The family of Edem Effiom has officially announced the passing away of their son Mr Burns Edem Effiom. In a statement by Mr. Chubby Effiom a family representative, Burns “died in the early hours of Friday, November 11, 2022.” We are officially informing the press and everyone.
Born on July 26,1961, the Curator icon, who clocked 61 this year, according to the family, “left a legacy of integrity and service to humanity, the Curator profession and the nation at large.”
Briefing Journalists in Calabar the Chairman Committee of friends/foundation IBook Eyo Eyoita (THE ELDER) noted that “We regret to announce the demise of our dear friend Mr Burns Edem Effiom, whose death occured in the early hours of Friday, November 11, 2022. “Burns Edem Effiom left a great legacy behind to be overseen by His family and friends via a website and a foundation.
According to the burial arrangements made by His family, a mourning house will be opened in Lagos on the 18-19 of January 2023. Furthermore , From the
23-28 of January 2023, a mourning house will also be opened in his honour in Cross River State Where the final remains of the Curator will later be laid to rest.
The Chairman Calabar organising committee Mr Nsikan Essien in his speech noted that it is Gods'will that our friend should rest, Who can question God? It is He who gives and also takes.
BURNS EDEM EFFIOM, FCIA PROFILE
Burns Edem Effiom is a native of the Efik kingdom , from Eto Mkpe Archibong Edem clan in Akpabuyo local government area of Cross River state, he was born on 26th of July 1961 in Calabar. He started his early education and nursery education at UWEM EDI IMO, CALABAR then proceeded to PRIMARY SCHOOL at The SACRED HEART SCHOOL all in CALABAR.
He started his secondary school as a pioneering student of Creek town secondary school, before proceeding to
The famous HOPE WADDLE TRAINING INSTITUTE, CALABAR, he then spent time briefly at Etinan institute, before he finally took his WASCE exams at St FINBARS’ COLLEGE in LAGOS. After which, he proceeded to university of Calabar where he studied English and literary studies, a foundation that led him into arts accomplishments world wide.
Burns Edem EFFIOM, FCIA, is a renowned Curator, Collector, Interior Designer, Visual and Performance artist per excellence, he had worked with notable artists like Uche Okeke, Ladi Kwali to co - curate ‘’ Road To KPAZAA’’ a retrospective at the SKOTO GALLERY in New York, to mention a few.
Burns was a multi-faceted artist and consummate professional that worked with many mediums, he was known internationally and across the continent of Africa. His major interest in the arts, was curating, yet he had diversified artistic pursuits and portfolio on multi disciplinary tracts, that took him through the famous Bruce ONOBRAKPEYA Foundation’s Harmattan workshop where he studied print technology in arts.
He later set up his own gallery, HABITUDE gallery that managed all his personal art collection, paintings, crafts, books, rear souvenirs, collected over that last forty years in his journey through arts, he was also a founding director of Arts And Values Plc, the first indigenous Nigerian online arts auctioning house.
He also till his passing moments, managed and was lead curator of the oldest private art gallery in Nigeria, The Bronze gallery Calabar, owned by the famous AFI EKONG, whom was his aunt of blessed memory. This gallery supplied art and antiquated exhibits to all our national museums, global museums and auction houses like Bonhams, the Smithsonian, M.O.M.A et al over the decades.
He also served as the art gallery of Nigerias’ curator, he was always involved in pivotal travels around the globe, showcasing art representing Africa and its plethoras of cultures, in various art exhibitions and museums, he was also a certified fellow of the institute of auctioneers in Nigeria. Burns also served as a pioneering member, board of trustees’ of The Obong of Calabar Royal palace museum and library.
His curated and private works are exhibited and in private collections, all over the world as he partook and led several art exhibitions round the world, he worked with United States of America Department of information service (USIS) and the Bronx museum on a project dubbed THE SMART POWER INITIATIVE as an alumni of The Bruce Onobrakpeya Harmattan workshop.
At 2010 DAK’ART Biennial show in Dakar Senegal Burns EFFIOM represented Nigeria, he also took part in the Nigerian / Korea Navitour 2013, organized by National Gallery of Nigeria of Arts Nigeria in Seoul South Korea’s Total Museum of contemporary Arts. Burns EFFIOM also was a member of a team of young group of performance artist known as ‘’AFIRIPERFORMA’’ that includes the likes of Jelili Atiku, renowned activist and performance artist.
He also worked with the Goethe institute to produce 2013 National Pop up theater in Lagos. He Co- curated the Lagos international Arts Expo for a series of years alongside the likes of Oliver Enwonwu et al. All these acts of service to the private and public sector where arts are concerned, complemented with his astute professional conduct led to him being appointed the secretary of Art Galleries Association of Nigeria (AGAN)
At the 2009 African regional summit of Arts (ARESUVA) he displayed his original works, that were noted as an outstanding representation of African art pieces. Burns EFFIOM was famous for his work and contribution on the exhibition of 100 years of modern art in Nigeria and curated several other editions Including ‘’Complexities, Portraiture, and Various abstracts coming out of Nigeria, making him a house hold name in art curating world wide, especially where art coming out of Africa and Nigeria was concerned.
Burns EFFIOM works I.e. abstracts, drawings, designs, paintings, furniture pieces et al are in display in various galleries and museums around the world making him, and his works the most sought after works of any Nigerian - African curator of repute and relevance par excellence world wide. His bodies of expressions titled “Portraits of Lampedusa” were his pride and joy as a visual artist to name a few.
As a curator, he was currently working on a very anticipated touring exhibition titled "100 year of modern art in Nigeria from 1900s to contemporary ' which had its first opening at the National Museum in October last year. In that same year he supplied curatorial imagery and academic notes, from Bronze Galleries collection, to Phaidon publishing’s first ever publication on art from Africa, spanning centuries of art as catalogued.
Before his death, Burns Effiom was presiding over a foundation with works of art in the spectrum of artefacts, antiquated items, drawings, lithograph prints, paintings, photography, pottery, sculptures and archival material spanning more than a century of anthropological, modern and post modern art in Nigeria. All of this whilst mentoring a bevy of emerging and seasoned artists along their journeys.
Listed in 1000 artist by Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC. He was popularly known as a nomadic freelance curator of note traveling frequently, between his beloved Bronze gallery in Calabar his new found homes New York and Lagos , after many years residing in London, United Kingdom.
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