AN artist, Jimmy Uche-Nwanne, has advised parents, government and stakeholders to encourage children and youths to study arts in schools.

Uche-Nwanne told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the public should stop thinking that those that studied and practice arts had wasted their time.

He said that, “The Arts sector has preserved people’s history, culture and tradition; you can find people’s identity in the arts.

“It helps to tell you how people from different backgrounds were like at a certain time of their development.

“So, children and youths who want to go into arts as a profession need encouragement from their parents, stakeholders and the society,’’ he said.

The artist said that the public should not discourage those who had sought their advice on studying the arts by advising them to go for either law, medicine or engineering.

“This is where we also need to mentor children and youths; as well as expand avenues for them to do what they love doing,’’ he said.

Uche-Nwanne said that when he began to show interest in the art as a child, his parents were fond of flogging him for drawing on his books.
With time they relaxed, he said.

“So, I experienced that challenge as a child but because I persevered; my parents had a change of mind, supported me by buying arts’ materials for me,’’ he said.

He, however, said that people liked to concentrate and rush into only a few professions in the country to the detriment of others.
“It is like a professional discrimination as some professions are highly regarded, while the arts and some others are looked down upon.’’

He said that this perception could discourage any young person who wanted to specialise in any of those professions looked down upon by the society.

Uche-Nwanne said that as an artist he was always motivated to draw on themes that he believed would have universal human appeal such as: gender, race, religion, love and relationships.

NAN reports that Uche-Nwanne born in Kaduna; graduated from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria in 2010 with a degree in Fine and Applied Art, and majoring in painting.

The artist, who currently lives and works in Kaiderslautern, Germany, focuses on themes varying from freedom to oppression, national issues and personal human relationships. (NAN)

– Apr. 4, 2018 @ 11:49 GMT

AE