ART X Lagos: West Africa's Leading International Art Fair
Kaper Jesse, Legacy, 2024, by Fred Ebami. Presented by Galerie Mam.
ART X Lagos is the leading international art fair in West Africa, and a gathering place for community, forging rich connections between artists, practitioners and fairgoers alike. From worldbuilding storytelling and curatorial projects to thought-provoking experiences and exhibitions, ART X Lagos 2024 promises something for all.
Against a backdrop of challenges being experienced in Nigeria, with political and socio-economic difficulties across Africa and further afield, this year’s theme will explore, “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.
ART X Lagos 2024 will feature 10 specially curated galleries from cities such as Lagos, Accra, and London, showcasing a diverse mix of emerging and established artists from across Africa and its diaspora. The 2024 galleries include: 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).
The Mark-Makers: Unsung Pioneers exhibition will honour 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 Speakers’ Corner: The Crossroads, is a participatory experience that seeks to invite attendees to reflect on Nigeria’s current reality, creating a collective tapestry of shared voices and hopes.
In Restless Cities: From Lagos to the World, Andrew Dosunmu, the celebrated Lagos-born, New York-based photographer and filmmaker, presents his first-ever solo exhibition in Africa. This exhibition invites viewers to explore African 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 project "Breaking Barriers," both contributing to the fair’s theme of creativity driving social change.
Beyond the visual arts, ART X Live! will return with a live music experience connecting the dots between Nigeria's past, present, and future sounds. Attendees can expect a concert experience where traditional Fuji music meets contemporary genres, and other multi-hyphenate African artists, with creative direction from visual artist Niyi Okeowo and music producer Odunsi (The Engine).
ART X Cinema will showcase 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), will host solo exhibitions around the concept of “What May Come”, alongside a retrospective on previous winners of the Prize.
ART X Lagos will also present Art Across Borders: Where to Go, an exhibition showcasing six mid-career African and Caribbean artists exploring ancestral connections and future possibilities.
Additionally, ART X Talks will feature insightful discussions with filmmaker Andrew Dosunmu, a collaboration with Native on African music's influence on pop culture, and curatorial insights from Ed Keazor and Missla Libsekal.
Educational initiatives like the Schools’ Programme and the Development Forum will nurture young African talent, solidifying ART X Lagos as a vital platform for creativity and cultural dialogue.
