RARE~1974~LAMIDI OLONADE FAKEYE~YORUBA~HAND CARVED~WOOD

This retrospective presents four decades of wood sculpture—the artistic legacy of Lamidi Fakeye, a fifth generation member of the celebrated Fakeye woodcarving family of Ila Orangun, Nigeria.

“I am a compilation of all my teachers and years of study,” explains Lamidi, “from my childhood with family woodcarvers, to the apprenticeship with master George Bamidele Arowoogun, to my travels and study around the world.” Lamidi’s sculptures commemorate Yoruba culture; they are not intended for religious use.

A Life in a Name

Lamidi is a short form of the Moslem name Abdul Hammed. He converted to Islam as a young man.

Olonade, meaning “the carver has arrived,” was given to him at birth. It aptly foretold his artistic destiny.

Fakeye is an honorific title given by the king of Ila to Lamidi’s great-grandfather, Olawoyin, who was a renowned sculptor and diviner. His descendants were given the right to the title, and they use Fakeye as the family name.

A Family of Woodcarvers

At the university I teach men and women students sculptural technique; but in my workshop I teach my nephews the form and techniques of traditional Yoruba art.

Lamidi Olonade Fakeye

Lamidi currently lives in Ife, Nigeria, where he teaches art at the university and trains the sixth generation of Fakeyes in traditional woodcarving techniques.

Of the Fakeye brothers, James and Onayemi do not carve. Lamidi apprenticed his half brother Ganiyu and these four nephews all of whom now have workshops of their own.

Measure of a Master

Kennedy Center Doors

Lamidi’s verandah posts and doors grace dozens of Yoruba palaces, Catholic churches, and civic and commercial buildings in Nigeria and around the world. In 1973, he carved magnificent doors for the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

The satiny finish on Lamidi’s work is achieved without sandpaper or varnish—just smoothing the surface with knives. Normally, an apprentice is assigned this task as a small figure requires up to 40 hours of painstaking work. After several years, an apprentice becomes thoroughly familiar with the contours and proportions of his teacher’s sculptures.

Plaques as Fine Art

In Nigeria, carved doors reflect the owner’s wealth, power, and prestige. Usually, they consist of a set of bas relief panels. Lamidi departs from this tradition creating individual plaques as unique art objects. For these narrative plaques he makes preliminary drawings to work out the relationship of the figures and to organize the story.

Compare Ogun Priest, carved in 1960, with the more recent plaques. Lamidi uses steel chisels which produce finer, more precise details and to separate the figures from the background.

Plaques as History

For most of his plaques, Lamidi draws on familiar themes associated with Yoruba gods and culture heroes like warriors and kings. However, in the 1960s and, more recently in the 1990s, he accepted commissions for decorative plaques from Nigerian and American Christian churches.

In plaques with Christian themes, Lamidi often presents Biblical characters as Yoruba heroes. For instance, Lamidi gave Pontius Pilate a Yoruba king’s crown and dressed Roman soldiers like Yoruba warriors.

Lamidi has carved only one contemporary political commentary, entitled Justice.

L.O. Fakeye Background