The Dancer

Uzochukwu Ndubisi was born in Zaria, Kaduna state in 1945. His training and education as an artist was “less formal” than that of the contemporaries of his time. He learned as an apprentice to Uche Okeke at the Mbari Art Centre, Enugu between 1963 and 1966; participated in the Eastern Nigeria art teachers' workshop, Enugu, 1964; and also attended the African Designs Development Centre, Ibadan, from 1970-1972. He built his reputation as a freelance artist/illustrator between the mid 60’s and 80’s working with various media and advertising agencies in Nigeria; hosting solo exhibitions and participating in numerous group exhibitions including "Kunst und Kunsthandwerk aus Biafra," Bonn, Cologne, and Trier, Germany, 1969; FESTAC `77, Lagos, 1977; and the "Silver Jubilee National Art Exhibition," National Theatre, Lagos, 1985 among others. Identifying with the Uli art tradition prevalent at the time, Uzo followed the part of his teacher and master, Prof. Uche Okeke. His drawings are symbolic for stylish expressionism and the representation using the common components of the Uli art philosophy.

In the The Dancer, Uzo Ndubisi attempts to explore his local Igbo heritage by abstractly depicting a young girl, who seems to be having a joyous moment alone dancing, and probably singing as well, on the road. One might guess she’s on her way home from an errand and is remising on some lovely folklore she’s learned as a child to keep her company and ease the stress of the journey. Her arms can be seen swinging in the air as her body moves, while her feet are in walking motion. The drawing is very symbolic for its embodiment of the Uli art technique of representation by the Igbo artists.