Follow Us on Google
By Damiete Braide
The National Gallery of Arts has opened the Aina Onabolu Gallery, Lagos, to the public, marking a significant comeback and an addition to the country’s vibrant cultural and artistic landscape.
The space now holds bold multi-disciplinary exhibition featuring the works of 20 artists across the country.
Running till January 2026, the gallery is now positioned as a vibrant platform for contemporary artistic expression, celebrating diversity of voice, medium and vision while inviting the audience into an immersive dialogue with modern creativity.
Oladipo Babalola, Curator, National Gallery of Art, welcomed the audience at a recent event and spoke on the process and essence of the exhibition. He explained that those selected were the best works deemed fit by the jury and added that the gallery remains the home of the best artists in the world.
According to him, “The conception came over a month ago and a committee was set up.
Over 100 artists were attracted to which the jury selected 20 working in line with their objectives. With this, we want the public to know that The National Gallery of Arts has staged a comeback. It is also worthy to note that each work of art is unique in its own purpose.
The idea behind the work and the narrative of the artist is unique in its own purpose, so every work on display aligns with the direction of this exhibition.”
Speaking about using the Aina Onabolu studios, he said that the studio had served ground for renowned artists in the world of arts. ‘“We are simply using this to bring back the studio to life”
The exhibition featured James Itodo, Ogundeji Aliu, Abisoye Ojosipe, Ogunyemi Samson, Adebayo Jude, Animu Oboirien,Sylvester Aigbogun, Lauren Ehimare and others.
Director Research and planning, Sisanwunmi Iketoyin Today, we are gathered here to celebrate the creativity of the artist, their ideas and sell Nigeria to the world. Exhibitions are important to support the artist and to help us appreciate the beauty of art. I encourage everyone in the public to take advantage of this opportunity to revel in these ideas on offer.”
Jude Adebayo, one of the artists, said he started his artistic journey in the early 2020s. He is a visual artist who explores the relativity of the black skin. His piece addresses the need to embrace the origins of the black ancestral lineage. Tracing back to the roots, he tells us there is more to see than meets the eyes.
Studying at Yaba College of Technology, Ogundeji Aliu, another artist, has a rich catalogue of childhood memories that captures hidden emotions and portrays survival. Aliu said he started at a very young age and decided to follow his passion. The road, he admitted, had been rocky and had led him to imbibe art as a lifestyle.
“My artistic journey has been sweet and sour. This exhibition is different and special for me. This gallery, for instance, is Aina Onabolu’s that we studied in school. Imagine the feeling of exhibiting my works here! It’s more than special to me. I am hoping to connect with other artists, I want to showcase myself in explanatory pieces and get people to understand the message behind the pieces. I am also here to network and I look forward to what this exhibition brings’’.
Continuing, he said, “The title of my work showcase a dawn and dusky night scene captured the oil on canvas is Akintunde Olajide John’s idea. Most times, I am fascinated by light in the dark. The beauty in the dark brings out a spark in me. I am very impressed by this exhibition happening here .A lot of times people think it only happens on the Island, but we have very great art around us on the mainland courtesy this show put together by NGA”.
On David Raji’s side, there is more with the African fabric than just something to wear. “I have been into visual creativity for over 28 years. I did start with pigment and over time I evolved into using fabric .Innovation is what led me here. African fabrics are beautiful so I figured using it on canvas would carry such an enchanting presence. I titled one of my pieces ‘HOPE’, which is symbolic and relatable to all humans because at all times in our lives we hold hope for something.”
For Blessing Sopuruchi, depicting rich cultural backgrounds across Africa is her forte. She is a female visual artist fascinated by the colour red which she presents in both of her pieces. The rich cultural representation of the northern heritage is unmistakable at sight.
“I love talking about African culture”, she said. “For this exhibition, I chose red to ask questions. Red is an energy and using the northern attire would push out my message to the audience. My aspirations are for the world to see me as the artist who pushes boundaries with her art .That really is the starting point,” she added.
The exhibition, which closes in January, underscores the reawakening of the National Gallery of Arts as a premier collector and presenter of outstanding Nigerian art.
Each artwork on display is intentional and distinctive, driven by the individual vision, narrative and purpose of its creator, yet unified by the overarching direction of the exhibition.
This showcase serves to the public and collectors an invitation to witness the evolving landscape of Nigerian art and to discover tomorrow’s masterpiece.
