Nigeria’s art scene, which features traditional and contemporary art, has long been a thriving innovation centre. Because of its rich cultural legacy and dynamic artist community, Nigeria has many galleries and exhibitions offering a stage for domestic and foreign talent. Here are 10 art exhibitions and galleries you should check out if you’re an art enthusiast or just interested in learning more about Nigerian art.
1. Lagos Biennal
In 2017, the Àkéte Art Foundation, a Lagos-based artist collective registered with the Nigerian Corporate Affairs Commission, established the Lagos Biennial as a non-profit platform for contemporary art. With its wide-ranging worldwide scope, the biennial establishes Lagos as its centre for publishing, research, residencies, public programs, exhibitions, and publications about contemporary art.
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Through these events, the biennial promotes daring methods of creating art, presenting it, and engaging in critical discourse. It seeks to address complex social and political issues, build new audiences, and develop novel platforms for participation in the city, the nation, and the world.
2. LagosPhoto Festival
Over 20,000 people attend the LagosPhoto Festival annually, Nigeria’s most significant international photography festival. The festival, founded in 2010 by Azu Nwagbogu of the African Artists Foundation, features established and up-and-coming photographers from Africa and beyond.
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Several indoor and outdoor venues will showcase historical and contemporary stories from the African continent throughout the month-long festival, including exhibitions, events, workshops, residencies, talks, and digital activities.
The festival’s displays showcase the intricacy and beauty of Nigerian life, providing a visual story that depicts the nation’s changing socio-political environment.
3. Art X Lagos
Nigerian businesswoman and art collector Tokini Peterside-Schwebig founded ART X Lagos in 2016 to promote and showcase the diversity of contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora. Every year, it attracts a wide range of foreign collectors, curators, and critics, in addition to local patrons.
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ART X Lagos typically lasts four days and includes galleries from Africa and the Diaspora showcasing established and emerging artists. The exhibition also features innovative projects to engage its diverse audiences, live art and music events at ART X Live!, and a lecture program called ART X lectures with speakers from around the country and beyond!
Art X Lagos frequently features the most significant contemporary artists in Nigeria. In addition to offering a forum for discussion on the direction of African art, the fair often establishes trends for the Nigerian art scene.
4. Abuja Art Fair
The Abuja Art Fair is a growing venue for emerging Nigerian artists to exhibit their work. The event is dedicated to helping emerging artists in the area and giving young people a platform.
The Abuja Art Fair features a broad range of artwork, including painting, sculpture, photography, and digital media, emphasising Nigerian artists. The expo showcases the inventiveness and diversity of Nigeria’s upcoming artistic talent.
5. National Gallery of Art, Abuja
Nigeria’s government launched the National Gallery of Art in Abuja to advance the country’s visual arts. The gallery assists Nigerian artists by arranging shows and offering a venue for artistic growth.
The National Gallery often hosts exhibitions that showcase the creations of Nigerian artists, both developing and well-established. Themes like politics, social change, and national identity are frequently included in these exhibitions.
6. Thought Pyramid Art Centre
With two locations in Lagos and Abuja, Thought Pyramid Art Centre is committed to bridging the gap between traditional and contemporary African art. The gallery’s guiding principle is supporting contemporary art activities while safeguarding Nigeria’s cultural legacy.
The gallery regularly holds exhibitions and art fairs featuring the works of regional and worldwide artists. These events give artists a forum for creative dialogue and allow them to pursue new artistic endeavours.
7. Omenka Gallery
One of Nigeria’s most prestigious galleries, Omenka Gallery, is renowned for emphasising contemporary African art. The gallery has become well-known worldwide for carefully planned shows honouring African inventiveness and representing some of the continent’s most famous artists.
Photo Credit: Omenka Gallery.
Nigerian artists can now exhibit their work internationally because of Omenka’s partnerships with several foreign galleries and art fairs. The gallery’s collection features pieces by prominent artists, including Ben Enwonwu and Bruce Onobrakpeya.
8. Terra Kulture
Terra Kulture is a cultural centre that supports Nigerian art, language, and culture; it’s more than just a gallery. Since its founding in 2004, Terra Kulture has significantly introduced local and foreign audiences to modern Nigerian art and culture.
The gallery frequently hosts exhibitions by modern Nigerian artists that address a variety of subjects, such as social justice and personal identity. For those who appreciate Nigerian culture, Terra Kulture is a multifaceted destination because of its reputation for hosting cultural events like book readings and theatre plays.
9. Nike Art Gallery
The Nike Art Gallery is one of the most prominent art galleries in West Africa. The well-known Nigerian textile designer and artist Nike Davies-Okundaye established it. This four-story gallery in Lagos is home to an extensive collection of over 8,000 African artworks, spanning traditional to contemporary styles. The gallery’s goals are to encourage Indigenous artists by giving them a global platform and to promote Nigerian culture.
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The gallery often holds exhibitions featuring pieces by promising and widely recognised Nigerian artists. Its collection includes numerous paintings, sculptures, and fabrics, each conveying a different tale of Nigeria’s history, customs, and contemporary experiences.
10. Quintessence Gallery
Quintessence Gallery’s goal is to honour Nigerian craftsmanship. It offers a range of artwork, such as jewellery, paintings, sculptures, and textiles. In addition to being a gallery, the store allows art enthusiasts to bring a bit of Nigerian culture home.
Quintessence sells various cultural goods in addition to great art, such as handcrafted goods and clothing that pay homage to Nigeria’s rich artistic heritage.
Conclusion
Nigeria has a vibrant and ever-changing art scene, with galleries and shows that present a distinctive fusion of modern and traditional expression. These ten Nigerian art galleries and exhibitions are worth visiting, regardless of your preference for mixed media, painting, sculpture, or photography. In addition to enhancing Nigeria’s cultural landscape, supporting local artists and galleries also contributes to preserving the country’s rich artistic legacy for coming generations.