West Africa’s top international art fair, Art X, has unveiled its expanded programming, and impact report, to mark its tenth edition this year.
The additional programmes will see the event scheduled to hold at the Federal Palace, from November 6 to 9, spread across four new locations within the grounds to encompass the Federal Palace Balmoral Ballroom Marquee, Lobby, and Waterfront Garden.
Tagged 10X, with the theme ‘Imagining Otherwise, No Matter The Tide’ edition seeks to celebrate Art X achievement of its vision of ‘championing how African creativity is seen, celebrated, and valued’ and encourage Africans – both artistes and the people – to reimagine their cities and life, as a means of creating healthy and sustainable spaces.
The newly expanded programmes at the event include: the ‘Spotlight Section’ which will feature focused solo exhibitions by some of Africa’s most new voices – from galleries – ADEGBOLA, AMG Projects, and Nomadic Art Gallery, all based in Lagos, Nigeria; Special Projects – which include the inaugural Art X Icon Exhibition. The exhibition themed ‘An Exacting Eye’ will showcase works by the veteran Nigerian photographer, J.D Okhai Ojeikere, spanning six decades of his career, which highlights the artist’s power of transforming everyday forms into living archives, that has become an insightful recording of Nigeria’s physical evolution and human story. The exhibition further extends to a masterclass to be facilitated by his son, photographer and archivist, Amaize Ojeikere, from which 10 emerging talents who share similar interest with the veteran will be selected and later trained in a guided workshop slated for November 8 – 9. After the workshop, three selected participants will receive grants and present their works publicly.
Other new programmes at the fair are: The Library installation – a dedicated space for literature and reflection, featuring works by veteran artist Bruce Onobrakpeya, loaned works from G.A.S Foundation Art Library, and select Art X Cinema. The installation serves as a participatory hub for communal discovery and dialogue. ‘Resonance’, an annual residency inaugurated by the fair, is a collaboration between Art X, Embassy of France Nigeria, and Cite Internationale des Arts, Paris. And it will host inaugural fellows, visual artiste, Mobolaji Ogunrosoye, designer, Olorunfemi Adewuyi, and curator, Tony Agbapoonwu, in a three-month residency period in Paris.
Meantime, the children’s programming at the fair, titled Schools’ Programme and The Development Forum has been expanded beyond ‘Tales By Moonlight’ which will be hosted by writer Oluwalanu Agusto and legendary artist, Bruce Onobrakpeya, to include the ‘Imagining Otherwise’ Exhibition – which will showcase winning works from Art X Schools Programme – where young artists reimagine the city of Lagos, and ‘The Tide Wall’ which invites children to create prints inspired by the textures of the city, to create a living mural of shared imagination.
To cap all these offerings to participants of the fair is the unveiling of the impact report reviewing Art X’s performance and yield ten years after its establishment.
“The vision, and its impact, is captured in our first-ever Impact Report documenting ten years of cultural exchange, creative innovation and our contribution to shaping Africa’s creative economy. Over the years, we have built the Art X Live!, Art X Cinema, Art X Talks, The Library, The Art X Prize, The Development Forum and our School’s Programme, each designed to open access and deepen impact,” said Art X Lagos, Founder, Tokini Peterside-Schwebig.
Since its establishment in 2016, the fair has welcomed over 700,000 visitors from over 170 countries, and helped in cementing Lagos as one of the world’s most vibrant cultural capitals.
Art X will host 15 curated galleries – Ko, SMO Contemporary, Nike Art Gallery, Wunika Mukan Art Gallery, Tiwani Contemporary, O’DA Art, Affinity Art Gallery, Yenwa Gallery, Alexis Galleries, Gallery 1957, Afriart Gallery, and Galerie MAM. The fair is supported by Zenith Bank, Afrieximbank, Chapel Hill Denham, Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers, AnapJets, emPLE, EnjoyCorp, Air France, and ZTL Liquids Transfer.
