Vasari Art Codex

article news schedule Jul 29, 2025 visibility 4 link 14 artists, 6 galleries

yinka shonibare gas foundation fondation h retrospective 1234747771

Yinka Shonibare, the London-based British-Nigerian artist, established the nonprofit Guest Artists Space (G.A.S.) Foundation in Nigeria in 2019 to address the lack of artistic infrastructure in Lagos. The foundation, which grew out of his earlier Guest Projects initiative in London, operates two facilities: the G.A.S. Lagos Residency and the G.A.S. Farm House in Ijebu, Ogun State. It hosts residencies and programs supporting artists and curators from Africa and beyond, and launched the G.A.S. Fellowship Award in 2022. The article highlights the experience of 2024 fellow Amanda Iheme, an architecture photographer who expanded her practice during her residency. Shonibare funds the foundation partly from his own art sales, and the piece notes his recent major exhibitions, including at the Venice Biennale and Serpentine Galleries, as well as his current show at Fondation H in Madagascar.

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person people schedule Aug 1, 2025 visibility 4 link 19 artists, 1 gallery

Meet 6 Visionary Women Shaping the Art World in 2025

This article profiles six visionary women shaping the art world in 2025, beginning with British designer Es Devlin, known for her immersive stagecraft and large-scale installations. It highlights her recent role as global artistic lead of the Women’s Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka, where she created a participatory sound installation. The piece also features Tokini Peterside-Schwebig, founder of ART X Lagos, West Africa's leading international art fair, which celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2025. Peterside-Schwebig is a cultural entrepreneur and collector who has expanded the fair into initiatives like ART X Live!, the Access ART X Prize, and a school program for underprivileged children.

newspaper Galerie Magazine open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule May 1, 2026 visibility 4 link 3 artists, 3 galleries

Exhibition | Nengi Omuku, 'We Were Like Those Who Dreamed' at Pippy Houldsworth Gallery, London, United Kingdom

Pippy Houldsworth Gallery in London presents 'We Were Like Those Who Dreamed,' the second solo exhibition by Nigerian artist Nengi Omuku. The show features new paintings that explore the politics of green spaces in urban centers, particularly Lagos, where rapid urbanization has created a 'concrete jungle.' Omuku transposes figures from contemporary and archival images of Lagos into lush, Impressionistic landscapes painted with pointillist brushstrokes and a Fauvist palette, using the garden as a radical symbol of equality and resistance. She paints on sanyan, a hand-spun Yoruba cloth, working with local artisans in Ilorin to revive the tradition. Works like 'Dream Logic' and 'One Particular Man' address socio-economic tensions, while 'A quiet nation' captures the dichotomy between urban Brutalist architecture and natural foliage.

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museum exhibitions schedule Jan 27, 2026 visibility 10 link 7 artists, 31 galleries

Expo Chicago lines up 130 galleries for ‘a more focused’ fair

Expo Chicago, acquired by Frieze in 2023, will return to Navy Pier’s Festival Hall this April with around 130 galleries, a 23% reduction from the 170 exhibitors in recent editions. The fair frames this as a more focused, intentionally scaled format designed to deepen engagement, and it will be the first edition under new director Kate Sierzputowski, who succeeded longtime leader Tony Karman. The fair features a strong contingent of local Chicago dealers, international galleries from South Korea, Lagos, Milan, Dublin, and elsewhere, and partnerships with the Obama Presidential Center and the Galleries Association of Korea.

newspaper The Art Newspaper open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Nov 7, 2025 visibility 4 link 5 artists, 2 galleries

Three key takeaways from Lagos’s newest African art symposium

The second week of November 2025 marks Lagos Art Week, featuring the 10th edition of Art X Lagos, West Africa’s leading international art fair, and the 15th edition of Lagos Photo Festival, now a biennial. A new symposium, Re: assemblages, hosted by the Alliance Française de Lagos and organized by the Guest Artists Space and Yinka Shonibare Foundations, brought together cultural practitioners from across Africa and the diaspora to discuss African and Afro-diasporic art archives. Key takeaways include the importance of archives as living tools for shaping the future, concerns about restricted access to the archives of late curators Okwui Enwezor and Bisi Silva, and the need for restitution efforts to incorporate African knowledge systems and language, not just the return of objects.

newspaper The Art Newspaper open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Nov 5, 2025 visibility 5 link 14 artists, 5 galleries

As Art X Lagos opens, Nigeria's next generation of artists emerges

Art X Lagos, the art fair founded by Tokini Peterside-Schwebig in 2016, opens for its tenth edition from November 6-9, anchoring Lagos Art Week. The fair features a group show at Kó Art Space spotlighting artists inspired by the Oshogbo School, a 1960s Nigerian movement, and Tiwani Contemporary presents sculptural works by Lagos-based designer Nifemi Marcus-Bello, his first exhibition in Nigeria. The Guest Artists Space (GAS) Foundation, established by British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare, adds talks, workshops, and cultural exchange programs, contributing to a vibrant, sprawling art week across the city.

newspaper The Art Newspaper open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Jun 29, 2025 visibility 5 link 14 artists, 3 galleries

On View: 'Paris Noir' Exhibition at Centre Pompidou 'Retraces the Presence and Influence of Black Artists in France from 1950s to 2000'

The Centre Pompidou in Paris presents "Paris Noir: Artistic circulations and anti-colonial resistance, 1950-2000," an exhibition running from March 13 to June 30, 2025. Curated by Alicia Knock, the show features over 350 works by 150 Black artists from Africa, the Americas, and the Caribbean, tracing their presence and influence in France from the post-war era through the 1990s. The exhibition is organized into 15 thematic chapters, including Pan African Paris, Afro Atlantic Surrealism, and Paris Dakar Lagos, and includes public programming such as talks, film screenings, and performances.

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museum exhibitions schedule Dec 1, 2025 visibility 5 link 18 artists, 8 galleries

5 Standout Shows to See at Small Galleries This December

Maxwell Rabb's article highlights five standout exhibitions at small galleries in December 2025, featuring artists Marco Emmanuele at LABS Contemporary Art in Bologna, Anuk Rocha at Nibelungen Gallery in Antwerp, and a group show titled "The Beautyful Ones" at DADA Gallery in Lagos, among others. Emmanuele uses a spatula and glass-sand mixtures for textured paintings, while Rocha's figurative works focus on clothing as identity markers, and the Lagos show presents Black artists' visions of a hopeful future.

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museum exhibitions schedule May 14, 2025 visibility 1 link 2 artists, 1 gallery

From Africa to the Arctic Circle, this public artwork is stampeding into cities with a cry for climate action

A mobile public artwork called *The Herds* is traveling from the Congo Basin through Africa, Europe, and up to the Arctic Circle, featuring life-sized animal sculptures made from recyclable materials. The project began in April in Kinshasa and will pass through eighteen cities including Lagos, Marrakech, Madrid, London, and Copenhagen, culminating in Trondheim, Norway on July 30. Created by South Africa-based artists and led by artistic director Amir Nizar Zuabi, the herd grows as local species are added in each region, engaging communities through parades, performances, and workshops.

newspaper The Art Newspaper open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Jun 19, 2025 visibility 1 link 1 artist

Guest Artists Space Foundation announces ambitious 2025–26 programme exploring African art archives

Guest Artists Space (G.A.S.) Foundation and Yinka Shonibare Foundation have announced the 2025–26 edition of 'Re:assemblages', a programme focused on African and Afro-diasporic archives as sites for artistic inquiry and decolonial practice. Curated by Naima Hassan with contributions from Maryam Kazeem, Ann Marie Peña, and Jonn Gale, the initiative includes international convenings, symposia, fellowships, and micro-publications, anchored by a two-day symposium in Lagos during Lagos Art Week (4–5 November 2025). The programme draws on the Picton Archive at G.A.S.'s Lagos campus and is supported by the Terra Foundation for American Art, featuring four curatorial themes: Ecotones, The Short Century, Annotations, and The Living Archive. It also launches the African Arts Libraries Lab (AAL Lab), a pan-African network of libraries and publishers across Lagos, Dakar, Marrakesh, Cairo, Nairobi, Cape Town, and Limbe.

newspaper ART AFRICA Magazine open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Apr 26, 2026 source 3 sources visibility 10 link 4 artists

Gregorian Art Exhibition Debuts in Lagos in Honour of Bruce Onobrakpeya

The inaugural Gregorian Art Exhibition opened at Jubilee Hall, St. Gregory’s College, Ikoyi, Lagos, honoring renowned artist Bruce Onobrakpeya. Organized by the St. Gregory’s College Old Boys Association, the three-day event runs from April 25 to April 27, 2026, under the theme “Celebrating Legacy, Excellence and Continuity.” It features an intergenerational mix of artists including Victor Uwaifo, David Dale, Mike Omoighe, and others, and attracted Nigeria’s cultural, political, and religious figures. Speeches by Dr. Michael Omolayole and Francis Oluwole Kudayah highlighted the exhibition as a cultural tradition and platform for mentorship, with plans for an annual art clinic and a digital “Gregorian Art Mart” to support alumni welfare and the college endowment fund.

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museum exhibitions schedule Apr 21, 2026 visibility 6 link 3 artists, 2 galleries

Damola Adepoju Evokes Hope With ‘Light’, His Solo Exhibition

Nigerian artist Damola Adepoju has opened his third solo exhibition, titled 'Light', at Mydrim Gallery in Lagos. The show, curated by Idowu Bankole to commemorate Adepoju's 50th birthday, features 30 paintings and mixed-media works created between 2015 and the present, focusing on Lagos cityscapes and employing his signature technique of newspaper prints, acrylic, and soft gold on a grey palette.

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museum exhibitions schedule Apr 29, 2026 visibility 6 link 4 artists

St. Gregory’s College unveils inaugural art exhibition in Lagos

St. Gregory's College in Lagos, Nigeria, launched its inaugural Gregorian Art Exhibition on April 25, 2026, at Jubilee Hall. Organized by the St. Gregory's College Old Boys Association in honor of legendary artist Bruce Onobrakpeya, the three-day event features established and emerging artists under the theme “Celebrating Legacy, Excellence and Continuity.” Speakers included former association chairman Dr. Michael Omolayole and current president Francis Kudayah, who announced plans for an annual art clinic and a digital platform called the “Gregorian Art Mart.” Onobrakpeya, who could not attend in person, delivered a vote of thanks reflecting on his career and the school's role in his development.

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museum exhibitions schedule Apr 27, 2026 visibility 4 link 4 artists

College launches Art exhibition to celebrate Onobrakpeya

The inaugural Gregorian Art Exhibition opened on April 25, 2026, at St. Gregory's College, Ikoyi, Lagos, organized by the Old Boys Association to honor renowned Nigerian artist Bruce Onobrakpeya. The three-day event, themed “Celebrating Legacy, Excellence and Continuity,” brought together an intergenerational mix of artists, cultural figures, and stakeholders, featuring speeches from alumni leaders Dr. Michael Omolayole and Francis Oluwole Kudayah, who announced plans for a yearly art clinic and a digital platform called the “Gregorian Art Mart.” Onobrakpeya, unable to attend in person, reflected on his decision to remain in Nigeria and credited the school for shaping his artistic identity.

newspaper The Guardian Nigeria News open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Apr 20, 2026 visibility 7 link 2 artists

Soyinka, others to grace Onobrakpeya art exhibition in Lagos

The St. Gregory’s College Old Boys Association is set to host 'The Gregorian Art Exhibition' in Lagos, a landmark event honoring the legendary Nigerian master artist Bruce Onobrakpeya. Running from April 25 to 27, 2026, the showcase will feature a high-profile opening ceremony attended by Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, the Obi of Onitsha, and various prominent traditional rulers and political figures.

newspaper The Guardian Nigeria News open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Apr 20, 2026 visibility 7 link 2 artists

Soyinka, Obi of Onitsha for Onobrakpeya art exhibition

A major retrospective and group exhibition titled “The Gregorian Art Exhibition” is set to take place at St. Gregory’s College in Lagos, Nigeria, from April 25 to 27, 2026. The event honors the legendary Nigerian modernist Bruce Onobrakpeya and will feature works by him alongside other notable alumni and artists including the late Victor Uwaifo and David Dale. The opening is expected to draw high-profile figures such as Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka and the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe.

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museum exhibitions schedule May 4, 2026 visibility 4 link 4 artists, 13 galleries

1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair highlights Afro-Brazilian art

The 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair will return to New York's Starrett-Lehigh Building from May 13 to May 17, 2026, for its 12th edition. Featuring over 20 exhibitors from 12 countries, the fair introduces a curated section titled "1-54 Presents: Brazil Beyond Brazil," led by Brazilian curator and professor Igor Simões, marking the fair's first focus on Afro-Brazilian art and the cultural connections between Africa and Latin America. New participants include Adegbola Gallery (Lagos), Aura (São Paulo), and Black Pony Gallery (Bermuda), alongside returning exhibitors such as 193 Gallery and Galerie Myrtis.

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article local schedule Dec 13, 2025 visibility 3 link 6 artists, 1 gallery

Street art festival sees Lagos turned into 'open-air gallery'

Lagos, Nigeria's largest city, has been transformed into an "open-air gallery" for its first-ever street art festival, which opened on Wednesday and runs through December 15. The festival features murals by Nigerian and international artists, including Ashaolu Oluwafemi, Babalola Oluwafemi, and Ottograph, displayed on Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue in Victoria Island. Artists aim to bring art directly to the community, telling stories of Lagos's vibrancy, resilience, and culture, with themes of joy, partying, and pride symbolized by motifs like the peacock.

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trending_up market schedule Oct 20, 2025 visibility 5 link 9 artists, 2 galleries

Barber, Heyman @ 11th Sogal auction of modern, contemporary masters

The 11th Sogal art auction, themed “Yemoja,” will take place in Lagos, Nigeria, with a preview from October 29–31, 2025, at Signature Beyond Gallery, followed by an online auction on November 2, 2025. The auction features a diverse lineup of modern and contemporary African artists, including a standout painting by the late modernist Abayomi Barber titled *Yemoja* (1990), which inspired the theme, and Ogbemi Heyman’s *Single Room — A Story of Resilience and Togetherness* (Lot 83). Other notable lots include works by Ben Osawe, Uche Okeke, Soly Cissé, and Clary Nelson Cole, spanning generations and geographies.

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museum exhibitions schedule Nov 26, 2025 visibility 5 link 3 artists, 1 gallery

Illuminating strength, poetry of African womanhood in Olamilekan’s Bloom & Essence

Nigerian contemporary artist Okunade Olamilekan has opened his debut solo exhibition, "Bloom & Essence," at the British Council in Lagos. Curated by Paul Ayihawu, the show celebrates the resilience, dignity, and evolving identity of African women through portraits that blend African heritage with classical elegance. Standout works include the two-part painting "The One Who Paints Her Future I & II," which addresses education and aspiration. Olamilekan employs a distinctive pixel technique and bold color grids to fragment forms, inviting viewers to reflect on identity and cultural memory.

newspaper The Guardian Nigeria News open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Oct 13, 2025 visibility 3 link 1 artist, 1 gallery

Mind of the Masters in collaboration with WASCA and NK Art Space set to exhibit The Spirit of Coffee

Mind of the Masters, in collaboration with the West African Specialty Coffee Association (WASCA) and NK Art Space, is hosting an art exhibition titled “The Spirit of Coffee” at The Spotlight Hub in Victoria Island, Lagos, from November 29 to December 12, 2025. The exhibition features 20 artworks curated by Mind of the Masters and NK Art Space, created by professional artist Lenrie Preks, whose works such as “The Spirit of Coffee,” “Coffee Blitz,” and “Flavour of Coffee” explore coffee culture through ritual, memory, and geometric abstraction.

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museum exhibitions schedule Apr 8, 2026 visibility 7 link 2 artists, 1 gallery

Three years after, Adelakun takes 45 KókóEwà to Mydrim

Prince Saheed Adelakun has returned to Mydrim Gallery in Lagos for a solo exhibition titled "KókóẸwà" (Essence of Beauty), featuring 45 new works. The exhibition is divided into two distinct series: "Dúdúyẹmí," which celebrates the natural richness of dark skin and traditional adornments, and "Ojú Tó ń Sọ̀rọ̀," a collection of portraits focusing on the expressive power of the human gaze. Utilizing a unique and labor-intensive rope medium, Adelakun explores themes of femininity, resilience, and cultural identity.

newspaper The Guardian Nigeria News open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Apr 21, 2026 visibility 5 link 1 artist

Collecting Now 2: Six Collectors exhbit at the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Arts (YSMA)

Six prominent Nigerian art collectors are exhibiting selections from their private collections at the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art (YSMA) in Lagos. The exhibition, titled 'Collecting Now 2', showcases contemporary African art and highlights the personal tastes and motivations of these influential individuals.

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museum exhibitions schedule Nov 4, 2025 visibility 4 link 1 gallery

Lagos art fair defies macroeconomic headwinds to reach double figures

Art X Lagos, West Africa's leading international art fair, celebrates its 10th edition in November 2025 under the theme 'Imagining Otherwise, No Matter the Tide.' Founder Tokini Peterside-Schwebig reflects on the fair's resilience despite Nigeria's currency crisis, economic volatility, the Covid-19 pandemic, and a softening global art market. This year's streamlined edition features 15 exhibitors from Nigeria, Uganda, Cameroon, Ghana, and the UK, hosted at the Federal Palace Hotel in Lagos. The fair coincides with the upcoming opening of the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) in Benin City.

newspaper The Art Newspaper open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Apr 5, 2026 visibility 3

Lagos LuxuryByFeyi Fashion Showroom, Feyiartistery Art Gallery’s pre-launch opening in Ikoyi

LuxuryByFeyi and Feyiartistery Art Gallery recently hosted an exclusive pre-launch event in Ikoyi, Lagos, blending high fashion with environmental advocacy. The showcase featured the 'Circular Economy: Now or Never' SS26 collection, which utilizes sustainable production methods and existing materials to promote slow fashion, alongside an art exhibition titled 'We Are Nature Defending Itself.'

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museum exhibitions schedule Apr 5, 2026 visibility 6

O’DA gallery stirs deep-seated emotions with group show,Happy

O'DA gallery in Lagos has opened a group exhibition titled "Happy," featuring works by contemporary artists that explore the complex and often contradictory nature of happiness. The show aims to move beyond simplistic portrayals of joy to examine its deeper, sometimes unsettling, psychological and social dimensions.

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article local schedule Feb 22, 2026 visibility 3

Art exhibition celebrates Valentine’s Day in Ogbomoso

The city of Ogbomoso hosted "Exhibit Mosho," a Valentine’s Day pop-up exhibition designed to showcase the region's artistic depth and foster community pride. Featuring works from 24 artists across Nigeria—including paintings, sculptures, and photography—the event centered on the theme of "Love, Bravery, and Conquest." Organizers from Ennovate Lab and the local creative community utilized the holiday to draw residents into a shared space for storytelling and cultural reflection.

newspaper The Nation Newspaper open_in_new Read original