Art, B Side
Key Highlights and What to Expect at ART X Lagos 2024
With the theme “Promised Lands”, this year’s fair invites us to explore the dreams, disillusionments, and desires that shape Africa’s future.
- Melony Akpoghene
- ●28th October 2024
If there’s one thing ART X Lagos does better than most, it’s setting the cultural agenda. Since its inception in 2016, the art fair has established itself as a pivotal platform for African artists and their diasporic counterparts, celebrating the continent’s creativity and cultural depth. Running from October 31st to November 3rd, this year’s edition explores the theme “Promised Lands”— inviting artists and visitors alike to imagine futures rooted in hope and transformation. It beckons us to explore the dreams, disillusionments, and desires that shape Africa’s future. And more, it captures the aspirations of Africa and its people — both real and imagined — against the backdrop of political, social, and economic upheavals.
With its carefully curated exhibitions, immersive installations, and thought-provoking discussions, ART X Lagos 2024 promises to be a dynamic showcase of Africa’s evolving art scene. Here are the key highlights.
Curated Galleries: Bridging the Local and Global
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In a continued effort to amplify cross-cultural collaboration, ART X Lagos 2024 will feature ten curated galleries, representing an eclectic mix of emerging and established artists from Lagos, Accra, Harare, London, and beyond. Leading galleries such as Uganda’s Afriart Gallery, Nigeria’s Nike Art Gallery, and Ghana’s Gallery 1957 will present works that interrogate Africa’s socio-political landscapes while exploring new visual languages. These exhibitions offer an opportunity for collectors, curators, and art enthusiasts to immerse themselves in the continent’s rich creative dialogue.
Mark-Makers: Celebrating Unsung Pioneers
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One of the most buzzed-about exhibitions this year is Mark-Makers: Unsung Pioneers. Curated by Missla Libsekal, it celebrates Nigerian trailblazers who were ahead of their time but remain underappreciated in mainstream history. Jonathan Adagogo Green, Nigeria’s first professional photographer, and Nana Asma’u, a 19th-century women’s education reformer, are just two of the figures whose legacies are being reexamined. This show will be an ode to those who paved the way for the cultural renaissance currently taking shape across the continent.
Andrew Dosunmu’s Homecoming: Restless Cities
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Lagos-born, New York-based photographer and filmmaker Andrew Dosunmu will present his first-ever solo exhibition in Africa, Restless Cities. This project is a deep dive into the urban fabric of Nigerian cities, capturing the human movement and energy that defines them. Dosunmu’s work transcends borders, documenting shared experiences and cultural connections across the diaspora. His homecoming at ART X Lagos 2024 is a significant moment, bridging the gap between his global work and his Nigerian roots.
ART X Live! and the Fusion of Sound and Visual Art
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Beyond the visual, ART X Lagos has always championed the intersection of music and art, and this year’s edition of ART X Live! is no exception. Curated by Lanre Masha and Ayo Lawson, this year’s performance lineup is designed to weave Nigeria’s musical past with its contemporary soundscapes. The highlight of the night will be a genre-bending performance from Adewale Ayuba, a Fuji music legend, alongside experimental artist Cruel Santino (aka Santi). With creative direction from visual artist Niyi Okeowo and production from Odunsi (The Engine), the event promises a visceral exploration of Nigeria’s sonic evolution.
Sustainability Meets Creativity: Marcellina Akpojotor’s Social Fabrics, Sustainable Threads
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Marcellina Akpojotor’s latest series, Social Fabrics, Sustainable Threads, transforms discarded Ankara fabrics into art that speaks to Lagos’s consumption habits. It’s a clever take on environmental sustainability — turning fashion waste into social commentary. Her work is a reminder that art can be both beautiful and meaningful, challenging us to think about what we consume and what we discard.
Breaking Barriers: Williams Chechet’s Afro-Futurism
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Williams Chechet’s bold, pop-art-inspired take on Afro-futurism makes him one of the most exciting voices at this year’s fair. His new series, Breaking Barriers, imagines a future where African societies reclaim control of their narratives. With vibrant colors and a playful yet political edge, Chechet’s work pushes back against stereotypes and invites us to rethink what African futures could look like.
ART X Cinema: African Narratives on Screen
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Curated by Tega Okiti, ART X Cinema presents a selection of films that reflect on the journeys of Africans across the world. With 13 films that traverse time and space, this year’s cinema offering brings a compelling narrative arc to ART X Lagos. The films interrogate African identity, diaspora experiences, and the global trajectories of African culture, offering an alternative lens through which visitors can engage with the continent’s stories.
Speakers’ Corner: Engaging Conversations at The Crossroads
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For those who love a good debate, The Crossroads — an interactive installation designed by Papa Omotayo — will provide a space for visitors to engage in conversations about Africa’s future. It’s a forum where visitors become part of the art, blurring the lines between spectator and participant.
ART X Prize Winners: A Look at What’s Next
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The ART X Prize has become a launchpad for emerging African artists, and this year’s winners — Julius Agbaje and Shabu Mwangi — are no exception. Their work tackles themes of belonging, displacement, and hope, aligning perfectly with this year’s Promised Lands theme. Keep an eye on these names; they represent the next wave of African creativity.
Expanding Horizons: Pan-African Library
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This year’s Pan-African Library will be more extensive than ever, offering visitors access to over 200 books, magazines, and archival materials that reflect on Pan-Africanism, colonial history, and African modernism. The library is more than just a reading space—it’s a hub of intellectual exploration, providing an essential resource for those looking to deepen their understanding of African art and history.
With its finger firmly on the pulse of contemporary African art, ART X Lagos continues to prove that the creative future isn’t just arriving — it’s already here.
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