I got the opportunity to visit Benin city (Edo State) for an exciting experience - it was for a bronze casting workshop! The ancient craft of bronze casting is a vibrant and intricate part of Edo culture and has been used to document important events, people and objects across the people's history. My earlier excitement was an understatement, I was thrilled! Benin bronzes are known all over the world to be spectacular works of art. They are an imbuement of material - red earth, bronze alloys, fire as well as the essence of the fabled craftsmen, who I would be meeting and learning from.
Benin City is gorgeous, the red hued earth is so vibrant, and this contrasts nicely with the amount of greenery the city still preserves. We stayed in a small hotel very close to Igun Street and I observed that many of these older roads built with so much quality. The layout was very organized, and that speaks to an ancient but very advanced society that had seen many feet, heard many jokes and transported many people. Benin people themselves are physically stunning, and carry an elegance much like their art. They dazzle like their bronzes, and they’ve got personalities are equal parts fiery and welcoming (just like me) and so i felt at home throughout.
On Igun Street, our guide - Mr Eric Ogbemudia - a seasoned bronze caster himself, showed us his workshop and told us about his craft. Each phase is a time consuming process and there are 7 of them. The technique is called the lost-wax technique and it’s been in practice for centuries.
It begins by forming a core using clay, this serves as a base for the sculpture. Wax, (traditionally beeswax, but today because of availability, candle wax) is applied over the core, and here, a variety of hand tools are used to add fine details.
They cover this with a second layer of clay, making sure to leave channels for liquid wax to flow out and liquid bronze to flow in, and the vessel is put in the oven. The temperatures are blistering, and these men spend bulk of their days next to them in the production of these pieces.
When the molten bronze is poured in, it takes the shape of what was once wax, and everything is allowed to cool before it is broken open to reveal the highly detailed and lifelike bronze figure inside. Final touches include polishing the pieces and signing them. Investment is needed for industrial ovens, sourcing of materials and promotion of Igun street as a World Heritage Site.
Bronze casting started in the 14th century by Oba Oguola and since it’s inception, it’s been organized using a guild system. This type of organization wasn’t a common thing back then (or even now), and it speaks to the sophistication of the Benin Empire from a very early time. There were wood carving guilds, leather, ivory, weaver, blacksmith guilds and many still exist till today.
Because the king and the palace organized the guilds, a lot of the art that was produced were depictions of the Oba, his family, or palace life and cultural objects like the bronze heads, free standing figures, wall reliefs, masks and jewelry are among the styles of objects produced throughout the years. These objects marked important occasions by casting them in bronze and this was/is how Edo people preserve their stories of old in a grand way.
In the year 1897, the Benin bronzes were looted by the British after one of their expeditions to the area. We were quite curious about what led up to this, and Mr Mark Olaitan gave us the breakdown during our trip to the National Museum, Benin. He mentioned that the British envoy had been on their way to the palace on an unscheduled visit - it is a taboo in Edo land to visit the palace without an invitation. A messenger from the palace met them on their way and let them know the present time was not suitable for the visit. This interaction turned into an altercation and the British returned later with reinforcements, resulting in the destruction of the palace and the looting of its treasures. These artefacts are now scattered across the world in western museums and private collections, with many of them unaccounted for. There is a deep sense of resentment and mistrust for this deed, one that cannot be healed anytime soon, but returning the stolen artifacts (to the palace) is a start.
The bronze making craft is also in danger of a different kind, young people aren’t interested because crafting these sacred objects takes time, effort and energy. The returns are not so attractive to the new generations, especially when they weigh in the lack of infrastructure, machinery, power, raw materials and time. So many young people in Benin look for easier ways to make a living, as they do not see a future in crafting these pieces.
This is true and the sentiment is understandable, especially when many resources in Benin city that were designed to engage young people are under lock and key for beaurocratic reasons. The top of that list is the Oba Akenzua center, designed and built by Demas Nwoko in 1972 - which has been shut for several decades. This has definitely stifled a lot of developments and I think centers like these need to be free of government politics. Young people exploring new and creative ways to take the future to, is a need.
It is my hope that the future of the craft waxes stronger though, I would like to see how young people immerse themselves in bronze casting in the digital age. As we advance, I’m sure we will come up with better methods to produce these masterpieces, as well as expose the craft to a global audience that can add these pieces to their collections the proper way. Bronze work is making a comeback globally, and returning looted artifacts is at the top of many conversations, suggesting interest and curiosity about the craft, so I would say the future looks very bright. I was also pleased to learn that the gender constraints are being challenged, with people like Princess Elizabeth Olowu (Daughter of Oba Akenzua II) engaged in the craft as well.
One thing is for sure though, the Benin people are resilient and carry a beautiful spark within themselves, like their bronzes. I found it sad that many of the young population are not interested in applying this spark to their creative pursuits but as the art world shines a gaze on Nigerian and African art, I am sure this will change.
Inspired by my Benin trip , I created these collages. The first to tell the story of the ancient Benin guilds and the strong, dazzling people who are forged in fires on Igun street. The second to emphasize the waste of resources that powers the engines of an unproductive machine resting on the backs of the people.
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