Chisa Linto Aims to Reimagine Tradition Through Art

Chisanyim Okpola may be a qualified lawyer, having endured the rigors of university and law school, but her true passion lies far from the courtroom. At the core, Chisa is a visual artist. For the past six years, under the nom de plume Chisa Linto, she has honed her craft through self-taught techniques from YouTube tutorials. Her unwavering belief in her artistic vision and the high esteem she places on her work are testament to her dedication.

Recently, Chisa drew inspiration from the vibrant Ojude Oba festival, a colorful celebration where the Yoruba people of Ijebu-ode pay homage to their royal majesty, the Awujale of Ijebuland. In response to this year’s particularly resplendent festivities, numerous Nigerian artists have curated meaningful works to immortalize the event. Chisa’s contribution is a reimagined ludo board that captures the essence of the festival. As only the second Nigerian artist to reinterpret the traditional game through the lens of Ojude Oba, Chisa hopes her creation will pique the interest of international audiences, encouraging them to delve deeper into the rich cultural meaning of the festival.

Culture Custodian spoke with Chisa Linto about her background and her experiences as a visual artist living in Nigeria.

You’ve been an artist for 6 years now, how has Nigerian culture influenced your artistic style and what has it been like?

I would say there is a good part and a bad part. I’ll start with the bad part, of course being creative in Nigeria is quite difficult, sometimes it can be difficult to source for things and get clients. Art is not something that I had to pursue directly, I studied law at university. So all of everything that I know so far is something that I had to teach myself. It’s something that I had to push for, even down to convincing my family that I’m leaving the legal life, and focusing on the art to see where it takes me. 

The good side is my source of inspiration. I feel like Nigeria is filled with so many stories and characters that can just inspire your work as a creative daily.  And sometimes you don’t even have to search for it. It just comes to you. It could be a casual day walking around and you just see something very intriguing and you’re like, Oh, I like that. It’s a pendulum. It swings from time to time from the good to the bad parts. 

Can you describe a pivotal moment that shaped your journey as an artist?

I would say two moments, which happened last year.  So after I finished law school, I practiced for a few months, then went into an NGO working as a communications intern. And for the most part, it was just me trying to understand where next I’m going in life. Eventually, I got a job with my law degree and a creative design job, which I really pushed for. I think my persistence was what made the creative director hire me. So I had to make a decision, either to accept this new creative job or just stay in the legal field and see which one works for me. It was a pivotal moment because it was very confusing, and whatever choice I made was going to determine the next two to five years. I made a jump to creative work, it was quick, and fast and I just did it. I feel like for the first time I made a decision that has been working for me, pushing me creatively.  

The second Pivotal journey was last year, in December, when I had my first exhibition. It was a group exhibition, but an exhibition nonetheless. Those two moments just felt good and it felt like the start of something.

Do you incorporate any traditional art forms into your work?

I don’t think I showcase traditional pieces, as they are very time-consuming. But I would say that I find myself doing the process traditional artists follow when I do digital pieces. I start with sketching my work, and even when I paint with acrylic paint, oil, markers, or pencils, it still feels like the traditional process. I don’t yet have the luxury of time to incorporate them the way I would want to. I’m hoping that in due time, I’ll start doing that.  

Who are some artists that have inspired your work, and where else do you derive inspiration?

The first person is Renike. I’ve been following her for a long time, even before I got into digital art, way back in 2017. There is also Kenneth Nwadiogbu, he’s a mixed-media artist. Like Renike, I derive inspiration mostly from the things around me, and mostly, it’s culturally related. So it could either be native culture or pop culture. I like to see what I can create with stories, personalities, and people, to see how I can channel them. Also, I like to do things that I find interesting because whenever I do them, no matter how mundane or insignificant it might be on a large scale, I realize it makes me want to create from the heart.

Tell me about the Ojude Oba ludo board piece, how long did it take to produce? 

It started back in June when the Ojude Oba festival went viral. I saw the pictures, people were making artwork too, and I wanted to join the trend. By the time I started, something just clicked in me. I wanted to make it more interactive and see how I could channel it into something else. Midway, I decided to make a little board out of it, but I wanted it to be interactive and knowledgeable. That’s when I started researching about the festival and trying to just get inspiration from history to create the entire artwork. I finished everything sometime in late July, almost at the beginning of August. It took about three months to get everything done. I recently watched a business insider post on Lost Benin art, and I just think it’s time we go back to our traditions, so they aren’t forgotten.

How did you navigate the massive backlash received from posting your Ojude Oba board, and what are your thoughts on how Nigerians perceive the value of creative work?

I didn’t think I was going to get a backlash. My plan was not to sell it, just to do it,  have people just see it, and then keep the sample copy for myself.  But the reaction I got from my friends made me decide to put it out there. I didn’t care whether anybody pre-orders or not. And then the backlash happened. I got a little bit anxious. Because to me, it didn’t feel like something I should get backlash for. It’s something that I worked on for almost three months. I knew the logistics, I knew how much I spent to get the whole sample product done. I took some time away from the internet and just realized that people would always talk, and they would eventually move on. 

The average Nigerian is thinking of how to survive. And when you put a value on your work, some people don’t understand it. From an empathetic standpoint, I understand and I sympathize. At the same time, I feel like this entire experience has taught me to stand by my decision regardless because I know just how much I put into this and some people might not see it that way and that’s fine.

Nigeria’s visual arts scene continues to evolve through the years. What future do you predict and are there some changes you’d love to see?

Oh man, The way things are looking right now, it seems like the future is very bright because every art form and medium, from music to arts, is expanding. We’re in a digital age, so it’s growing way faster than we thought. I hope that we have incentives in place to protect creatives, and also support creatives. So in as much as we are getting all of this clout, recognition, and appreciation, it would be really lovely if we have incentives, not just from a global standpoint, but also nationally. We do have some creative workshops, and if it keeps going on like this, then yes, the future will be divine for creatives in Nigeria.  

Any new project you’re working on?

Right now, no. I’m trying to get the orders I got from the Ojude Oba ludo board produced, so I can get them sent out. But other than that, I have just personal projects that are sleeping. So I guess once all of this dies down, I’ll see which one I would pick and focus on.