Lagos Art Expo goes international

Courtesy of the National Gallery of Arts (NGA) and Art Galleries Association of Nigeria (AGAN), art aficionados saw the best of Nigerian art in a single space during the Nigerian Art Expo 2009.

The second edition of the arts fair held from August 22 to 30, attracted participants from Ghana, Togo and Benin Republic. 36 galleries showcased about 700 works from 300 artists under a large yellow tent on the grounds of the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos.

The artworks included 490 paintings, 86 sculptures, 56 mix media, 59 prints, nine ceramics, five installations, six drawings and a number of photographs.

Bigger and better

Created to provide a platform for galleries and artists to interact with themselves and with the public, the expo brochure indicated the organisers’ wish to re-educate their members. Services that galleries are required to provide, how to preserve works of art and the importance of the artist—gallery relationship as well as the list of galleries and the works they displayed—were contained in the brochure.

“This year’s expo is an improvement from last year’s where it was mostly a Lagos gallery affair. Through this expo, we want to sensitize people about the power of the visual arts presented in a compelling and professional way to the world,” said Mudiare Onobrakpeya, Secretary General of AGAN.

“It is fulfilling seeing young people see the art works because we know that judging from their response, the future is bright. It shows that we are impacting a young generation who will have respect and embrace contemporary art in Nigeria,” he added.

Putting the expo together wasn’t exactly plain sailing. “There was the challenge of getting other West African countries to participate, as the date for the expo was shifted. Also, the committee for the expo had a challenge selecting quality works from all over Nigeria. I can tell you that this is an approximate representation of the best art across the country,” Onobrakpeya said.

The Expo brought art lovers of all ages from within out to appreciate beautiful works, including paintings, sculptures, installations, mix media, collages and photographs. The Expo also featured the Art Zero art collective as well as suppliers of sold art materials.

Voices from the galleries

Midahven Yves, who brought his Midy Gallery from Benin Republic for the first time to the Expo, is not new to Nigeria. “I have been coming for Harmattan workshops in Delta State since 2005,” he said with a French accent. He welcomed the participation of galleries from the West African sub-region this year.

“This is like a door that has been opened to [the] arts. We have made a lot of friends and met a lot of people. There is an opportunity for us to learn about each other,” Yves said.

Ngozi Ezeudu, curator of the Bona Gallery in Enugu, made the expo this time, having missed last year’s edition. She said of the expo, “It’s a wonderful idea, a bold step in the right direction. It gives arts its desired attention because most gatherings are for individual artists; this one is for galleries which is a big encouragement. They are doing it right. It’s not easy to start something. I believe it can only get better.”

Biodun Omolayo, a founding member of AGAN and curator of the Biodun Omolayo Gallery, shared Ezeudu’s view. “There has to be a platform where challenges faced by the galleries can be solved as a collective. This year’s expo is an improvement.

"Though the publicity was poor, it’s better. I would like to see countries from other parts of the world coming for this event. This Expo represents how the government physically gets involved in the art business through NGA,” he said.

A rich offering

Works by prominent artists like Bruce Onobrakpeya and Sam Ovariti were showcased alongside younger ones. Art schools like the Osogbo, Nsukka and Benin schools were also well represented, while new media art like photography took its place among the numerous offerings.

Though the stalls were small, they were able to hold works of different sizes that provided sensory engagements for collectors and viewers. The downside of the expo was that the tent created a yellow hue that concealed the beauty of some of the works, and affected photographic recording of the works on display.

Towards a better edition

In order to organise a better edition next year, a forum was held, examining the challenges of this year’s effort.

President of AGAN and owner of Nkem Art Gallery, Frank Okonta, was pleased at the turn of events. “The challenges make you stronger. If they are not there, they make you feel relaxed. I’m glad everything has gone well,” he said.

“It is not a question of sales but how many people came to enjoy themselves.” Okonta added that the planning for next year’s expo, coinciding with Nigeria’s 50th independence anniversary, will commence immediately.

Mudiare Onobrakpeya also has high hopes for the future of the art expo. “We hope that people could see this as an event to look forward to every year. I also hope that corporate bodies will be convinced that this is something that adds value and will want to sponsor,” he said.

Okonta also spoke on the relevance of the Expo and Nigerian art, “When you take one look, you will see that Nigerians are not copycats. The sky is the limit for the Nigerian art market. I go to exhibitions all over the world and I know that Nigerian artists produce great works.”