Meeting great and important dignitaries, at the highest level of government, academia, diplomatic corp, the business community, youth and children groups

How will you relate what you do with travels?
Arts and culture are the wheels of tourism. When local or foreign tourists and visitors, visit a site or destination, they are usually attracted to or fascinated by the history, culture, heritage etc. of the destination. This visit provides them with relaxation, entertainment, information and education. My works passionately promotes arts and culture and are available to the public. Moreover, arts and culture are the catalysts for sustainable development and travel is the best experience (education) anyone can acquire.


See related posts on - www.ntravelpack.com

Indeed
We learn from visiting other cultures. Travel is all-encompassing.
Great Job!

...It is not expensive too

SageTravels:
...It is not expensive too

Your comment, part of my latest discovery.

Niftyrules:
Indeed
We learn from visiting other cultures. Travel is all-encompassing.
Great Job!

Many thanks

Can you guest post on your experiences with me