By Prisca Sam-Duru

Renowned for its commitment to highlighting African art, culture, and community, while fostering critical conversations on the social and political transformations shaping the continent, ART X Lagos, held its highly anticipated 9th edition last weekend.

Dubbed West Africa’s leading international art fair, the 2024 edition which held from October 31st to November 3rd, 2024, at the Federal Palace Hotel Lagos, as usual, paraded an array of stunning works of art from both local and international exhibiting creatives.

The fair this year began with a press preview on Thursday October 31st, where ART X Lagos founder Tokini Peterside-Schwebig, gave an overview of this year’s event. It was followed by a private Collectors’ Preview and the VIP Preview on Friday, November 1st. The fair thereafter opened to the public on Saturday, November 2nd and Sunday, November 3rd, 2024.

On a solemn note, this year’s fair included a tribute to the late Herbert Wigwe, former Group Managing Director of Access Bank Plc. Showcased during the fair were photos and a video chronicling some of Wigwe’s presentations as a huge supporter of the annual event.

Peterside-Schwebig, stated that since its inception in 2016, ART X Lagos has showcased artists from over 70 countries, firmly establishing itself as the leading hub for African and diaspora creatives.

According to her, it was “Against a backdrop of challenges being experienced in Nigeria, with political and socio-economic difficulties across Africa and further afield, this year’s theme explored, “Promised Lands,” – 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.”

With a diverse selection of curated galleries, thought-provoking exhibitions and special projects, dynamic live performances, and insightful discussions, the fair continues to push boundaries and foster cross-cultural dialogue.

ART X Lagos 2024 featured 10 specially curated galleries from cities such as Lagos, Harare, Accra, and London, showcasing a diverse mix of emerging and established artists from across Africa and its diaspora.

The galleries presented a cross-section of artists making unique contributions to the visual arts ecosystem, reinforcing ART X Lagos’ mission to promote artistic excellence and cross-cultural collaboration.

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), were the galleries featured in the 2024 edition.

The Speakers’ Corner: The Crossroads, is a participatory experience that invites attendees to reflect on Nigeria’s current challenges, creating a collective tapestry of shared voices and hopes. Curated by Papa Omotayo in collaboration with Haily Grenet, Fikayo Adebajo, and Dike Anthony, the space had meaningful engagement on pivotal societal questions.

The Mark-Makers: Unsung Pioneers exhibition honours extraordinary individuals who redefined what was possible for Africans in science, art, and social activism. Through their legacy, we are reminded that greatness stems from courage, collaboration, and the audacity to challenge the status quo. The exhibition was curated by Missla Libsekal, Fikayo Adebajo and Haily Grenet, with historical consultancy by Ed Keazor celebrating figures like Jonathan Adagogo Green, August Agboola Browne and Nana Asma’u.

In Restless Cities: From Lagos to the World, Andrew Dosunmu, the celebrated Lagos-born photographer and filmmaker, presented his first-ever solo exhibition in Africa. The exhibition had viewers exploring Nigerian cities as living, breathing hubs, mirroring the connections shared in everyday life. Other major exhibitions include Marcellina Akpojotor’s textile art addressing sustainability and Williams Chechet’s Afro-futurist “Breaking Barriers,” both contributing to the fair’s theme of creativity driving social change.

Beyond the visual arts, ART X Live! curated by Lanre Masha and Ayo Lawson, returned with a live music experience connecting the dots between Nigeria’s past, present, and future sounds. Attendees enjoyed a concert experience where traditional Fuji music met contemporary genres, and other multi-hyphenate African artists, with creative direction from visual artist Niyi Okeowo and producer Odunsi (The Engine).

ART X Cinema showcased a selection of 13 films by African and diaspora filmmakers, while 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.

In collaboration with Afreximbank, ART X Lagos also presented Art Across Borders: Where to Go, an exhibition featuring six mid-career African and Caribbean artists who explored ancestral connections and future possibilities, aligning with the fair’s theme of “Promised Lands.”
Curated by Jumoke Sanwo, the exhibition delved into the African imagination. ART X Talks further enriched the fair with engaging discussions, including a conversation with filmmaker Andrew Dosunmu, a collaboration with Native on the influence of African music genres on contemporary pop culture, and insights from Ed Keazor and Missla Libsekal, curators of the Mark-Makers exhibition.

Educational and engaging programs such as the Schools’ Programme and the Development Forum were included to nurture the next generation of African talent, ensuring that ART X Lagos continues to serve as a platform for creativity, cultural dialogue, and community building across Africa and the diaspora.

ART X Lagos has rapidly become a fixture for African art, culture, and creativity. As a key moment on the continent, the fair is designed to continue to redefine held views of the African narrative while also building bridges between local and international audiences and their communities.

“We are thrilled to present an exceptional lineup of artists, exhibitions and galleries for our ninth edition, representing the diverse and dynamic voices emerging from all corners of Africa and the diaspora,” Peterside-Schwebig stated.

According to her, “’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.”

ART X Lagos was created to showcase and support the breadth of contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora. Founded in 2016 by Tokini Peterside-Schwebig, the fair has since become a cornerstone of the African art sector. The first of its kind in West Africa, ART X Lagos goes beyond the traditional bounds of an art fair, and has become renowned for its ambitious programme that includes ART X Cinema, ART X Talks, ART X Live! and specially curated projects which have featured an array of emerging and established artists from over 70 countries across the continent and diaspora.