Have you seen the ‘Picasso Baby’ video by Jay Z? The music video for Jay Z‘s hit single, Picasso Baby’, which includes lyrical shout-outs to artists and artworks was shot at the Pace Gallery in New York. In the 11-minute long video, Jay-Z faced off with a cross section of the New York art and cultural world. This reunion of the arts was inspired by Marina Abramovi’s 2010 installation, The Artist Is Present.
If you like the blurred lines between the arts, you will like ‘Stories and Strings’, the musical themed book launch for Osisiye Tafa’s debut novel, ‘Sixty Percent of a True Story’. This event was about exploring how the gestures of various arts – music, stage, dance, spoken word – can be smuggled beyond their native borders. Stories and Strings held on Saturday, June 20, 2015 at Bogobiri House, a secluded hotel boutique and art gallery in the sleepy streets of Ikoyi.
The event was opened at 3 p.m. by the anchor, Qriss Okagbue, winner of Gulder Ultimate Search Season 8. Spoken word poet, Oyinkan Braithwaite performed her poems, ‘He Mumbles a Stranger’s Name at Night’ and ‘Who Is She’. Odenike Adesote performed a monologue based on a hilarious excerpt from the book which involves the character being rejected by a love interest There were stringed musical performances by Oby Jazz and T-Acoustics. The Kizomba, a sensual dance from Angola was performed by a male and female pair from Buddy Salsa, a dance outfit by Buddy Agedah, Instructor on Spirit of David’s Celebrity Takes 2 Seasons 1 and 2. In place of the usual reviews that happen at book launches, there was a commentary moderated by a 3-person panel consisting of Jumoke Okikiolu (Marketing Manager, Information and Mobility, Samsung Electronics West Africa), Meka Olowola (Managing Partner, Zenera Consulting) and Mr. Alokolaro. Mr. Emmanouil Revmatas (Director, Information Mobility and Technology, Samsung Electronics West Africa) delivered the keynote speech. He spoke about Plato’s Cave analogy, a theme of the book. As all intimate events go, there were spontaneous performances by guests like a reading of the poem, ‘Epilogue-Unexpression’ by Wale Nubi, a karaoke performance of Nat King Cole’s L.O.V.E by Lola Akintan and a soulful rendition of P Square’s ‘Bring It On’ by Qriss Okagbue.
‘Sixty Percent of a True Story’ is a window into the different realities of three undergraduates. The story weaves through three Nigerian states, a university, a presidential campaign, the fleshpots of Lagos and startling personal choices to an unpredictable end. The book is available at Terra Kulture, Laterna or online at Konga and Amazon
Preview below pictures from ‘Stories and Strings’. These pictures were taken by the trio of Segun Adekoye, Damola Rita Mogaji and Logor’ Oluwamuyiwa. Logor’, curator of the Monochrome Africa project narrates his picture expressions in white and black only.