ART X Lagos is an art fair in Lagos, Nigeria. It is the first international art fair in West Africa, founded and launched in 2016, and three editions have been held so far at the Civic Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos.
ART X Lagos was created in 2016 by Tokini Peterside, a Nigerian entrepreneur, to showcase and support the breadth of contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora. It draws local patrons and a host of international collectors, curators, and critics annually.
ART X Lagos is usually a three-day affair, featuring art galleries in Africa and the Diaspora showcasing established as well as emerging artists. The fair also includes a Talks Program, ART X Talks, featuring local and international speakers, as well as interactive projects to engage its varied audiences, and live art and music performances.
The first edition of ART X Lagos was held from 4 to 6 November 2016. It showcased contemporary art by over 60 established and emerging artists from 10 countries in Africa, including Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana and Mali and was curated by Bisi Silva. The debut fair welcomed 5,000 visitors from around Nigeria and the world.
Notable artists who exhibited at the first edition include William Kentridge, Barthelemy Togou, Sokari Douglas-Camp, Victor Ehikhamenor, Gerald Chukwuma, Amadou Sanogo, Owusu Ankomah, Jeremiah Quarshie, and Obiageli Okigbo. Speakers at ART X Talks included El Anatsui, Bruce Onobrakpeya, Mark Coetzee, and Zoe Whitley.
The second edition was held from 3 to 5 November 2017 and welcomed over 9,000 visitors to see the works of artists from over 15 countries across Africa.
The fair featured galleries from Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Senegal, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Mali and the United Kingdom. Notable artists included Yinka Shonibare (MBE), Zanele Muholi, Modupeola Fadugba, Nandipha Mntambo, Virginia Chihota, Boris Nzebo, Babatunde Olatunji, Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum, Portia Zvavahera and Lakin Ogunbanwo.
The fair also included special project exhibitions by solo artists, curated by Missla Libsekal, notable among which was an exhibition of seven life-sized wooden sculptures by Nigeria’s pioneer modernist Ben Enwonwu, to commemorate his centenary. Speakers at Art X Talks included Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Lemi Ghariokwu, Peju Alatise, Stacy Hardy and Wura-Natasha Ogunji.
The third edition was held from 2 to 4 November 2018, once again welcoming visitors from across the globe, with works showcased from 18 countries. For the first time, the fair featured East African artists and exhibitors, from countries such as Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia.
A key highlight of the 2018 fair was a special exhibition by Yinka Shonibare CBE, exploring his career highlights, curated by Missla Libeskal. Ben Enwonwu’s masterpiece ‘Tutu’ (1974], the highest selling African artwork at auction, was also exhibited at the fair, its first public showcase in Lagos in over 40 years.
Other notable artists included Cyrus Kabiru, Sokari Douglas Camp CBE, Zanele Muholi, Paul Onditi, Victor Butler, Nike Davies-Okundaye, Tadesse Mesfin, and Aboudia.
Speakers at ART X Talks, included Yinka Shonibare CBE, Chika Okeke-Agulu, Aboubakar Fofana, Peju Layiwola, HRM Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, and Meskerem Assegued.
The ART X Prize was launched by ART X Lagos, in partnership with Access Bank, to contribute to the continued growth of the visual art sector in Nigeria.
The 2016 and 2017 editions of the prize centred on young artists, and were won by Patrick Akpojotor and Habeeb Andu.
In 2018 the prize evolved to bolster the efforts of emerging artists who have demonstrated a commitment to careers as professional visual artists. Bolatito Aderemi-Ibitola, a multi-disciplinary artist, emerged as the winner, which saw her win a cash grant towards the execution of a compelling project and a solo presentation at the 2018 edition of ART X Lagos, as well as a three month residency at Gas Works in London in 2019.
ART X Live! is a one night only live music and visual art show holding on the penultimate night of the fair, which brings together some of Africa’s most innovative talent.
The previous editions of ART X Live! have seen exciting emerging talent collaborate for the show, featuring musical artists and producers such as Simi, Odunsi “the Engine”, Poe, Falana, Wavy the Creator, Amaarae, Teni “the Entertainer”, and BOJ, and visual artists such as Williams Chechet, Dricky, Tunde Alara, Osaze Amadasun, Tomisin Akins, and Fadekemi Ogunsanya.
