‘ART X Lagos remains cornerstone of African Art Industry’

ART X Lagos has become a cornerstone of the African art industry, providing the platform for empowerment and discovery of the unique artistic talents of young Nigerians, founder of the art exhibition, Tokini Peterside-Schwebig has observed. The ART X Lagos 2023 which came to an end recently with the theme, “The Dialogue,” featured several galleries including […]

ART X Lagos has become a cornerstone of the African art industry, providing the platform for empowerment and discovery of the unique artistic talents of young Nigerians, founder of the art exhibition, Tokini Peterside-Schwebig has observed.

The ART X Lagos 2023 which came to an end recently with the theme, “The Dialogue,” featured several galleries including Galerie MAM (Cameroon), Nike Art Gallery (Nigeria), Afriart Gallery (Uganda), Tiwani Contemporary (U.K. and Nigeria), Gallery 1957 (Ghana), among others. Several curated exhibitions were also on display.

Africa’s financial powerhouse, Access Holdings, as part of its commitment to advance the course of a prosperous Africa and empower the next generation of African creatives through the transformative power of art continued its tradition of support for the exhibition.

Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings PLC, Herbert Wigwe, emphasised the potential contribution of the creative sector to the economic development and to changing stereotypical views of the continent.

“At Access Holdings, our focus on changing the African narrative runs through the very core of our mission, as we firmly believe that by supporting and promoting African art, we contribute to a more accurate and balanced view of our continent.

“We recognise the potential of art to reflect the present and shape the future. Furthermore, we are cognizant of the potential contributions of the creative sector, particularly visual and contemporary art, to our continent’s GDP if our budding talents can be given the right support and structure to be seen and appreciated.

“Through our support of ART X Lagos, we aim to highlight the multifaceted brilliance of our people and the richness of our culture. In doing so, we will unabashedly celebrate the diversity and strength of the African continent, nurture relationships that transcend borders, build bridges, invest in talent, and foster collaboration on a global scale,” Wigwe added.

Tokini Peterside-Schwebig, Founder of ART X Lagos stated that the eighth edition of the art exhibition was unique.

She said, “ART X Lagos remains a cornerstone of the African art industry, and demonstrated with its eighth edition that it is more than a traditional art fair.

“Our uniqueness and strength lies in our ability to gather a wide spectrum of artistic voices on one stage, ranging from a revered 91-year-old artist and prominent collectors, to the hottest new musical talents and DJs in Africa.

“We are delighted at the response from our galleries and artists, who judged the fair a resounding success. This year’s fair further entrenched our uniqueness on the world stage as an innovative multidisciplinary platform that exemplifies unity and excellence across Africa.”