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ABOUT THE WORK HABEEB
Smell Deaths In Imprisonment.
What kills you first, malaria, ANDU
tuberculosis or your prison
sentence is a rhetorical question
begging for an answer. Aside
known congestion that has Born in Lagos Nigeria,
made Nigeria prisons yard Habeeb Andu graduated
next worst place after biblical with Upper credit in
hell, incidences of curable painting from Auchi
diseases leading deaths
amongst prison inmates are Polytechnic, Edo State,
becoming alarming. Rather Nigeria. He is greatly
than come to the aid of the influenced by the late
inmates by way of integrative Nigerian Artist Ben
correctional equipment that Osaghae, and gained a lot
will rehabilitate the attitude
of the inmates, they are often of experience under his
subjected to the worse form of tutelage. Inspired by the
inhumanity due to dilapidated abstract expressionist, he
healthcare system. This piece infuses vibrant colours,
titled FIRST AID BOX depicts
the experiences convicts and large brush strokes
awaiting trial inmates encounter and intricate discarded
while waiting for justice to be materials to produce mid
served and serving their prison to large size textured
sentences. It speaks to inmates pieces that explore
living conditions hinged on N120
meal per day with no nutritional socio-political themes. In
component in an extremely October 2017, Habeeb
poor facilities and nonexistent was selected as one of
healthcare. Prison inmates are Rele Art Foundation Young
only feed to remain alive for Contemporaries also in
another day. Over the years,
the welfare of prison inmates November 2017; he won
in Nigeria has deteriorated as the ArtX Prize for his work
many such prisons do not meet “Blacklist”. His latest body
basic United Nations standard LOT 66 of work “Battle Field” was
of prison ambiance. Malaria and
tuberculosis remains a disease First Aid Box, 2018 exhibited at ArtX, Art Fair
of major public health concern Mixed Media - (W107 x H107) 42 x 42 in. 2018
in Nigeria especially among the
neglected population such as Signed and Dated (Lower Right)
the prison environment. This N450,000 - N550,000
piece is a call to action on the
need to be humane in tackling
basic health ailment in Nigeria
prisons and around sub Saharan
Africa by making available
drugs for curable diseases. The
conditions of our prisons today
is worrisome. 70 per cent of
the inmates are between the
ages of 18 and 20 while 67.8
per cent are pre-trial detainees.
Most prisons across the country
today are congested and it often
creates friction among inmates
and prison officials which
sometimes results into violence.

JOEL
ARUEYA

LOT 67
Random Thought, 2017
Acrylic on Canvas
(W122 x H122) 48 x 48 in.
Signed and Dated
(Lower Right)
N350/$1 N600,000 - N800,000