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By Henry Akubuiro
Tribes Art Africa Gallery (TAAG) will be showcasing 15 artists in an art competition that draws jurors from across the world. The artists have been selected to participate in the TAAG Art Competition 2026 themed A Space Called Rest. The exhibition, which focuses on what the curator calls ‘the Best Artwork for the Bedroom,’ runs from September 17 through December 30, 2026.
“The bedroom may be the most personal room in our lives,” Rodney Asikhia, Founder & Head Curator, TAAG Gallery, stated. “We wanted artists to think about what happens when an artwork enters that space —not simply whether it matches the room, but whether someone can develop an emotional relationship with it.” He added that “A Space Called Rest is ultimately about art we can live with.”
According to Asikhia, the competition would challenge artists to consider an intimate question: What makes an artwork truly belong in the bedroom? Rather than approaching the bedroom simply as a place for decoration, Asikhia discloses that participating artists explore it as a personal environment associated with rest, intimacy, reflection, vulnerability, dreams, memory, spirituality, identity, and sanctuary. He explained that the resulting exhibition would bring together diverse approaches to painting and mixed media, creating a conversation about the relationship between art, private space, and the emotional experience of living with an artwork.
‘A Space Called Rest’ art competition features artists such as Susan Onyedikachi John, John Alogi, Moses Bamba, Nelson Etok, John Ayobamidele, Samuel Inalegwu, Kingsley Nwangborogwu, Don Okuchukwu Eseagwu, Samson Kolawole Oluwadare, Adabekee Chisom Nichodemus, Mark C. Duke, Temitope Victoria Ogunwale, Isidore Ukemeobong, Austin George Dorgu, and Kingsley Oghenekaro Omodigono. The 2026 competition is being evaluated by an eight-member jury panel, bringing perspectives from art, collecting, curatorial practice, business, culture, and community leadership.
Eide Ekeoba, Annette Dhannie, Louis Collins-Ejeh, Elijah Ras, Gail Patterson, Herb Gray, Obi Asika Chenoia, and Oliver Enwonwu are members of the Jury. According to Asikhia, four members of the panel like Ekeoba, Dhannie, Collins-Ejeh, and Ras have submitted their selections. “While voting from the remaining jury is still underway, no final winner has been declared,” Asikhia clarified the development. “The competition results will be determined after the judging process is completed.” The eight Jurors bring diverse perspectives to the competition, with Neeraj Batra and CCH Pounder listed as standby for the panel.
Some of the works for the competition include John’s Where we mend, Bamba’s Lullaby in Veils, Inalegwu’s Love & Affection, Eseagwu’s Tales by Moonlight, Oluwadare’s Emerald Reverie, Ogunwale’s The Rest we Resist, Dorgu’s Safe Ground, and Omodigono’s Brand New Day.
Asikhia assured that the competition would be celebrating art beyond the gallery walls as the gathering also seeks to create greater visibility for contemporary African artists. The artists’ works will be exposed to collectors, curators, cultural leaders, and an international audience, Asikhia hinted.
TAAG Gallery is a contemporary art space located in New York City, dedicated to showcasing the works of emerging and established artists from around the world. The gallery is committed to fostering cultural exchange and promoting diversity in the arts.
