The Nigerian Creative Industries are Overwhelmingly vast! In Lari\’s CAFE\’s quest to explore the industries we stumbled on a Fabricator, pretty strange yeah? Well here\’s the Great Part, a Fabricator is like the Coolest Artist you could ever meet!!! On this note allow me introduce to you \”Offiong Edet Okon the Fabricator\”!!! *drum rolls*
Offiong Edet Okon an Efik man is a native of Okoyong Usang Abasi, Odukpani LGA, Cross River State. He was born on the 4th of June 1992, in Calabar south, Cross River state. He grew up in Diamond Hill Calabar.
EDUCATION
He attended Hope Waddle Nursery & Primary School from 1993 to 2001 then for Secondary school he attended West African People\’s institute from 2002 to 2009. In 2011 he got admission into Cross River university of technology and graduated in 2016 with a major in Sculpting and a Degree in Visual Arts.
ART
From nursery school Okon picked up an interest in art and that interest grew up with him until it became a professional skill. Growing up he aspired to be either an architect or a fine artist. His ambition never really changed as he ended up studying Visual Arts in the university and eventually became an Artist. Okon\’s ultimate goal is to change the narrative of arts in Africa hence his deviation from Conventional Art.
\”Well I am a sculptor by profession but I don\’t enjoy creating art without adding functionality to it and I just don\’t like the conventional style of art.\” – Offiong Edet Okon.
Okon is a professional fabricator (a fabricator is one who constructs something as a piece of machinery from raw materials). He makes unique pieces of Art out of odd materials mostly scrap junk; either metal or wood; whatever he can imagine and lay his hands on. He once turned an old steering wheel and car door into a coffee table.
He unique signature lies in the fact that all his artwork possess a realistic functionality, they are not just aesthetic pieces meant to appeal to the senses of perceptive people; his art is appreciated by all, not only art lovers. His works fit in well in office spaces and are often used as props in motion pictures and music videos.
The piece of leather and Slippers worn by Brymo in his controversial music video \”Heya\” was made by Moon Visual Studios.
INSPIRATION
\”I get my inspiration from God which He puts in my thoughts or the things I see around me.\”– Offiong Edet Okon
MOON VISUAL STUDIOS
Moon Visual Studios was born in 2014 when it was registered at the Nigerian Corporate Affairs Commission. Moon Visual Studios was founded and is owned by Offiong Edet Okon. He runs the studio with the help of a team.
Despite the risks involved in building a Business, not to talk of an \”Art business\”, Okon didn\’t take the safe route by working for another artist, this is his reason;
\”I won\’t have the freedom to explore my creativity so I didn\’t see a need to and I haven\’t found art expressed in such way like mine.\” – Offiong Edet Okon
Okon hasn\’t released any of his Original works yet because they are quite elaborate and expensive so for details on their release turn on Post Notifications on Instagram @moonvisualstudios and @moon_okon. Most of his clients come through instagram or referrals so feel free to DM him for commissioned works.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
The life of an entrepreneur can be daunting and working under the Nigerian economy makes it worse however, Okon has been able to hustle through all that to get to the frontline of his industry, Arts and Craft. He is a public speaker; an advocate for the development of his industry. He is also a source of inspiration and role model to many artists in Nigeria.
CHALLENGES
1.) Space: This is a major Challenge because it limits Okon\’s creativity. He intends to acquire a bigger work space as the business brings in more revenue.
2.) Funds: Okon relies on payments from Commissioned works to create Original works, pay his team and maintain the business. To tackle this challenge he has created a Proposal he intends to present to prospective investors for funding.
SOCIAL MEDIA
For inquiries or more information you can reach out to Okon on;
Instagram: @moonvisualstudios and @moon_okon
Twitter: @moon_okon
