VER MR ARTIST (VER IKESEH)
Colored Orphanages
Tivid Orphanage International
Makurdi, Nigeria
Orphanages in Benue State have been neglected. Most of the homes have become stigmatized and lack aesthetic appeal; painting wall murals on the orphanages will go a long way in making the spaces aesthetically sane for the orphans.
This project includes mural painting sessions with the orphans that will teach them how to paint murals and further unite them. The teamwork will help the children begin to imagine ways they can help each other.
The murals will use soccer as a theme to portray “forms of unity.” Soccer is one of the easiest sports for children to play in Benue because of its popularity and the fact that it can be played anywhere and understood easily. Soccer-themed murals will be exciting for the orphans and an exercise they will be eager to participate in. The idea of using soccer as a theme to promote unity is in itself a “form of unity.”
Ver Ikeseh has over ten years of experience as a practicing visual artist. He earned a Bachelor of Art in Fine Arts from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria Nigeria. He also has two art-related Master’s Degrees from the University of Ibadan in Nigeria and Leiden University in the Netherlands. Ikeseh’s undergraduate thesis was an analysis of the wall murals at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. This and his subsequent research on murals have continued to propel his passion to impact lives, and he launched the 920 Project, where he aims at painting murals in 920 communities across Africa and in the process teaching kids and youths how to paint murals. This campaign earned Ikeseh a spot as one of the 25 AYADA Lab 2019 finalists, who are supported by Goethe Institute, Alliance Français, and iSpace. Currently, he paints mural commissions, and the proceeds are used to fund the 920 Project.