*’His life, art, and contributions are a testament to the power of creativity’
(Being text of the speech by ODUN ORIMOLADE, curator, at the opening of the Yusuf Grillo Museum at Ikeja, Lagos, on Saturday, August 26)
‘The Museum also celebrates his profound impact on the art world and offers a space for dialogue and inspiration. It will also serve as a hub for cultural exchange and artistic dialogue in hosting a spread of activities and engagements. The Museum aims to become a treasure trove for art enthusiasts, a resource spiral for researchers, and a platform for nurturing emerging talent’
‘Today, as we unveil the Yusuf Grillo Museum, we celebrate the start of a dream to honor an artist whose legacy continues to shape the artistic landscape. We all should let this museum stand as a beacon of creativity, a bastion of culture, and a reminder that art is the universal language that binds us all’
WE are grateful for this gift to posterity that comes on the wings of Grillo Art. Riding the wave of the 2022 inaugural Seminar titled “The Man, The Message and The Myth”, GRILLO Art has tirelessly forged on in developing a private Art Museum celebrating the extraordinary life and work of Nigerian legendary visual artist Yusuf Adebayo Cameron Grillo (1934 – 2021).
The continued vitality of GRILLOArt and the actuality of this Museum development is held firmly together by descendants of the icon in the individuals of Morayo Anthonio, Bodunrin Adeyemi, Gboyega Grillo, Oladipo Grillo, and Akinkunmi Grillo. They stand together in spearing the pursuit of the spirit of excellence that the artist instilled through his life and practice.
Master of Masters, Yusuf Grillo’s contributions to the art scene have been nothing short of revolutionary. He was an intellectual, artist, educator, and researcher of many parts. He played a pivotal role in reshaping the Nigerian art landscape and has left an indelible mark on the artistic sphere. In him, we find ourselves in the world of an artist who embraced tradition and innovation in equal measure.
Grillo’s reverence for his Nigerian heritage is at once deeply rooted and universally resonant. His exploration of identity, society, and the human condition invites us to peer into the depths of our own lives, to question the world around us. His innovative approach to his life, creative practice, developmental contributions, administration, and educational and mentorship styles have garnered international acclaim and admiration leaving a myriad of trails in trajectories that run through Nigerian art history also reaching into the diaspora. This also includes his knack for bridge-building, fostering, and founding pillars that the creative community continues to lean on today. Yusuf Grillo’s life, art, and contributions are a testament to the power of creativity.
‘The new museum space nods to the past whilst proffering avenues of shape-shifting to fulfill the dreams of an evolving developmental space… The progressive curatorial development of the Museum is aimed at setting the museum’s tone, emphasising innovation, inclusivity, openness, and a commitment to fostering meaningful connections for its audiences’
THE museum founding site here in the studio home of the artist has been creatively converted by the team of Arc Theo Lawson’s Total Consult; honouring the trajectory of the physical space as well as nodding to its new future and developmental evolution with the experiences, principles, vision, and insight of Yusuf Grillo at the heart of its newly morphed construction. The new museum space nods to the past whilst proffering avenues of shape-shifting to fulfill the dreams of an evolving developmental space.
The progressive curatorial development of the Museum is aimed at setting the museum’s tone, emphasising innovation, inclusivity, openness, and a commitment to fostering meaningful connections for its audiences. This is in keeping with a range of tangents for impactful connection and development.
The museum’s starting collection includes varied memorabilia of the artist’s life and works in permanent collection for posterity, and also includes works that were collected by the artist over his life in different means. Few of these are presented in this opening exhibit installation. The museum’s archives hold a spread of objects and documents that span over time as far back as the 1830s as well as quite splendid nuggets of history drawn from his Lagos – Brazilian genealogical connections. Offering more insight into history of the evolving metropolis and its diasporic allusions. This comprehensive display will allow art enthusiasts, scholars, and the general public to appreciate the depth and diversity of his artistic genius. The museum archive is dedicated to collecting, preserving, documenting, and researching Grillo’s life, his artistic process, and the socio-cultural environment that influenced his work and the impact of his engagements in society in return. It is hoped that it will be a valuable resource for researchers, scholars, and art historians.
The Museum aims to engage visitors of all ages through a myriad of interactive activities, research, and educational programs. These initiatives will provide a deeper understanding of Grillo’s techniques, inspirations, and the cultural context that influenced his artistic choices. It will also place these contexts in continuing contemporary discourse and engagement in progressive socio-cultural evolution of Nigerian art and its place in interdisciplinary connections for national development. The Museum also celebrates his profound impact on the art world and offers a space for dialogue and inspiration. It will also serve as a hub for cultural exchange and artistic dialogue in hosting a spread of activities and engagements. The Museum aims to become a treasure trove for art enthusiasts, a resource spiral for researchers, and a platform for nurturing emerging talent.
This museum is not merely a repository of art; it is a sanctuary of inspiration. Every piece within these walls tells a story, not just of the artist’s hand, but of the countless hours of dedication, the relentless pursuit of perfection, and the unwavering commitment to the craft.
The opening presentation of the museum showcases some objects and works from the museum’s collection alongside activity spaces, offering art enthusiasts and the public a unique opportunity to delve into the captivating journey of one of Nigeria’s most iconic figures in the art world. Hopefully, the museum will continue to take visitors on an immersive journey through Yusuf Grillo’s life, creative evolution, and intellectual prowess and its evolution over the decades.
The museum’s establishment represents a dedication to furthering the artistic legacy of Yusuf Adebayo Cameron Grillo and sharing it with the world with the aim of fostering artistic education and promoting cultural exchange through presentations and interactive programs.
This was a work of many, and will continue to be. It would be remiss of me not to mention the efforts of Dr Adeola Balogun and his team and our dedicated young associates in the persons who are still here at work in the persons of Tawa Lawal, Tolu Adefila, Lateef Hassan, Olumide Adebowale, Teni Oyefeso, Moyo Ijabiken, Tobi Braimoh, Faith Ojo, Deborah Adams, Nofisat Anifowose, Moses Taiwo, Cassandra Ahmed, Taiwo Aiyedogbon, Josiah Owezim, and Akinrinola Ahmed.
Today, as we unveil the Yusuf Grillo Museum, we celebrate the start of a dream to honour an artist whose legacy continues to shape the artistic landscape. We all should let this museum stand as a beacon of creativity, a bastion of culture, and a reminder that art is the universal language that binds us all.
Thank you.
Further Reading on the man, Yusuf Grillo
https://punchng.com/82-dad-cant-stop-painting-yusuf-grillos-daughter/
https://sunnewsonline.com/my-love-for-the-arts-and-yusuf-grillo/
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