Art News. Vasari Codex

article news schedule Jul 29, 2025 visibility 16 link 16 artists, 3 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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article news schedule Jun 24, 2025 visibility 10 link 3 artists

queen elizabeth ii memorial design london st jamess park 1234746024

The UK government has finalized design plans for a national memorial to Queen Elizabeth II in London’s St James’s Park. A team led by architect Norman Foster of Foster + Partners, including British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare CBE RA, will create a natural stone path connecting royal gardens, a translucent cast-glass balustrade on the Blue Bridge inspired by the Queen’s wedding tiara, and figurative sculptures of the Queen and Prince Philip. Landscape designer Michael Desvigne is also part of the team, working with the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee. The final design will be announced in April 2026, coinciding with what would have been the Queen’s 100th birthday, with a budget of £23 to £46 million from public funds.

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museum exhibitions schedule May 20, 2025 visibility 12 link 7 artists

new portraits of historys black revolutionaries 2644569

The article reports on the exhibition “Rise Up: Resistance, Revolution, Abolition” at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, England, which highlights overlooked figures of the transatlantic abolitionist movement. It features contemporary portraits by British-Nigerian artist Joy Labinjo, including her 2022 works depicting Olaudah Equiano and Phillis Wheatley, alongside historical paintings like Thomas Gainsborough’s portrait of Charles Ignatius Sancho. Labinjo’s paintings fill gaps where no visual records of these revolutionaries exist, drawing on historical sources to create accurate, vivid representations.

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museum exhibitions schedule May 1, 2026 visibility 19 link 3 artists, 4 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 Nov 5, 2025 visibility 20 link 14 artists, 3 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.

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rate_review review schedule Apr 28, 2026 visibility 31 link 9 artists

The Revolutionary Tapestry of Nigerian Modernism

The exhibition "Nigerian Modernism" at Tate Modern in London is the first show of its kind in the UK, surveying how Nigerian artists forged a postcolonial identity across the 20th century. It features works by pioneers such as Aina Onabolu, Benedict Enwonwu, and members of the radical Zaria Art Society, including Uche Okeke, Jimo Akolo, and Clara Etso Ugbodaga-Ngu, highlighting their break from British artistic traditions and embrace of local visual heritage.

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article news schedule May 30, 2025 visibility 16 link 5 artists

japanese sculptor kunimasa aoki wins 2025 loewe craft prize 1234743920

Japanese sculptor Kunimasa Aoki won the 2025 Loewe Craft Prize on Thursday evening in Madrid, receiving a €50,000 cash prize. His anamorphic terracotta sculpture “Realm of Living Things 19” was selected by a 12-member jury from 30 shortlisted works on display at the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum. The jury praised the work's honest expression of the ancestral coil process and the raw, unfinished form of the material. Two special mentions were awarded: Nigerian artist Nifemi Marcus-Bello for “TM Bench with Bowl” and Studio Sumakshi Singh from India for “Monument.”

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museum exhibitions schedule Apr 23, 2025 visibility 13 link 9 artists, 3 galleries

‘I like pushing boundaries’: Yinka Shonibare on his landmark art show in Madagascar

British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare has opened his first major solo exhibition in Africa at Fondation H in Antananarivo, Madagascar. The show, which occupies the foundation's 2,200-square-meter historic building, features installations drawn from his catalog, including his signature use of Ankara print fabrics. The exhibition marks a significant milestone for Shonibare, who had previously attempted to mount a large solo show in Lagos but was thwarted by infrastructure limitations.

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museum exhibitions schedule Dec 13, 2025 visibility 18 link 4 artists

21 Savage and Slawn Took Over Atlanta's High Museum of Art

Rapper 21 Savage and British-Nigerian artist Olaolu Slawn (known as Slawn) took over Atlanta's High Museum of Art to celebrate the release of Savage's new album, *What Happened to the Streets?*. The exhibition featured 15 original artworks co-created by the duo, including the album's cover art inspired by Kerry James Marshall's 1980 painting “A Portrait of the Artist as a Shadow of His Former Self,” eight portraits of collaborators (Drake, Latto, G Herbo, Lil Baby, Jawan Harris, GloRilla, Metro Boomin, Young Nudy), and four additional paintings from the album's 4-CD cover art series. The event follows their Art Basel rollout, which included a 20-foot inflatable sculpture roaming Miami.

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museum exhibitions schedule Oct 15, 2025 visibility 20 link 7 artists

Freedom of expression: Tate exhibition offers an overdue showcase of Nigeria’s Modernist artists

Tate Modern's exhibition "Nigerian Modernism" showcases over 300 works by 59 Nigerian modernist artists, curated by Osei Bonsu and Bilal Akkouche. The show follows the 2018 record sale of Ben Enwonwu's portrait "Tutu" at Bonham's for £1.2 million, which highlighted the neglect of modern African artists in art history. It features pioneers like Aina Onabolu, the first African student at an English art school, and Uche Okeke of the Zaria Art Society, whose work blends Western techniques with Nigerian traditions, Islamic aesthetics, and uli mural painting.

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rate_review review schedule Apr 4, 2026 visibility 17 link 5 artists

Post-Mortemism: An Autopsy of “Nigerian Modernism: Art and Independence” at Tate Modern.

A critical essay by Ayọ̀ Akínwándé performs a forensic 'autopsy' of the Tate Modern exhibition 'Nigerian Modernism: Art and Independence.' The review dissects the show's structure, arguing it fails in its curatorial framework by isolating Nigerian artists within a regional category, using ethnographic display methods, relying on incomplete research, and excluding key artists and historical context.

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museum exhibitions schedule Oct 14, 2025 visibility 19 link 4 artists, 3 galleries

At Frieze London, a new section explores the flow of cultural influence between Africa and Brazil

Frieze London 2025 introduces a new curated section titled "Echoes in the Present," organized by Nigerian art historian Jareh Das. The section features eight galleries and ten artists, exploring the bidirectional cultural influences between Africa and Brazil, rooted in the history of the transatlantic slave trade. Artists such as Bunmi Agusto present works that delve into personal and collective histories, including Agusto's paintings about her great-great-grandfather, a Nigerian man sold into slavery who later returned home. The section builds on recent exhibitions like "Afro-Atlantic Histories" and "Brazil and Africa: a shared history," which have similarly examined the African diaspora's impact on Brazilian culture.

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museum exhibitions schedule Dec 8, 2025 visibility 21 link 12 artists

On View: 'Nigerian Modernism' at Tate Modern Charts Artistic Revolution Against Backdrop of Political and Cultural Rebellion

Tate Modern in London has opened 'Nigerian Modernism,' a major exhibition tracing the modern art movement in Nigeria from the 1940s through the post-independence era. Spanning 50 years, the show features over 250 works by more than 50 artists, including Jimo Akolo, El Anatsui, Nike Davies-Okundaye, Uzo Egonu, Ibrahim El-Salahi, Ben Enwonwu, Ladi Kwali, Aina Onabolu, Bruce Onobrakpeya, Uche Okeke, and Obiora Udechukwu. Curated by Osei Bonsu and Bilal Akkouche, the exhibition draws from Tate’s holdings and public and private collections across Africa, the United States, and Europe, and runs from October 8, 2025 to May 10, 2026.

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article news schedule Jun 24, 2025 visibility 10 link 3 artists

London’s Queen Elizabeth II memorial to feature contemplative Yinka Shonibare sculpture

A team led by architect Norman Foster and British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare has won the competition to design a national memorial to Queen Elizabeth II in St James’s Park, London. The winning proposal includes a series of royal gardens linked by a stone path, a new bridge inspired by the Queen Mary fringe tiara, and Shonibare’s Wind Sculpture as a contemplative centerpiece. The project also features figurative sculptures of the Queen and Prince Philip, a Prince Philip gate, and a main monument beside the Mall. The design will be developed with the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee, which will select a sculptor for the figurative elements later this year; the final design is due in April 2026, with a provisional budget of £23m–£46m.

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museum exhibitions schedule Apr 27, 2026 visibility 14 link 1 artist, 2 galleries

Yinka Ilori: Joy Through Resistance He Who Laughs Last, Laughs Best

The article text is corrupted and unreadable, appearing as garbled binary data. Based on the title "Yinka Ilori: Joy Through Resistance He Who Laughs Last, Laughs Best", it appears to be about British-Nigerian artist and designer Yinka Ilori, likely covering an exhibition or project that explores themes of joy and resistance through his signature colorful, pattern-based work.

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trending_up market schedule May 7, 2025 visibility 12 link 8 artists

Modern and Contemporary African and Middle Eastern Art: Olympia Auctions’ Largest Sale to Date

Olympia Auctions will hold its largest-ever sale of Modern and Contemporary African and Middle Eastern Art on May 7, 2025, in London. The auction features over 100 lots including works by pioneering Nigerian artists appearing at auction for the first time, Egyptian modernists from the Zulficar collection, classic South African paintings from a major collection, and Botswanan works on paper. Highlights include a portrait of Oum Kalthoum by George Bahgoury (estimate £25,000-30,000) and satirical portraits by Kingsley Obasi. Olympia Auctions expert Janet Rady, who has led the secondary market for Middle Eastern art since 2013, curated the sale.

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museum exhibitions schedule Apr 26, 2026 source 3 sources visibility 16 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 29, 2026 visibility 13 link 5 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 13 link 6 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 12 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 6, 2026 visibility 12 link 1 artist

Ndidi Dike “Rare Earth Rare Justice” at Secession, Vienna

Ndidi Dike, a British-Nigerian sculptor and multi-disciplinary artist, presents her first major solo exhibition at an Austrian institution, titled "Rare Earth Rare Justice," at Secession in Vienna. The show features works across mixed media, painting, sculpture, collage, photography, video, and installation, addressing social, political, and economic conditions of the modern world.

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museum exhibitions schedule Apr 21, 2026 visibility 10 link 3 artists, 1 gallery

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 28, 2026 visibility 12 link 5 artists

Coalition’ art exhibition draws massive turnout in Ibadan, eyes Guinness World Records

Over 900 art enthusiasts attended 'The Coalition' art exhibition in Ibadan, Nigeria, held from April 24 to 26, 2026, at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). The three-day event featured more than 600 artworks by 60 Nigerian artists, showcasing abstract works, portraits, and contemporary pieces exploring identity and culture. Organizers, including Constance and Sons Art Gallery founder Dunmade Ayegbayo, reported strong visitor engagement and sales, highlighting the commercial potential of Nigerian art.

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museum exhibitions schedule Dec 28, 2025 visibility 6 link 2 artists

Texart Fair 3.0 holds in Ibadan to create market opportunities for art

Texart Fair 3.0, a three-day art exhibition and cultural exchange, was held in Ibadan by BlackulHeritage Studios in collaboration with the National Museum of Unity, Ibadan. The event, themed “Tapping the Market Potential of Nigerian Art: Bridging the Gap,” brought together artists, collectors, curators, scholars, and students to discuss strengthening the visibility and economic value of Nigerian art. Highlights included a symposium, panel discussions, and Awards of Recognition presented to notable Nigerian art figures such as Tola Wewe, Prince Tunde Odunlade, and Tunde Kelani.

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museum exhibitions schedule May 17, 2026 visibility 3 link 4 artists, 2 galleries

Nigerian art, culture returns to Atlanta in historic international exhibition

Fulton County Arts & Culture in Atlanta has announced "Threads of Heritage: A Cultural Confluence Connecting Africa to Atlanta," a major Nigerian-American cultural exchange initiative running from May to June 2026. The program, led by Nigerian textile icon Nike Monica Okundaye and involving Nike Art & Culture Foundation, Nike Art USA, and UniSpectrum Inc., will feature Nigerian artists, cultural practitioners, bata dancers, and tradition bearers in visual arts, textile traditions, muralism, sculpture, storytelling, workshops, and youth education at the Fulton County Arts & Culture Downtown Exhibition Space.

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museum exhibitions schedule Apr 8, 2026 visibility 11 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

trending_up market schedule May 12, 2026 visibility 10 link 1 artist, 2 galleries

"Bloom Beyond Sight" , 2026

Bonu Deji's painting "Bloom Beyond Sight" (2026) is being offered for sale through Art R us gallery in Naples, Florida. The acrylic and oil on canvas work, sized 25 × 31 inches, is priced at US$1,400 and comes with a certificate of authenticity. Deji, a Nigerian artist born in 2003 and based in Lagos, creates figurative works exploring poverty, labor, resilience, and human dignity. The piece was exhibited in 2026 at Art R us's breakout exhibition of the artist and previously in the 2025 group show "Faces of Us" at The Zebra Gallery.

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museum exhibitions schedule Apr 21, 2026 visibility 12 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 26, 2025 visibility 9 link 3 artists

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 Mar 20, 2026 visibility 11

Susanne Wenger “Àdùnní Olórìṣà” at HALLE FÜR KUNST Steiermark, Graz

The HALLE FÜR KUNST Steiermark in Graz is presenting "Àdùnní Olórìṣà," a major exhibition of Austrian-Nigerian artist Susanne Wenger. This marks a significant homecoming for Wenger's work, which has not been shown in depth in Austria for over two decades, and features her sculptures, paintings, drawings, prints, and batik textiles.

newspaper Mousse Magazine open_in_new Read original