Art X Lagos 2021

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Several galleries around the world have already confirmed participation in ART X Lagos 2021, including: kó (Lagos, Nigeria), SMO Contemporary (Lagos, Nigeria), DADA Gallery (Lagos, Nigeria and London, UK), Galerie Cecile Fakhoury (Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Dakar, Senegal; and Paris, France), Nubuke Foundation (Accra, Ghana), Circle Art Gallery (Nairobi, Kenya), Afriart Gallery (Kampala, Uganda), Loft Art Gallery (Casablanca, Morocco), Stevenson Gallery (Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa), Eclectica Contemporary (Cape Town, South Africa), Worldart (Cape Town, South Africa),  Magnin-A (Paris, France), Tiwani Contemporary (London, UK), October Gallery (London, UK), Kanbi Projects (London, UK), Skoto Gallery (New York, USA) and OOA Gallery (Barcelona, Spain), with more to be announced in the coming months.

In addition to presenting work by Africa’s leading galleries and artists, ART X Lagos’ 2021 curated programme will include: ART X Talks, a lively and robust series of conversations exploring themes pertinent to the state and evolution of contemporary art in Africa, curated by Aude Mgba; ART X Live!, a platform for expression and experimentation by Africa’s dynamic young creators that fuses music and visual art, curated by Lanre Masha and Faridah Folawiyo; and special projects which will include an exploration of NFT art on the continent, curated by Papa Omotayo and AWCA. The 2021 programme will present an invitation to reflect on the contemporary challenges being faced across Africa, and a call to consider the future of the continent. Artists who have previously participated in ART X Lagos’ curated programme include Hank Willis Thomas, El Anatsui, Yinka Shonibare CBE, Njideka Akunyili Crosby and Wangechi Mutu.

The Access Bank ART X Prize – Nigeria’s leading award for emerging visual artists – also returns after a hiatus due to Covid-19. The 2019 winner, documentary photographer Etinosa Yvonne, will commence a three-month residency at Gasworks in London this summer, to create work for a special solo exhibition at the fair in November, curated by Wura-Natasha Ogunji. Applications for the 2021 Access Bank ART X Prize will open in a few weeks.

Tokini Peterside, ART X Collective Founder & CEO said: “It has never been more important to celebrate creativity, excellence and resilience from across Africa and its Diaspora. We are proud to return for our sixth consecutive year, despite ongoing global challenges, to provide a platform for people all over the world to come together – both in person and online – to experience some of the brightest creative talent that exists globally, and to contemplate Africa’s place in the world, drawing from archives of the past, present and future.”