By Amos Odhe, Yenagoa
The Comptroller of Immigration Service, Rivers State Command, CIS James Sunday, has urged government to invest in creative arts and artefacts as a means of boosting internally generated revenue and reduce unemployment.
According to James Sunday, studies have shown that creative industries provide jobs, encourage tourism and boost revenue to local businesses.
Comptroller Sunday, who made this known during private visit to the Moriri Gallery located at Rumuogba Estate Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said study have also shown that the value added by arts and culture to the US economy is five times greater than the value from the agricultural sector, insisting that creative arts, collection of artefacts, fashion, film, television, performing arts, publishing, music and other creative industries and many more directly benefit our local and overall economies.
He encouraged the director of the studio, Kayode Adeoti, to expose the facility to the public through exhibition, trading the artworks as export products of Nigerian Artworks for foreign returns in foreign currency instead of just exhibition, adding that “the artworks I am seeing here can match anyone, anywhere in the world.”
According to him,”I encourage you to trade it as exportable artefacts, Moriri Gallery is an institutional art structure dedicated purposely and strategically laid out in an eco-friendly space with the touch of a serene African mangrove setting.”
The gallery, which is housed on two floors with interesting architecture, which brings about unique experiences when interacting with the works of different artists, promote the concept of ‘Moriri’ and is an attempt to bring appreciation to art, culture and nature.
Moriri Gallery was inspired and founded during the COVID 19 pandemic and it opened its doors to artists and art enthusiasts on November 6, 2020 at Rumuogba Estate in Port Harcourt.
The gallery hosts 2 exhibitions annually, focused on practicing studio artists and academy artists who are scholars in higher institutions.
In addition to the annual exhibition series, the gallery publishes an art journal titled Moriri Chronicles – Journal of Contemporary Culture, ISSN – Print: 2971-5636, Online: 2971-5644
Kayode Adeoti, an art lover, enthusiast and collector is the founder and director of Moriri Gallery of Contemporary Arts.
