Art Fair Debuts with 200 Artists, 600 Artworks
The inaugural edition of Nigeria’s pioneering art fair, the +234 Art Fair, showcased the works of 200 artists, featuring over 600 diverse pieces of art. The event held at the Ecobank headquarters in Victoria Island, Lagos was organised by Soto Gallery, in collaboration with Ecobank Nigeria and the African Finance Corporation, with the objective of […]
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The inaugural edition of Nigeria’s pioneering art fair, the +234 Art Fair, showcased the works of 200 artists, featuring over 600 diverse pieces of art.
The event held at the Ecobank headquarters in Victoria Island, Lagos was organised by Soto Gallery, in collaboration with Ecobank Nigeria and the African Finance Corporation, with the objective of spotlighting and nurturing emerging talents while fostering new avenues of opportunities for them.
Founder of Soto Gallery and the +234 Art Fair, Tola Akerele, emphasized the fair’s broader goal of supporting artists’ professional growth by exploring avenues such as residency programs and grants, aiming to equip them for success on local, regional, and international stages.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Toyin Laoshe, the Project Director of +234 Art Fair, underscored the fair’s commitment to inclusivity, with artists selected from various regions of Nigeria and representing diverse artistic disciplines including fine art, sculpture, photography, and digital art. Laoshe expressed appreciation to sponsors for their role in realizing the vision of the fair.
Arinola Olowoporoku, the Lead Curator, explained that the fair focused on emerging ideas and talents within the Nigerian art scene, welcoming artists at various stages of their careers to participate and experiment with new concepts or narratives.
The fair, partitioned to accommodate different artistic mediums and demographics, offers a platform for artists to gain exposure, elevate their market value, and engage with a wider audience.
The fair’s selection process involved an open call, with curators working closely to align the chosen artworks with the fair’s overarching theme. Olowoporoku commended the visionary leadership of Tola Akerele and expressed gratitude to sponsors, particularly Ecobank, for their significant investment in the arts.
Ephraim Damilola “ED” Adegoke, one of the exhibiting artists, lauded the fair’s role in facilitating meaningful interactions between artists and viewers, while Ugo Ahiakwo, a sculptor, appreciated the opportunity to showcase often overlooked art forms like sculpture and connect with fellow artists and collectors.
Looking ahead, Olowoporoku outlined plans to expand the fair’s reach through additional editions and exhibitions, with the aim of providing sustained support and exposure to emerging artists.
Akerele emphasized the importance of governmental support in creating more platforms for artists nationwide and expressed ambitions to further promote Nigeria’s vibrant art scene on the global stage.