Sunday Jack Akpan

Sunday Jack Akpan (born Ikot Ide Etukudo, 1940) is a Nigerian sculptor who has been described as "the contemporary African equivalent of the medieval artisan". He is most famous for his work in cement, in which he crafts traditional-style statues of tribal leaders and other figures, mainly as grave art, which he then paints; he has also created other types of commercial art, including religious figures and business signage. His work has been shown at the Venice Biennale and at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, among other venues. Some of his work is in the collection of the Horniman Museum in London.

Biography
Sunday Jack Akpan is a post-war contemporary artist who concentrated on sculpture. Akpan was born in Ikot Ide Etukudo, Nigeria on August 1, 1940. He mainly works in group exhibitions and has a solo show. The medium he is known for sculpting with is cement. The types of artwork that he makes are traditional figures and grave artworks. Another factor this artist has is that belief-based ideologies can have a different style that could be more on the religious side. Most of his figures are correlated to tribal leaders and are big-scale sculptures. His artwork has brought him success as he has been almost throughout Europe, and even Japan. Sunday Jackpan a Nigerian artist tries to share his point of view on the history of African culture, most of his sculptures are African people and he does these great exhibitions in Europe. He is very proud of being and spreading his knowledge within his artworks on that topic. Akpan is also ranked in the top 100,000 artists globally, but his best rank and time in his career was in 2001.

Education
The level of success in Akpan's education is currently unknown. Sunday Jack Akpan was taught layering brick, by Mr. Albert Edet Essien. This experience helped guide him to progress in his cement skills in sculpting his naturalistic large-scale figures.

Major artworks
Solo Exhibitions

Sunday Jack Akpan. Bust of a Nigerian Chief. 1986

In this art piece by Sunday Jack Akpan, the artist is sculpting a Nigerian Chief, or considered a Tribal Leader. A headpiece sculpture of a Nigerian chief. The artwork has a Nigerian man with a red shirt, dark-colored hair, and a slight smile on his face. The artwork was created in the year 1986 and is one of his most famous sculptural pieces. The West African traditional art style can be shown in this piece, and also be shown in almost all of his artworks.

Sunday Jack Akpan. African Family. 1986

The art piece, "African Family", by Sunday Jack Akpan, was created in 1986 with the medium being cement. The style of this piece of art is traditional, as seen in many other works by Sunday Jack Akpan. This artwork is to alter the overall definition of contemporary art. The artist intended this artwork to be superior in originality, to maintain African culture, but still have the modernization factor within it. One of the goals for this art piece was to create something to live and play with. The artist Sunday Jack Akpan wanted to endure new styles in this piece but still wanted to keep the traditional African styles as well.

Sunday Jack Akpan. No Title. 1994

The art piece by Sunday Jack Akpan, Unknown Title, made in 1994, is one of his most famous art pieces. The medium is cement, with paint. The art piece consists of sculpted powerful African men dressed up elegantly. The one important element in this sculptural piece is that all the men are facing forward, which also seems to be a high-end social setting. Next, the men are trying to gain attention, this is why the artwork is to be very noticeable, to get the attention of the individuals walking past this artwork. To demonstrate the reality of powerful rulers in the present moment of that time. The location of this artwork is in front of offices in Akebonocho, Tachikawa-shi.

Group Exhibitions

Sunday Jack Akpan’s art career has debuted in various museums and exhibitions. He has had eleven art shows, one being a solo show. His first official exhibition was in 1989 in Paris at “Magiciens De La Terre at Centre Pompidou Musée National d´Art Moderne”. Next, his newest art exhibition was in Lyon, France, at “Musée d'Art Contemporain”, his exhibition was called, “Incarnations”. The artist seems to have most of his artwork debuted in France, he also has had shows in Italy, and Germany. Akpan is primarily demonstrating his work in shows in Europe. Japan's most well-known show was, "La Biennale di Venezia" in Venice, Italy which took place in 2001. Akpan has had shows with other artists the primary ones being the following artists, Frédéric Bruly Bouabré, Chéri Samba, and Bodys Isek Kingelez. Venice Biennale in  2001 "Plateau of Humankind", was a famous exhibition for Sunday Jack Akpan due to the prime of his artistry being in 2001. “Africa Remix” was another exhibition he debuted in various locations, Kunstpalast in Düsseldorf (2004), Hayward Gallery in London (2005), Centre Pompidou in Paris (2005), Moderna Museet in Sweden (2006), Mori Art Museum in Tokyo (2006).

Artworks

 * Sunday Jack Akpan. “Häuptling”. 1986
 * Sunday Jack Akpan. Bust of a Nigerian Chief. 1986
 * Sunday Jack Akpan. Nigerian Chief. 1986
 * Sunday Jack Akpan. Akwa. 1989
 * Sunday Jack Akpan. Chief Efik. 1989
 * Sunday Jack Akpan. Chief Rivers. 1989
 * Sunday Jack Akpan. Chief Ibibio. 1989
 * Sunday Jack Akpan. Chief Anang. 1989
 * Sunday Jack Akpan. Chief Soldat Marius. 1989
 * Sunday Jack Akpan. Chief Soldat Gaston. 1989
 * Sunday Jack Akpan. Chief De La Police. 1989
 * Sunday Jack Akpan. Chef en tenue européenne.1989
 * Sunday Jack Akpan. “African Family”. 1986
 * Sunday Jack Akpan. No Title. 1994, (Located in Akebonocho, Tachikawa-shi)
 * Sunday Jack Akpan. Chief, 2001

Publications
Akpan, S. J., and A. O. Akpan. Zementskulpturen aus Nigeria: Sunday Jack Akpan, Aniedi Okon

Akpan. Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen, 1988.

Akpan S. J A. O Akpan Musée des beaux-arts de Calais and Association française d’action

artistique. 1985. Sculptures En Ciment Du Nigeria De S.j. Akpan Et a.o. Akpan : 26

Novembre--15 Décembre 1985. Paris: Association d’action artistique.