Meet Helen Nzete | Visual Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Helen Nzete and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Helen, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
It was very important to me from a young age to be an artist because that’s how I got a lot of attention but as I grew I realised that this attention meant that people are compelled by art and what better way to make my voice heard than through what I love the most.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a contemporary artist and my art is mostly conceptual. I do a lot of mixed media pieces and they have a mix of sculpting and painting.
I would like to think of myself first as an art rebel and an activist.

In my career I am true to my creative calling which is activism for social causes and I am very proud of this.

I am very excited about my current project on the repatriation of the artefacts by the German govt. which is a panel conversation and will hold in Abuja, Benin and Lagos.

Recently I was awarded the inspiring young artist of the year by the National Gallery of arts.

It’s not been an easy path being a studio artist and it has taken years of doubts, strength,weakness and enthusiasm to build and still building my career.
I had to engage an invisible audience and anticipate what the real one would be before I was bold enough to engage a real audience, i struggled a lot with rejections and “failures” in my practice but today they do not hold me back because they have been my reason to keep going and doing what i do.
Even though it was not easy, I learned over time that consistency will always pay off, maybe not as fast or in the manner I desire but with patience it will.
I will not stop using my art as a tool for positive change.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I am mostly in my studio working or at an art thing but hmmmm… I love to hang out at mambaah cafe here in Abuja. It’s an alternate space with a lot of creative activities and people, great coffee and they have the live band on Tuesday nights which I love because I love live music foreign or local.
I also enjoy hiking so I would take them on one.
We would definitely visit the craft market and I definitely will bring them back to my studio to show them my collection of old Nigerian currencies.
We would also go antique hunting and play volleyball on Sundays.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I really want to dedicate and recognize Rowland Goyit for his support and always being in my corner. I recognize Mark Dekpe, Danielle, S.N.A (Society of Nigerian Artists), Patricia, Eva Martha, Raymound, The Nzete’s, Prof. Ken Okoli, Prof. Duniya Gambo, Prof. Jerry Buhari

Website: https://helennzeteapiti.wixsite.com/helennzete

Instagram: instagram.com/myarttitude

Twitter: Twitter.com/myarttitude2

Facebook: Facebook.com/helennzete