Northside welcomes Lemi Ghariokwu as Inaugural ‘Artist in Residence’

To honour the great and late FELA KUTI, The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra and Stani Goma (Flight 1067 To Africa PBS) combine forces to bring out a legendary Nigerian artist who was responsible for painting 26 of Fela Kuti’s now iconic releases. Next week (Sept. 11-15) Northside Records welcomes LEMI GHARIOKWU to becoming its inaugural artist in residence. Lemi will be at Northside Records for a whole week. His art space will be set up in the front window, basking in the beautiful sunlight. Come down to meet a great man and a great artist and see him creating something new.

It is truly and honour to be able to host an artist who has had a direct impact with his cover art on the power of the music and therefore its message. Fela Kuti’s music was a very important music for his generation and consequent ones as well. It helps people to understand the power of the resistance of solidarity against a force that is seemingly insurmountable. It has been Lemi’s artwork that has helped to explain the music to the masses. (Our ‘artist in residence’ poster created by Rex)

f you can’t make it to Northside, you can see and hear Lemi at various shows, exhibitions and talks during the next two weeks. His schedule looks like this:

7th September: Finding Fela screening at The Africa Hub
9th September: ‘Afro Art Beat’ exhibition at Nicholas Projects
9th September: Beasts of No Nation: A Tribute to Fela Kuti at The Night Cat featuring The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra
11-15th September: Artist in Residence at Northside Records
15th September: Panel Discussion at The Wheeler Centre for Books, Writing and Ideas
16th September: ‘Shepparton Afrobeat Celebration’ at St Paul’s African House

Stay tuned for details on all the artwork that is for sale as well as when is the best time to meet Lemi. The inaugural Artist in Residence at Northside has to be someone special, and SPECIAL we have got!  Below is one of Lemi’s great painting for Fela Kuti’s Alagbon Close. Plenty more to see instore.