Artist Illustrates The Essentiality Of Time In Business

By UbongAbasi Ise

“You may delay, but time will not” – Benjamin Franklin

Recently, The Sensor Business correspondent visited the Fine and Industrial Arts Gardens in the University of Uyo Town Campus. Somewhere at the right side of the CBN Auditorium, there stood a menacing 224cm size sculpture piece. The artwork shows a man’s figure, which hold up a clock in his right palm, neatly undergoing the process of decay. The ordering of the anatomical network of the human figure, the finality achieved in the sculpting and the finesse of the artist, altogether evoke an aesthetic sensation that could throw a keen viewer into a complete state of marvel. Attached to this masterpiece is a casket, which probably, may have been intended by the artist to inspire fear.  The casket, fastened by chains and held up by the human figure, is halfway buried in the ground, but the artist expresses the idea in the work which shows that the casket is being pulled up from the ground by the man figure. When our correspondent contacted the designer of this masterpiece, he revealed a remarkable idea behind the work, which is very relevant in any attempt to coach entrepreneurs on utilizing time resources in business management.

THE ARTIST AND THE WORK

The author of the work, Mr. Otuekong Udoebom, is a 400-level sculpture student in the Department of Fine and Industrial Arts in the University of Uyo. He is an indigene of Ndak Ekom in Ikot Abasi local government area, Akwa Ibom State. The work titled, ‘Time,’ is a visual documentation of a three-dimensional sculpture in fiberglass. Being a researched project, it is intended by the author to motivate conceptual and innovative inquisition towards art praxis occasioned with the belief that it will actively serve as a reminder of the mortality of the viewer, thereby enlightening and addressing the misconception to issues that concern life and death. Ultimately, the composition of the sculpture is intended to inspire its viewer to cultivate a good habit of time-keeping.

In tandem with this concept of time, man is a creature that knows he is going to die someday, it is the fact of human existence that arguably account for the depth of human consciousness and the scope of human culture.

Despite the longing for life and fortune, man is constantly tormented by worries and death-related problems.

Otuekong Udoebon

            The work intends to communicate with man through art by creating a sort of permanent awareness and interaction within and outside the consciousness of man reminding him the need to make valuable use of his time, for time waits for no one.

The materials used  by the artist for the actualization of the sculpted piece include electrodes, rods, cement, clay, fibre mat, resin, accelerator, wood, power tools, plaster of Paris (P.O.P), paints,dust,spade,gravels,catalyst,calcium,sand,brushes,thinner,sandpaper, welding aid and separator.

Modelling and welding technique was adopted. A conjunction of fibreglass, direct modeling and metal junks were also for the sculpting of the human figure, coffin and the clock.

However, the practical work was executed in four faces via construction of armature, clay modeling, casting, charging and mounting. This excludes the pedestal construction of armature.

THE AUTHOR’S ANGLE

The author, Mr. Otuekong Udoebom, has this to say when he interacted with our correspondent on the concept behind the work.

“Initially, I had this idea gotten from a philosophical concept which is humanism. Humanism which we know posits the betterment of mankind, putting up ideologies and man-enabled welfare for betterment of the humanity. So, this concept of time is like an eye-opener to people of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria and humanity as a whole. It signifies that we don’t really have eternity, that whatever we have to do, we have take time into consideration, and do what we have to do on time.

“This also touches the very essence of our ideas, and our very essence of engagements. You don’t have to procrastinate for a very long time. Come out, this is the age of ideas, and let’s see what you have in mind to your people and to your government, even to yourself. So that’s one of the things that inspired me to put up this sculpture piece called time.

“The sculpture piece is an enigma. It evokes this sense of fear, sense of time consciousness, and so many thoughts. It is also a way of telling people that it is time to take the arts and the artists into the centre of things. It is another way of telling people that there is a sector that is not exploited, that is not seen, which is the arts sector along with the cultural sector.  Stakeholders could come in and invest in this sector.

“You could have most of these pieces like ‘Time’ itself being auctioned. Stakeholders could make a whole lot of money from arts.

“Again, it is a way of branding an idea. An idea could be branded and when an idea is properly branded, it brings good returns.

To the business people, it is a way of sending a message through this art piece that time is an element; that time is a principle that should be upheld in a very high esteem; that you should take your time to bring up your ideas, take your time reinvent yourself as a business person. So I will say that this sculpture piece is like a gadfly that takes men into action.”

On Casket Feature

“That part is a scary part of the piece. It is actually very controversial. People would say “why do you bring in a casket into an art work? We don’t really like coffins.” But I see casket as one of the objects that is in line with time. It shows that part of our living as human beings. It is like a life cycle. It helps portray a lifecycle of human beings.

“Once someone is given birth to, the duration of life starts from birth and ends with death. The casket you are seeing also symbolizes an idea. It means that an idea that fails to rise in time could be buried. The business that is not given attention to, probably, would be buried. And that casket shows that so many ideas have been buried. So you don’t have to watch and procrastinate, and see your ideas buried. Come up with something, and let’s see what you have in stock for the world.

“Time is a continuum; there is the beginning of time and there is the end of time. As once an idea is being buried, you cannot have it again. There are so many ideas, many great minds, many philosophies, and so many impactful ideas that have been buried. And once you allow an idea to die, it cannot resurrect; you cannot have it again. That is the end of time for that idea; it is the end of time for that business that has failed to be given time attention.”  

SIGNIFICANCE OF TIME TO BUSINESS

Interacting with our correspondent, Dr. Clement Ekong, the Head of Department, Fine and Industrial Arts, speaks on the significance of Udoebom’s work to the business operators:

“Time is a factor in success that is why you hear people say time is money. If somebody does not know how to manage time, he is far away from success because man-hour determines the output. So one cannot use most part of his life to sleep and expect the same result as somebody who does not sleep most of the time. It is bad when you have something to do at a certain time and you put it off. That thing you put off may never be done again, and in the future, there would be conflict in timing. So time consciousness in business, academy, and whatever somebody does, is a basic foundation to achievements.

“We have heard that time waits for nobody. The clock would not stop ticking because you have stopped doing something; cock would not stop to crow; darkness would come when night sets in; morning would come when sun rises; and evening would come when sun sets. Therefore, the artwork that is domiciled in the Department of Fine and Industrial Arts Garden is a clarion call for everybody, young or old, artists and non-artists, and people in all walks of life, to be conscious of time in their endeavours so as to achieve good success. In order to manage time properly, the work is a signal to us all that there is time for everything. Therefore, if everything is allotted time, there would be time for everything. So being time conscious means there are certain things that should not be allowed to consume our time. For instance, somebody has something to do, then go and dwell on the social media platforms and waste time. I know we are in information era, but information is time-bound. No matter how useful information is, it is not needed all the time. Even the ideas, which rule the world, are not given by God to a particular person, but to all humans. When one manage the idea properly, it will manifest in whatever he is doing in time, and he will be the sole author of the idea.

“Even the casket that features in the artwork is a reminder to human beings that everybody’s time on earth is limited. So when one does not do what he suppose to do, would one day leave the earth. And he will decay and decompose as it is evidenced in the human form of the work.

AUTHOR’S ADVICE

It reminds the viewers of human mortality. It means that your idea could die and be buried. Don’t allow your idea to die. Come out of your comfort zone; take responsibility; bring up initiative; create an idea and a niche for yourself. Make that business breathe again and make that business a born again and watch how the sky would be your stepping stone.

Source: The Sensor Newspaper