Guest: Keiko Watanabe, Award-winning Artist, Inspired by Nigerian Art

Keiko Watanabe had rare experience of a sightseeing trip to Nigeria, receiving wonderful impression of Nigerian art and has been creating design, which was awarded in the Art Festibal.  She visited Nigeria as a tourist for the first time.  Originally she is from Kanagawa Prefecture, and graduated from Kanagawa University Department of Architecture, Tokyo Gakugei University graduate school completion.  She is a professional Art director, illustrator, graphic designer. Primary color coordinator (environment).  In 2010, and her art was accepted for the 2011 Aoyama Design Award.  She says she had opportunity to hear from her old friend, Ms. Misa Kojima about the art of Nigeria in 2002, and then traveled to Nigeria including Lagos, Oshobo, and Abeokuta etc. where she had in touch with painting, sculpture, dying, music and architecture.  She was very impressed by various Nigerian arts and life.  Then she entered illustrations of her creation which was produced by the inspiration from Nigerian art and won the prize, "Design Award 2010" in 2010.  The theme was "Search the elements in Life"  She explains, "Human life is made up by any life form." 

Misa Kojima...Host of the Show