Nigerian Creatives Must Disrupt Or Become Obsolete

Last month, Creative Arts and Visual Imagery Center (CAVIC) convened thirty-five creatives and technologists on an ambitious project – which is the fusion of arts and technology in order to create functional artworks and creative technologies that are of huge impact in society.

At the week long event, one word that stood out among others like ‘agile methodologies’ or ‘skills set vs project constraints’ is ‘disruption’.

Disruption best describes the convergence of writers, poets, photographers, performers and technologists under one roof. So, what is disruption?

Disruption denotes change in status-quo; an evolution for the better or simply doing something different than the usual.

Hence, CAVIC’s Creative Director, Philip Agbese’s conviction, “(Nigerian arts and artists) We must disrupt, innovate or become obsolete,” hits home.

While in other continents of the world, art has embraced technology resulting in huge experiential and immersive art that blurs the line between reality and the virtual world, even functional products, in Africa, Nigeria in particular – art is largely traditional, as practitioners from both disciplines debate “is there a point of convergence or do both disciples run parallel to one another?”

CAVIC’s Art Tech Workshop aims to stimulate continued conversation on the convergence of art and technology to disrupt attitudes and mindsets, and support the visualization and actualization of physical, functional products or services that address societal challenges, especially, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“You must disrupt if you are going to innovate. If you going to bring about solutions to the world’s problems, then disruption is key. We can’t keep doing the same thing and expect change. The world is evolving. IT is evolving. Technology is evolving. Art is evolving at such an alarming rate, so we must evolve alongside it. There was a time when video art and photography were not regarded as art. Today, we see tech installations, video walls, 3D projections etc. and these are now mainstream art that are taking up spaces in the major galleries of the world. Even tech designers are infusing creativity in their products. So, we must disrupt otherwise we become obsolete.”

The project is also aimed at addressing the challenge of funding for creatives who are often overlooked in a world bent on exploring the ends of cutting-edge technology in all spheres of life, by having creatives collaborate with technologists to add creativity/aesthetics to tech innovations, and to evolve art practice and experience.

Working in groups of four (of one technologist to three creatives), the workshop participants will innovate art-tech products or services that address the SDGs. A pitching process with the workshop facilitators – Startups Developer, Seun Ogunlola, Brand Consultant, Rodney Omeokachi; Product/Spatial Designer, Teddy Atuluku; Project Manager, Ajibike Jimoh; Artist, Amarachi Odimba; Lanre Philips and Faith Ono – will see projects from four out of the nine teams, incubated at the hub for a period of three months.

The projects will receive all the necessary tools (office space, internet, etc.) worth N2.5 million, required to turn their ideas into reality. Their creations will be exhibited at the hub’s Festival of Creativity and Technology scheduled to hold in mid-October or November, 2023.

“We just wanted to get these conversations started. It is happening now. It is so amazing how hours flew by while we are at it, and how people are thinking differently and creating differently than they did before.

“It will be beautiful for me to see conversations that started at CAVIC have major global impact in the future. And further see relationships formed as a result of this conversation, turning into amazing collaborations that transforms individuals and the communities they serve,” said Agbese.