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Different Eye: A Tour of the Art Collection of Prince Yemisi Shyllon March 19th, 2008
We’ve all been there. In Lekki market, I mean. Caught in a maze of stalls and a profusion of knick-knacks and gewgaws we are amused by much that we see, bemused by the swarm of sellers, money changers, bag carriers, car minders and other assorted hustlers demanding our attention and our money, and confused about the true value of anything. We came to have a look, not really planning to buy. We know virtually all that is on offer is low on quality and high on looking to be more than it is, produced probably outside Nigeria, for the likes of us to be parted from our money. But yet we think that maybe we will find something which appeals - a fine example of Nigerian art or craftsmanship that would be a worthy reminder of our time in Nigeria, and reflect well on our good taste. Only we are not so sure. We are overwhelmed by the surroundings. Our confidence in our judgement gets shaky. The stall holder is quick- witted and persistent. So we forego a deal on something that has caught our attention. We think we will “look around some more”. And more often than not we end up buying something else we did not really want. Of course we know that if we like something then we should “go for it”. Discount the sales patter. Do not worry about being taken for a sucker. Ignore the opinions of our partner or companions. Back ourselves! That is easy to say, not so easy to act on. And in any case the apartment is beginning to get rather cluttered, isn’t it. Another approach is indeed to look around, to train the eye. In Ikeja can be found the perfect opportunity to do just that. In his house in Maryland, Ikeja, Prince Yemisi Shyllon maintains the world’s largest collection of Nigerian art. Over 6300 pieces , ranging from works a thousand years old to the creations of the most recent graduates from art school, from the biggest bronze casting in Nigeria to the most delightful pieces of jewellery and adornment, from the most tribal of masquerade masks to paintings that would grace the greatest galleries in the world. All of these have been collected by a man who fell in love with art in his youth and has been pursuing that passion for 30 years. Not all the pieces are masterpieces. Far from it. Prince Shyllon is only to ready to say his sole defining criteria has been whether he liked the piece. Even then he shows some works from his early collecting which do not enchant him greatly now. But the vast majority of this astounding collection reveals the eye of a man with a wonderful sense of what marks out a work of art from a mere item of production.
Prince Shyllon takes real delight and shows justifiable pride in escorting members of the NFS around his collection. He says that to talk seriously about just a few of the works would take all day, so he begs people to ask questions. What wonderful responses the questions elicit! We get vivid descriptions of the work and its origin, and more. Piece by piece the descriptions weave themselves into a history of how this collection was amassed. From modest beginnings, when he could afford little and was sometimes duped, to becoming a great patron of aspiring new artists, the story of Prince Yemisi’s collection is enthralling. When the NFS organizes another visit to Yemisi’s house and garden, do not miss the chance to go. Whether your taste is for the old or the very newest, for painting or for sculpture, for the traditional or the modern, for the tribal or the more universal, you will find a treasure trove that will stimulate your imagination, and educate your eye. And you will come away with a greater confidence in your own judgement next time you see something you like, down at Lekki, or in any of the many markets, shops and galleries in Lagos.
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Lagos Branch
