Tiwani Contemporary, a leading gallery for contemporary African art and its diaspora, has permanently closed its London location and paused operations at its Lagos outpost. Founder Maria Varnava cited financial challenges, rising operational costs, and a difficult market for contemporary art as reasons for the closure. The gallery, founded in 2011 and named after a Yoruba phrase meaning "it belongs to us," had expanded significantly in recent years, including a two-story space on Cork Street in 2023 and a 2,000-square-foot Lagos space in 2022. Its roster included artists such as Alicia Henry, Dawit L. Petros, Umar Rashid, and Theo Eshetu, and it previously represented Joy Labinjo, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Kapwani Kiwanga, Simone Leigh, and Michaela Yearwood-Dan. The gallery was a regular participant at major fairs including Frieze, 1-54, Art Basel Miami Beach, and Art X Lagos, and had been scheduled for Liste in Basel before withdrawing.
The closure signals a significant contraction in the market for contemporary African art, which peaked at $116.5 million in auction sales in 2022 but has since fallen sharply. London has been a key hub for promoting African art, but the sector is now under pressure, as noted by Frank Kilbourn of Strauss and Co. Tiwani’s shutdown reflects broader challenges facing specialized galleries in a volatile market, and its absence will be felt by artists, collectors, and curators who relied on its platform. The gallery’s commitment to prioritizing its artists during the closure underscores the personal and professional stakes involved in this loss for the African art ecosystem.