+234Art Fair Premieres in Lagos with 200 Nigerian Artists

Yinka Olatunbosun

The inaugural +234Art Fair, named after the Lagos telephone code, took Lagos by the storm with its rich assemblage of artworks and artists of Nigerian origin. Featuring the works of 200 homegrown artists, this exhibition which kicked off on March 22nd marks a significant milestone in showcasing the diversity and talent within Nigeria’s art community.

The exhibition has engaging line-ups; workshops, masterclasses, and music performances. Housed at the Ecobank Pan-African Centre Lagos, it is expected to run till March 31st, 2024. With its theme “A New Heritage,” the fair aims to nurture emerging talent and foster a deeper appreciation for art acquisition among visitors.

Bolaji Lawal, Managing Director/Regional Executive of Ecobank Nigeria, underscored the bank’s dedication to uplift Nigeria’s creative sector through this partnership. By providing a platform for budding artists to showcase their work, the +234 Art Fair seeks to elevate the local art scene onto the global stage.

In his remarks, Lawal revealed that the free Art Fair was put together to support undiscovered talents, the reason they extended an invitation to emerging artists who are not signed with any gallery, offering them a rare opportunity to exhibit alongside seasoned professionals.

Meanwhile, Tola Akerele, Founder of Soto Gallery, emphasised the event’s mission to serve as a melting pot of artistic expression, spanning various mediums including painting, photography, sculpture and digital art.

She said: “The exhibition’s title “+234Art” is an amalgam of Nigeria’s country calling code, and the all-encompassing word – ‘Art’, indicating that this experience aims to be a thorough exposition of what Nigerian art looks like today, as well as how it interacts with the larger art community in Africa and beyond.”

Ms. Akerele further highlighted other benefits of the exhibition as an avenue for cultural resonance, the discovery of emerging art talent, wealth creation, learning experiences, networking opportunities, and social Impact.

Toyin Laoshe, Project Director of +234Art, acknowledged the collaborative efforts of all involved parties, including the Ecobank team, sponsors, and the Soto Gallery team, in bringing this vision to life. On the selection process, she said: “The artists were selected from across Nigeria through an open call. They were then curated down to about 200 artists from different pavilions. We have four pavilions; fine art, sculpture, photography, which was curated by Lagos Photo, and then we have the digital.”

For Janet Adegoke, one of the featured artists, the fair represents an invaluable opportunity to gain exposure and connect with fellow creatives. With her artwork prominently displayed, Adegoke anticipates forging new connections and pushing the boundaries of her artistic expression.

Whilst reflecting on the task of curating the art works for the exhibition, the curator, Arinola Olowoporoku said the state-of-the-art pavilion is split across painting, sculpture, photography, and digital art alongside multiple offerings such as a children’s gallery, and life painting sections.

The show was preceded by an open call and a rigorous selection process.

“We made selections in tandem with the theme and artists that we felt were ready for public display. I worked with a team of six curators, and fantastic young curators,” Olowoporoku said.