Since its inception in 2016, Art X Lagos has revolutionised the art industry, creating an artistic experience for lovers of West African contemporary art. Founded by Tokini Peterside to showcase the best and most innovative contemporary art from the African continent and diaspora, as well as widened the Nigeria’s connection to the art scene across Africa and internationally.
Through its contribution to increasing the visibility of African artists, ART X Lagos aims to reinforce the visual arts as an important component of the creative industry in Nigeria and Africa, and to position Lagos as an emergent cultural capital on the continent.
This year, a great line of artists are scheduled to partake in the art festival. Yinka Shonibare, a master of technical and visual versatility will be giving the keynote talk in the Art X Talks program. Known for his embrace of richly patterned Dutch wax textiles, which are applied to the surface of canvases and three-dimensional landscapes, Shonibare will also be presenting a special exhibition exploring his career highlights. Working across painting, sculpture, photography, film and installation, Shonibare’s work examines race, class and the construction of cultural identity.
His works have formed part of prominent collections, including the Tate Collection, London; National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D.C; and Museum of Modern Art, New York, among others.
The festival scheduled for November 2 to 4 will also feature works from Cote d’Ivoire artist, Abdoulaye Diarrassouba. The Brooklyn-based contemporary artist who first drew international attention for his work chronicling the civil war that broke out in Abidjan in 2011 will exhibit his works at the Out of Africa gallery booth.
Joining him are other artists like the South-African photographer and visual activist Zanele Muholi; the self-taught sculptor whose practice straddles the intersection between fine art, haute couture, performance and documentary, yielding works that articulate his experience of contemporary Africa, Cyrus Kabiru; award winning artist Joy Labinjo whose works draw on her British-Nigerian heritage and explore the relationship between belonging, identity and culture; Kenyan Paul Onditi will be bringing his
richly layered mixed-media images that explore contemporary global issues through the use of highly experimental, labour-intensive techniques; as well as Nigerian ceramist Ranti Bam, Kelani Abass, Bolatito Aderemi-Ibilola and Lagos painter and sculptor Alimi Adewale.
