Henrie Moweta is an African contemporary visual artist and curator based in Lagos Nigeria, where he runs art galleries exhibiting the works of artists from across Nigeria.
Early Life
Henrie Moweta began his journey of art quite early in his life. Born on June 1, 1960, in Jos to a Delta state family in Nigeria, Henrie Moweta has grown to be a recognized name in Nigerian art.
He had primary education (1969–1974) at Saints Patrick’s Model primary school, Sapele Nigeria. Secondary education (1974–1979) at Saints Patrick’s College (S.P.C), Asaba Bendel State. After his college education, Henrie Moweta went on to pursue tertiary education at the prestigious Auchi Polytechnic in Auchi, Edo state where he majored in Fine Art, specializing in painting (1982–1986).
Equipped with sharpened skills and a creative portfolio, he became a fashion design instructor at the Mac’s Institute of Fashion, where he mentored top fashion design students, including Gloria Onyeama, now his wife Gloria Moweta—an excelling fashion designer in Nigeria’s commercial metropolis—Lagos.
Professional Career
In the early 1990s, Henrie Moweta launched his art gallery—the Henrimoweta Gallery—from the living room of his two-bedroom apartment in Anthony while remaining highly mobile with his works, throughout Lagos, every day of the week. Afterward, he rented and renovated a space that previously served as a bar/hangout space on Adebayo Mokuolu Street, Anthony Village, just below the same residential building where he lived. This became the first official company address and headquarters. In the years following, he participated in ‘Merchants of Aesthetics’—a major joint art exhibition held in Lagos that promoted the works of contemporary artists such as Ini Brown, Nsikak Essien, Abraham Onobusere, and other active contemporary artists at that time.
His first international art exhibition took place in 1997 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Today, Henrie Moweta is the Managing Director of Henrimoweta African Art Centre, which stands nearly two decades old and houses thousands of art pieces from a broad range of Nigerian artists, expressed in a variety of techniques and creative media, such as canvas, wood, metal, fiber glass, clay, plastocast, bronze, and burned wood.
Henrie’s notable pieces include ‘Ikombi dance’, a metal relief work jointly executed by talented Nigerian artist Ojo Campbell and commissioned by Bar. (Mrs.) Paul Usoro, as well as ‘Unity of Purpose’, a six-foot fiberglass work depicting the latent power in uniting to achieve a common purpose. This piece was created alongside the talented Nigerian-born artist Roland Osawe.
Henrie has commissioned works for various platforms, including the Past Nigerian President—Obasanjo Solidarity forum and the W.I.S.T.A (Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association). He has actively participated in exhibitions locally and internationally, and his works continue to be traded, auctioned, and exhibited on independent platforms throughout the country.
The Henrimoweta African Art Centre
The Henrimoweta African Art Centre began in a ground-floor space of a residential building, located just below Henrie Moweta’s 2-bedroom apartment and adjacent to what was formerly Clara and Stella supermarket. However, Clara and Stella moved to a different location, and Henrimoweta acquired this space shortly afterward to expand. This expansion provided opportunities for larger exhibitions, rentals, and art coaching/mentoring classes. For a time, it was reputed to be the largest art gallery on the Lagos Mainland. Some years later, Henrimoweta closed the expansion wall and returned to its previous size. The partition was subsequently occupied by a pharmacy called Medvault.
In June 2017, Henrimoweta African Art Centre opened a second gallery space located in Victoria Island Lagos. It is a modern, compact space housing a collection of contemporary African art, sculptures, and masterpieces.
Artistic expression and Influences
Henrie Moweta explores various media, but has a strong preference for acrylics due to the subtle finish they impart to his works. Many of his pieces are surreal or abstract in nature, drawing inspiration from his surroundings—the people and places of the bustling Lagos metropolis. As a young artist, he was particularly drawn to the style of Feliks Topolski—a Polish-British expressionist artist born in 1907, who also served as the official war artist portraying battlefield events for the Great Britain and Poland governments during World War II.
Awards and Commendations
Henrie Moweta has received accolades from both private and public organizations for his contributions to art, culture, and entrepreneurship in Nigeria. He has been recognized by associations such as the West African Students Union (WASU), Lions Club International, and other non-governmental organizations for his roles in supporting education, youth empowerment, and humanitarian service.
Further reading
External links
References
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