The Brains Behind the Bronze Busts

 

He is the brains and brawn behind the busts! (hear my report here!)

On February 8 at the ceremony to unveil the bronze busts of the young men killed on this date 54 years ago- what became known as the Orangeburg Massacre- an S-C State art professor from Nigeria took a well-deserved bow. 

Dr. Tolulope (two-loo-loo-pay) Filani sculpted in clay the heads of the three young men who perished on that tragic night in 1968. 

By now most people who work and study on the S-C State campus 

have seen Filani's creations. They are displayed at the new and improved Smith Hammond Middleton Legacy Plaza. But it's safe to say not many know whose skillful hands crafted the three likenesses. 

Know you will know!  Filani came to S-C State in 2006. He is now chair of the university's fine arts department. Filani says the idea of sculpting the Orangeburg Massacre victims came to him when he first visited the school. 

SOT: :21 Filani  (counter- :26-:49)
In: When I came in
Out: had to work 

Filani says he wanted to contribute...to create original art that could enhance a campus he noticed was devoid of it. He said at the University of Missouri, where he earned his advanced degrees, the campus has lots of outdoor art. 

SOT:  :04  Filani  (1:29-1:33)
In: So I took it upon myself

Out: I started the sculptures

Filani's journey to America is told in the Encyclopedia of African American Artists. He was born and raised in Nigeria. 

(Photo courtesy Orangeburg Times and Democrat)

The piece on Filani says as a child he could fix anything and would create clothes from discarded paper. His father thought he had the makings of an engineer. In high school Filani impressed the principal with a drawing of him made from a photograph. The school didn't have an art teacher but Filani's drawing motivated the principal to hire one. 

Filani would be an artist not an engineer. 

He won his first major commission in 1981. It's called Welcome to Nigeria and features, as described in the encyclopedia...a master drummer with a huge drum propped between his strong legs...strumming the drum with his bare hands, much like it is done in major traditional ceremonies across Nigeria.

Filani's sculpture is positioned prominently at the main access to the large airport in Lagos. 

Filani earned college degrees in his native land and was a nationally known and respected sculptor. He says he also studied anatomy, which has helped with his sculptures of people. 

In 1996 he and his family immigrated to the U-S. 

Back here in Orangeburg...Filani says he began work on his Orangeburg Massacre sculpture around 12 years ago. He finished and signed them in 2014. 

So what took so long for them to be publicly displayed? Surprisingly he said there was indifference over the years from top school officials.

SOT:  :18   (2:38-2:56)
In: And this really bothers me
Out: Almost gave up 

Well thank goodness he did not give up! He says a visit to his home studio from S-C State's Title III program director Gloria Pyles was pivotal in finally getting the three heads bronzed...then properly displayed on campus. 

SOT:  :20   (2:59-3:19)
In: The very moment
Out: close to $30,000

Gloria Pyles is a longtime S-C State employee and a 1970 graduate. She was a student when the Orangeburg Massacre happened. On February 8th she was presented by President Alexander Conyers the 2022 Social Justice Award. In her acceptance speech she said she was determined before retirement to bring to bronze Professor Filani's tribute to the three young men. 

And so it came to be...finally!  

SOT:  :17   (4:33- 4:59)
In: How does it feel
Out: of these individuals

SOT: :29  (5:39-6:08)
In: Yes as a sculptor
Out: about them than me

Dr. Tolulope (two-loo-loo-pay) Filani's sculptures are on display in Nigeria...France...around the world he says...and now right here in Orangeburg at South Carolina State University. 

This is Patrick Harwood reporting.