Organisers announce exhibitors, artistes for 2017 edition

Organisers said at a press conference held at the Civic Centre, Lagos, that a total of over 60 artists from 14 countries across Africa and the Diaspora will be available for the art exhibition which is just in its second year.

Launched in 2016, ART X Lagos is West Africa's first international art fair which was designed to showcase the best and most innovative contemporary art from the African continent and diaspora, and to widen Nigeria's connection to the art scene across Africa and internationally.

In only its second year, ART X Lagos has already emerged as the premier international art fair in West Africa.

After the first edition which drew about 5000 people, the 2017 edition promises to be even more fascinating, with new, vibrant content aimed at reaching a wider audience.

Exhibiting galleries will be featured this year, alongside artists, special curated projects, a programme of talks, the ART X Prize, and a music show – ART X Live!

The 13 Exhibiting Galleries for the 2017 edition include: Art House - The Space (Nigeria), Bloom Art (Nigeria), Fondation Donwahi (Ivory Coast), Gallery 1957 (Ghana), Galerie Atiss (Senegal), Gallery MAM (Cameroon), Nubuke Foundation (Ghana), Retro Africa (Nigeria), Signature Beyond (Nigeria), SMO Contemporary (Nigeria), Stevenson Gallery (South Africa), TAFETA (United Kingdom), and Tiwani Contemporary (United Kingdom).

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Notable artists among the 2017 line-up include the Nigerian-born, British-based, globally renowned artist and sculptor Yinka Shonibare MBE, as well as Zanele Muholi (South Africa), Jeremiah Quarshie (Ghana), Modupeola Fadugba (Nigeria), Nandipha Mntambo (Swaziland), Virginia Chihota(Zimbabwe), Boris Nzebo (Cameroon), Babajide Olatunji(Nigeria), Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum (Botswana), Amadou Sanogo (Mali) and Portia Zvavahera (Zimbabwe).

In addition, ART X Lagos has invited four independent artists to present a curated selection of their own works: Polly Alakija, Rom Isichei, Lakin Ogunbanwo and Oluseye.

This year’s art fair will also include curated projects across performance art, installation, photography and video art, to create a conversational show piece for ART X Lagos at The Civic Centre.

The artists selected by Curator, Missla Libsekal, and Founder of art journal Another Africa are: Nástio Mosquito(Angola) and Pere Ortin, Lemi Ghariokwu (Lagos, Nigeria), Yaw Owusu (Accra, Ghana), Rahima Gambo (Abuja, Nigeria), Johnson Uwadinma (Port Harcourt, Nigeria), Olu Amoda(Lagos, Nigeria) and Wura Natasha Ogunji (Nigeria / USA).

In addition, the Access Bank Collection will present to the general public for the first time ever in Nigeria, seven wooden sculptures by Ben EnwonwuMBE, originally commissioned by the Daily Mirror in 1960, to mark the artist’s 100 natal anniversary.

The art fair will see the return of ‘ART X Live! with Absolut’, a live art and music performance featuring musicians AYE, Poe and Tomi Thomas, alongside talented visual artists.

More so, Absolut and ART X Lagos will this year introduce the ‘ART X Absolut Commission’, an installation that responds to present day societal urgencies, supporting freedom of expression.

The inaugural commission invites Olatunde Alara, a young artist living and working in Lagos, to respond to the theme ‘Artist as Citizen’.

Winner of the ART X Prize, sponsored by Access Bank, will be announced on the 5th of November, at the closing ceremony. The 2016 winner, Patrick Akpojotor will also be exhibiting at this year’s fair.

The 2017 edition of ART X Lagos is made possible by the generous, committed support of its sponsors, including - Access Bank (Gold Sponsor); Absolut (Silver Sponsor); Stanbic IBTC Pensions, Seven Up and Anap Jets (Bronze Sponsors); Chapel Hill Denham, Lufthansa, Metro Capital and Leadway Assurance (Sponsors) and other valued partners.