Lost Wax Cards seems to believe a cultural brand can redeem us as the new playing card company will feature art images that celebrate a glorious African past and hopes for a bright future.
In a country where hopes of progress perennially fade; where heads of state continually fall short of their promises to make real reforms (no matter how earnest their intentions), Lost Wax Playing Cards seeks to celebrate Nigeria’s illustrious past and embrace a hopeful future. Lost Wax cards are inspired by Bronze Sculptures of kings, queens and courtiers from the Benin Empire, who ruled a highly developed society and were at turns benevolent and ambitious.
“Each set of Lost Wax Playing Cards contains 54 playing cards featuring illustrations of royal figures from the 15th – 19th century Benin Empire. The Benin Empire thrived in what is now southern Nigeria and left an impressive record of their civilization in the form of bronze plaques commissioned by the King (Oba) to adorn the courtyards of his palace. The playing cards pay homage to this prosperous period in Nigerian history and, in effect, bring this bygone era from the archives into modernity in a colorful and playful way.”
Abidoye had the idea for the playing cards while attending the School of Art Institute in Chicago. After learning about great contemporary artists like Kehinde Wiley and Yinka Shonibare explore issues of identity in the gallery space, Abidoye sought to do the same through a cultural brand. He sought to create art that was highly aesthetic yet accessible; art that was mundane yet could serve as a poignant reminder of how redeemable we are as a nation.
“I expect Lost Wax Playing Cards to bring a new dynamism to Nigerian popular culture and consciousness. My aim is to rekindle this colorful, yet elusive history into Nigerian popular culture through these playing cards.”
“The old Africa that inspired these artifacts has now lost much of its luster. If Nigeria’s prosperous past becomes common sense through these cards, then perhaps the notion of a brighter future won’t be so far-fetched.”
Lost Wax Cards celebrates a nearly lost piece of Nigerian history, a time when kings ruled empires in Africa without the influence of Europeans. With the conviction that heritage is crucial in a world beset by poverty and strife, and that a rich identity consoles us with tradition, the deck of playing cards shares a prosperous past for Nigerians and Africans at large. More importantly, the brand projects a message that recognizes the power and potential that’s echoed in these images of one of the world’s great empires.
The deck of playing cards are indeed very beautiful– designed to be practical art, useful in every home. Lost Wax Cards is available at Temple Muse in time for Christmas and can be purchased as gifts for friends and family.
Lost Wax playing cards will also be available and ship world-wide through www.artofplay.com