Renowned Nigerian master wood carver Kasali Akangbe Ogun has been buried following his death last week after a brief illness. He came from a long line of wood carvers from the Yoruba people, originating from Osogbo in Nigeria's south-west, and helped bring the tradition to a global art audience.
Akangbe Ogun was recognized for his "unique artistic style, characterised by lean, elongated faces and dynamic, flowing forms," as noted by Nigerian art patron Olufemi Akinsanya. He was a leading figure in the New Sacred Art Movement, founded by Austrian-Nigerian artist and Yoruba priestess Susanne Wenger in the 1960s, which aimed to protect the 75-hectare Osun Forest and its river.
His carvings are visible at the Osun Forest, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005 due to its cultural significance in Yoruba cosmology and its status as the largest protected primary forest in the region. The grove is considered the abode of the fertility goddess Osun, featuring sanctuaries, shrines, sculptures, and artworks dedicated to Osun and other deities. The sacred grove is now seen as a symbol of identity for the Yoruba people.
Works from The New Sacred Art Movement, including those by Akangbe Ogun, are currently on display in the Nigerian Modernism exhibition at Tate Modern. Exhibition curator Osei Bonsu stated that Akangbe Ogun was a vital figure whose art "brought spiritual depth to Yoruba devotional practice" and "stands as a testament to a life committed to faith, community, and visual poetry."
Akangbe Ogun was instrumental in safeguarding the forest from misuse, often confronting those attempting to fish in the sacred River Osun, where such activities are prohibited. The river is the focal point of the annual Osun Osogbo Festival, a significant cultural and tourism event in Nigeria.
Born around 1945 into the Arelagbayi lineage, wood carving was a family tradition that had skipped two generations before his birth. His formal education was brief, but he developed a proficiency in languages and extensive knowledge through his travels for art. Susanne Wenger identified his distinctive carving style and encouraged him to pursue it. Wenger described his work as "a primary eruption of genius."
His craftsmanship is evident in the ritual figures, majestic pillars, and beautifully crafted roofs adorning many shrines, according to Akinsanya of the Adunni Olorisha Trust. Akangbe Ogun exhibited widely, including at Iwalewa Haus, Bayreuth, Germany (1989); Africa Centre, London (1990); Edinburgh Fringe (1994); and Quintessence, Lagos (2009). He also exhibited and completed commissions at the National Black Theatre in Harlem, US, throughout the 1990s, and served as Distinguished Africana Artist-in-Residence at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2013.
Curator and art consultant Moses Ohiomokhare highlighted the "poetic lines, sense of whimsy and wit" in Akangbe Ogun's works, affirming his mastery. His monumental sculptures and fantastical structures are prominently displayed throughout the Osun Grove. Despite his renown, Akangbe Ogun lived a simple life in Osogbo, committed to maintaining his living environment as a model of traditional Yoruba culture.
In October 2020, Akangbe Ogun expressed satisfaction that his children had learned the art of wood carving, ensuring the continuation of his legacy. He was featured in a short film by The Metropolitan Museum of Art in the US, commemorating the reopening of its Michael C. Rockefeller Wing. Tributes were received from various figures, including Wayne Barrow, manager of The Notorious B.I.G. Akangbe Ogun once described himself as "a dot, just a dot, connecting the past to the present, and the future."