Lawson Oyekan (born in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

1961), is a British Nigerian contemporary ceramic sculptor and the first recipient of the Grand Prix Award for the 1st World Ceramic Biennale 2001 in

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...

Overview

Lawson Oyedokun Oyekan was born in 1961 in Stockwell, England and grew up in Ibadan, son of a Nigerian high court Judge, attended

Loyola College, Ibadan Loyola College, Ibadan (LCI) is a Boys only Government-owned College in Oyo State, Nigeria founded by the Catholic Missionary in 1954. It is located within old Ife road, Agodi area in Ibadan. Since being established, the school has produced lumi ...

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

, West Africa, returning to England in 1983 to study art where he attended the art foundation course in East Ham. Initially learning the practice of throwing with

porcelain Porcelain () is a ceramic material made by heating substances, generally including materials such as kaolinite, in a kiln to temperatures between . The strength and translucence of porcelain, relative to other types of pottery, arises main ...

, Oyekan created diaphragm-like artworks with a lifted centre. He then moved on to making hand-built larger, monolithic forms. Both of these constructions include his experiences as a Londoner, as well as an African. His pieces are adorned with piercings and sometimes include text in English or his native language, Yoruba. There is a presence in Oyekan's forms that speak of his experiences and his upbringing. "My intent is to express human endurance and deliver a message of reassurance: that human suffering can be healed." prnewswire.com Beginning his studies in Nigeria with applied Chemistry and later studied a diploma in general art at The Ibadan Polytechnic, Ibadan. Lawson then returned to England in 1983 to pursue art. First studying at

Central School of Art and Design The Central School of Art and Design was a public school of fine and applied arts in London, England. It offered foundation and degree level courses. It was established in 1896 by the London County Council as the Central School of Arts and ...

in 1985 on a degree course, he then went on to study at the

Royal College of Art The Royal College of Art (RCA) is a public research university in London, United Kingdom, with campuses in South Kensington, Battersea and White City. It is the only entirely postgraduate art and design university in the United Kingdom. It o ...

in London from 1988-1990 where he was lectured by the likes of

Eduardo Paolozzi Sir Eduardo Luigi Paolozzi (, ; 7 March 1924 – 22 April 2005) was a Scottish artist, known for his sculpture and graphic works. He is widely considered to be one of the pioneers of pop art. Early years Eduardo Paolozzi was born on 7 March ...

. During his studies, he received the Darwin Scholarship Award in 1989 and is most notable for receiving the Grand Prize Award in the 2001 Korean Biennale for his piece "HEALING BEING," from his Coming up for Air series. As a contemporary sculptor currently making work, he shows and exhibits work all over the world in Europe, Korea, Japan, and the United States.

Work description and Style

One of Oyekan's best-known works is the "HEALING BEING" piece from his Coming Up for Air series. This piece is a monolithic, terracotta sculpture, closed, measuring 6 feet and 7 inches in height. Lawson's work is characterized by surfaces often left dry and unglazed, while other works include a variety of coloured

slips Slips (or SLIPS) may refer to: *Slips (oil drilling) *SLIPS (Slippery Liquid Infused Porous Surfaces) *SLIPS (company) *SLIPS (Sri Lanka Interbank Payment System) *Slip (cricket), often used in the plural form *The Slips, a UK electronic music duo ...

. A recent exhibition in Minnesota in 2006, Solstice Lip Series, includes a combination of steady stoneware ceramic vessels including a variety of whistling adjacent perforations on congruent monoliths. The passage of light as well as the ability for the pieces to "breathe" is a concern in portraying a life in his work through these vessels. The development of Lawson's work comes from his training in England in

wheel throwing to the development of his own techniques through hand building, providing his experiences that come from these two locations and lifestyles. Currently Lawson is living in London, England while also working in a studio in

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...

. He also has plans to open a studio in Nigeria in combination with an education facility.

References

Sources

*Pamela Johnson. "Dimensions of Light," The Decorative and Applied Arts Magazine, CRAFT. January/February 1994. *Ulysses Grant Dietz, Great Pots Contemporary Ceramics from Function to Fantasy. The Newark Museum Association 2003 p. 171, figure 152, and p. 169. *Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, Maryland. "Lawson Oyekan, and the Spirit of Nature" 2005. February 3 to March 20, p. 6. *Pamela Johnson. "Dimensions of Light," The Decorative and Applied Arts Magazine, CRAFT. January/February 1994.

External links

Lawson Oyekan, at Northern
*http://www.artlyst.com/events/lawson-oyekan-global-working-canary-wharf *http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/02/arts/art-in-review-lawson-oyekan.html *http://www.ceramicstoday.com/articles/062501.htm *https://www.kocef.org/eng/n02_biennale/02.asp {{DEFAULTSORT:Oyekan, Lawson 1961 births Living people Alumni of the Central School of Art and Design Alumni of the Royal College of Art English ceramicists English people of Nigerian descent English male sculptors English people of Yoruba descent Yoruba artists Loyola College, Ibadan alumni Sculptors from London People from Ibadan The Polytechnic, Ibadan alumni Nigerian ceramicists