Our History

Gessomate Professional Art Society was established in October 1999 by couple of friends who had their academic learning of Fine Art from The Polytechnic Ibadan (Main and Eruwa Satellite Campuses). Although the initiative had come through four friends – Femi Adeyinka, Afolabi Otubaga, Afolabi Iwatuje, and Tosin Olaifa with the aim to strengthening their friendship and expand their knowledge in the practice of Visual Arts.

The name Gessomate was coined from two words, Gesso and Mate. The art term “Gesso”, refers to a mixture of glue and white emulsion paint used as a binder to prepare the surface of a canvas for painting so that the paint would not soak into the weave of the canvas; and “Mate”- which means associates, partners, companions or friends. In essence, GESSOMATE is a union of people bonded or connected with the same creative ideology and vision. The objectives of the organization are to share ideological and professional ideas, build a favourable image of art in the society, and encourage prospective artists in the community, among others.

The initial focus was to foster steady development among members and make opportunity available for members to improve on art professionalism, increase passion for art collectively and move on as vanguard body for creativity, hence the tag, “ …a friend in us”.

As time went by, the group expanded beyond its base (Lagos); attracting members of common interest and background within and outside Nigeria, creating programmes to drive art development and appreciation in the society.

The need to step up and redirect the group’s focus arose as a result of some remarkable growths noticed. The need to make everyone enjoy a sense of belonging became imperative, hence the current payoff, “…excelling together”.

On this pedestal Gessomate stands, thriving as a non-profit organization that aims to inspire and motivate young artists and art students in secondary schools. The slogan ‘Let’s catch them young’ highlights the importance of introducing children to art from an early age, recognizing its vital role in a child’s development and its positive impact on other academic subjects. To achieve these goals, the organization conducts seminars, workshops, and art competitions for students in secondary schools, years later, the same were extended to the higher institutions. Over the years, while traversing both formal and informal art schools to support upcoming artists, and promote the aesthetic and functional narratives of Visual Arts, the group efforts have received overwhelming support from art institutions and students. Many of these beneficiaries are today talented artists practising in both studios and corporate settings.

Now, Gessomate, celebrating 25 years of existence with so much vigor to advance is poised to making more desired impact in art development and appreciation.