By Henry Akubuiro
In three days – October 31st to November 3rd, 2024 – West Africa’s leading art fair, Art X Lagos, took artists from different parts of Africa and beyond to Nirvana at the ninth edition of the art fair. Since 2016, ART X Lagos has featured artists from over 70 countries, lending itself as the leading hub for African and diaspora creatives.
This year’s event, which took place at Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, showcased ten galleries. Tokini Peterside-Schwebig, the founder of Art X Lagos, said the fair highlighted African art, culture, and community, while fostering critical conversations on the social and political transformations shaping the continent.
The 2024 Art X Lagos was heralded by the private Collectors’ Preview on Thursday, October 31st. It was followed by the VIP Preview on Friday, November 1st. It opened to the public on Saturday, November 2nd and Sunday, November 3rd, 2024. Virtual audiences followed the fair on Artsy.net. The theme of the fair, “Promised Land”, was predicated on challenges being experienced in Nigeria, with political and socio-economic difficulties across Africa and afield. It explored places, real and imagined, that offer hope and a vision of greater freedoms —”prompting a critical examination of where Africa and its diaspora aspire to go.”
Shedding more light on the exhibition, Peterside-Schwebig said the exceptional lineup of artists and galleries represented the diverse and dynamic voices emerging from all corners of Africa and the diaspora. Hence “‘Promised Lands’ is a theme that resonates deeply with our collective journey —reflecting on where we are and envisioning where we aspire to be. “It was crucial for us to create a platform that not only anchors the African art movement but also drives meaningful conversations about the social, political, and cultural landscapes of our continent. We remain dedicated to creating an absolutely cannot-miss experience for our artists, cultural partners, gallerists, collectors and visitors from Africa, and around the world.” The ten curated galleries for this year’s Art X were drawn from Lagos, Harare, Accra, and London, showcasing a diverse mix of emerging and established artists from across Africa and its diaspora. They included Afriart Gallery (Uganda), Alexis Gallery (Nigeria), Galerie MAM (Cameroon), Gallery 1957 (Ghana), Affinity Art Gallery (Nigeria), Kanbi Projects (UK), kó (Nigeria), Nike Art Gallery (Nigeria), ODA Art Gallery (Nigeria), and Tiwani Contemporary (UK).
The event featured a number of conversations, including “The Speakers’ Corner: The Crossroads,” a participatory experience that invited attendees to reflect on Nigeria’s current challenges, curated by Papa Omotayo, in collaboration with Haily Grenet, Fikayo Adebajo, and Dike Anthony.
The “Mark-Makers: Unsung Pioneers” exhibition honoured talented individuals who redefined what was possible for Africans in science, art, and social activism, curated by Missla Libsekal, Fikayo Adebajo and Haily Grenet, with historical consultancy by Ed Keazor, celebrating strong artists like Jonathan Adagogo Green, August Agboola Browne and Nana Asma’u. “Restless Cities: From Lagos to the World,” saw Lagos-born photographer and filmmaker, Andrew Dosunmu, presenting his first-ever solo exhibition in Africa with works teeming with sights of Nigerian cities as living, breathing hubs.. Among the exhibitors were Marcellina Akpojotor, whose textile art addressed sustainability, and Williams Chechet, whose Afro-futurist “Breaking Barriers” all echoed creativity driving social change.
It was not just about visual arts, live music – “ART X Live!” – curated by Lanre Masha and Ayo Lawson, thrilled audiences with traditional and contemporary vibes. ART X Cinema showed 13 films by African and diaspora filmmakers. Also, the Access ART X Prize 2023 winners, Julius Agbaje (Nigeria Award) and Shabu Mwangi (Africa/Diaspora Award), hosted solo exhibitions around the concept of “What May Come”, alongside a retrospective on previous winners of the Prize, curated by Jumoke Sanwo. A collaboration with Afreximbank culminated in “Art Across Borders: Where to Go”, an exhibition featuring six mid-career African and Caribbean artists who explore ancestral connections and future possibilities, aligning with the fair’s theme of “Promised Lands.” It was curated by Jumoke Sanwo. Other attractions included ART X Talks and educational and engaging school programmes aimed at nurturing the next generation of African talent.
“ART X Lagos has rapidly become a fixture for African art, culture, and creativity. As a key moment on the continent, the fair will continue to redefine held views of the African narrative while also building bridges between local and international audiences and their communities,” said the organisers.