Museum good for Nigeria’s art, cultural heritage education
By Ebere Chibuzor
The Director, Yemisi Shyllon Museum Of Art, YSMA, Pan-Atlantic University Dr. Jess Castellote, has described YSMA as a prominent tool for the promotion of Nigeria’s art and cultural heritage education across nations.
Castellote, who disclosed this in Lagos recently observed, YSMA is an educational museum part of our university and like all university museums all over the world and this is gear towards helping people learn about art and learn through art.
So in our way, this is like every other university anywhere in the world.
We are privilege to have very nice collections in our museum and most of the works here come from Prince Shyllon and some have come from collections, donations and some came from the artists and collectors. We are here for people to learn more and to offer the visitors a possibility in learning more about Nigerian art.
He pointed out that the museum open for all and we allow people to come and see. We are here to serve the whole community and it is not only for the students.
On the benefit, he said, “There are not going to be receipt of good education without the museum.
Art is good for everybody. But I think the museum can contribute positively and there are so many things one can learn from our world.
Explaining further, Castellote noted, “Art is good for the nation, art can benefit and you can learn through art and you can discover things through art and it applies to everybody and not only young people.
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According to him, The Museum offers the service to everybody and museums are beneficial from the cultural and social of the communities. So this is good for the university, this is good for Lagos, this is good for Nigeria and this is good for all over Africa.
Castollete attributed the unique thing about the museum as it is not for commercial purpose.
We have some historic world collections in our museum such as uche Okeke, Osakwe, and the Ife Bronzes, Nok Tera kulta centuries among others.
On the challenges and he stated that inability of the people, companies support to support. And another challenge according to him is that the museum lack funding from government, meanwhile, he appealed that corporate organisations and individuals to support the good course.
Meanwhile, YSMA is home to 1000 traditional and contemporary artworks granted by Prince Yemisi Shyllon to the Pan Atlantic University, including a steadily growing number of donations from artists and arts collectors.
YSMA collection features painting, sculptures, mixed media, and time-based artworks from established Nigerian Artists including Ben Enwonwu, Such Okeke Aina Onabolu, EI Anatsui, Bruce Onabrakpeya among others, Alongside them are works by younger artists Uchay Chima, Peju Alatise, Ben Osaghae, Tony Nsofor, Lanre Tejuosho, Kelani Abass, and many others.
