USA Africa Dialogue Series - Fwd: OBIT: Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy MBE (1952-2012)

From: Elsbeth Court <ec6@soas.ac.uk> Date: January 10, 2013
Family, some friends and colleagues will know the very sad news that
Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy, MBE the acclaimed portrait artist and determined
arts advocate passed away last month. She had a lot more living,
painting and loving to do. Nonetheless, she accomplished a great deal in
two countries and is often cited as a role model for aspiring, woman
artists, most recently (2013) by Dr Peju Layiwola in n.paradoxca's
special issue for 'Africa and its Diasporas'.
Her acclaimed portraits include 'Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II' (2002)
and then head of the Commonwealth 'His Excellency Chief Emeka Anyaoka'
(1999); these and other of her key works are published in the catalogue
'Celebrate! Nigerian Art for the Commonwealth' (Abuja, 2003). A later,
small catalogue "Ancestral Footsteps' features her lyrical, experimental
prints (London, 2005).
The scope of her conventional practice was wide. This weekend funerals
for Chinwe who lived a third of her life in eastern Nigeria and
two-thirds of it in England are being held in Ipswich (on Friday 11,
Seven Hills Crematorium, Ipswich at 2.15pm) and in Awka to continue
through the weekend. The link to her local newspaper's obituary has
details of Chinwe's biography with a terrific photograph when she
received her MBE (Member of the British Empire, 2009):
http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/hacheston_tributes_to_acclaimed_artist_chinwe_chukwuogo_roy_after_three_year_battle_against_cancer_1_1751360


In his eulogy, Roderick Roy says of his late wife, "I believe it was
your absolute belief that nobody in the world was your superior and that
you did not regard anyone as inferior that enabled you to enjoy such
amazing relationships with the people you met in your life. The rapport
that developed between you and the Queen, the Arsenal footballers
seeking your autograph, the easy way you befriended Princess Anne, the
hours spend discussing football with the postman or people on the train,
the children you've inspired in Suffolk village schools, London inner
city comprehensives, Nigerian boarding schools,Mozambique provinces and
South African slums, the way you've always tried to help people develop
their talents are all testimony to this belief. The many, many
friendships you have developed span right across social, political,
intellectual, national and religious divides. If only we could all learn
from that lesson". Messages to Chinwe's family are being received at her
e-mail address, which is <chinwe@chinwe.com>. Elsbeth Court IFCELS
Lecturer World Art: Africa Centre of African Studies H-AfrArts H-Net
Network for African Expressive Culture E -Mail: H-AFRARTS@H-NET.MSU.EDU
http://www2.h-net.msu.edu/~artsweb/

--
kenneth w. harrow
faculty excellence advocate
distinguished professor of english
michigan state university
department of english
619 red cedar road
room C-614 wells hall
east lansing, mi 48824
ph. 517 803 8839
harrow@msu.edu



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