Asiru Olatunde

The Palm Wine Tapper

SKU: ASO-1801

Asiru Olatunde

Nigeria

Oshogbo, Nigeria
c. 1990
Hammered aluminum relief (21" h x 12 1/2"w)

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Eye Okin (King of the Birds)

SKU: ASO-9004

Asiru Olatunde

Nigeria

Asiru Olatunde (1922-1993), Oshogbo, Nigeria
c. 1990
Hammered aluminum relief.
(8" h x 18 1/2"w)

Price on Request

Product Status:

Sold

Yoruba Court

SKU: ASO-9002

Asiru Olatunde

Nigeria

Asiru Olatunde (1922-1993), Oshogbo, Nigeria
c. 1990
Hammered aluminum relief
(12 1/2" h x 20 1/2"w)

Price on Request

Product Status:

Sold

Shrine for the Cowrie God

SKU: ASO-9003

Asiru Olatunde

Nigeria

Asiru Olatunde (1922-1995), Oshogbo, Nigeria
c. 1990
Hammered aluminum relief
(8 1/2" h x 19"w)

Price on Request

Product Status:

Sold

Oshogbo Scenes

SKU: ASO-9001

Asiru Olatunde

Nigeria

Asiru Olatunde (1922-1995), Oshogbo, Nigeria
c. 1990
Hammered aluminum relief (19 1/2" h x 36"w)

Price on Request

Product Status:

Sold

Recent Arrivals

The Palm Wine Tapper

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Posted: 11/17/2018

About the Artist

Asiru Olatunde

Asiru Olatunde (1918–1993)

Like his father and grandfather before him, Asiru Olatunde (1918–1993) was a blacksmith. Illness forced him to give up blacksmithing and for a time he made jewelry to sell in the market. In 1961, encouraged by Susanne Wenger and Ulli Beier, Olatunde began to create figures of animals out of recycled copper and aluminum. His work evolved into a unique repoussé (reverse hammered technique) on aluminum panels.

These panels are studies in texture and reflected light. The overall stippling pattern recalls the white painted dots found on some traditional wooden shrine figures. Olatunde's subjects include narratives drawn from Yoruba oral tradition, Bible stories set in Nigerian settings and scenes from everyday life. One image seen repeatedly throughout his work is the tree of life, a truly universal motif that also recalls his connections to the groves of the Oshun shrine. He sold his works locally and worldwide, in both the Oshogbo market and as commissions from churches, palaces, banks and the government.

Olatunde begins by incising the fine outlines of his design with a hammer and a sharp piece of iron. Then he incises the details such as the figure's features, clothing or hair. Finally, he creates the background texture using a punch. Apprentices help with the heavier routine portions of the work.

Above information courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of African Art.

Region:

Africa