At her latest exhibition ‘Wings of Freedom’, CEO of K n’ F Enterprise and Kokab School of Arts, Kokab Farrukh featured artworks of four of her pupils – Sara-Michelle Oni (7), Eniola Dauda (10), Mahrukh Farrukh (her daughter, 11), Adaeze Victoria-Collins (11) and Idris Ibrahim (12).

Contrary to most exhibitions, ‘Wings of Freedom’, held at the Kokab School of Art, was carefreely chaotic. Several children – the siblings and cousins of the young exhibitors – weaved in-between the partitions of exhibited works artworks, running and screaming with delight. And the young exhibitors talking to the adult audience about their works amid sips of ‘Chi Exotic’ orange juice and finger foods.

By the time viewers have done their rounds of the exhibition, they are infected by the childlike joy and meanings bursting out of the colourful canvases. There is 11-year-old Victoria Collins Tulips (multimedia canvases deploying Styrofoam, acrylic paint, clay, paper etc.), 10-year-old Eniola’s adaptation of Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’ and ‘Self Portrait’, Farrukh’s colourful and bedazzled flower basket and gold-embossed Arabic inscription of Allah, Ibrahim’s ‘Puzzle of Life’, and Oni’s landscape piece ‘Reflection’. These canvases are explosions of colours, and meanings guided by curators to further appeal to the viewers.

But beyond the curator’s touch, several things can be discerned – one, the young artists growing sense of self- expression that will in time develop into a skilled language of the arts; and the initiative to infuse their passions into their works, and their varied, developing, creative thought, processes and techniques that will eventually set them apart from others.

For instance, Marukh’s artwork – an Arabic inscription of 100 ways to say Allah – has been a medium of relating with fellow Muslims, and a means of engendering communication and interest with friends of other denomination. For one so young, she is aware that art may not always afford her the means of expression. As she said, “Sometimes my art brings me relief and sometimes they don’t.”
Eniola – who is learning the craft of crocheting is excited about infusing this skill to her canvas in the future. “I have never really thought about doing so, but now it is something I am looking forward to.”
While Victoria-Collins’ images reflect issues of sustainability, recycle and reuse, borrowed from her DIY background. A deeper look indicates a focus on the pursuit of one’s dreams, including hers – in midwifery. “I want to be a labour and delivery nurse, while also practicing my arts on the side. I hope the arts will take me places outside Nigeria.”

Idris whose works are preoccupied with the workings and perception of the human minds and human response to technology shows great potential for the exploration of human psychology in relation to technology, and the metaphysical world.

Kokab’s imaginary world, caps the emotions portrayed by her younger exhibitors, giving viewers imagination free rein to be joyful, dream dreams and believe everything is possible.
No wonder the artist herself at the age of 47 feels she can hop and jump as high as her students.

“Children give me happiness. Just seeing them makes me happy. You just need to give them a little freedom, keep an eye out so they don’t hurt themselves, and watch them explore the whole around them.”

Kokab’s connection with children isn’t unusual. She has been creatively nurturing children for the past near-decade, and one of her pupils – Tagbo – is considered an art prodigy. Hence, sharing the spotlight with her students, and opening a creative-centered early years school, K n British School, do not come as a surprise.

“My whole life I have seen art as the bottom subject. But I often ask, “If English is important, why draw apple alongside the letter A? If math is important, why draw three fishes plus another three fishes and show it equals to six fishes?

“I created a space, a city, where we give children a little freedom, while keeping an eye out so that they don’t hurt themselves, and you will see them exploring things. When you give children a creative space, the back-bencher will become the leader.”

On ‘Wings of Expression’ which draws reference from seeral concepts and references like Peter-Pan syndrome, Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’, and the ever-present swings – symbolizing a carefree spirit, Kokab hopes viewers with take with them ‘the spirit of art’ – ‘ArtInSpirit’, to create inspiring creative spaces in their homes for themselves and especially for their children.

‘Wings of Freedom’ is open November 2 to 9, 2024 @ the Kokab School of Art, Jabi, Abuja.