Art X Lagos
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| Art X Lagos | |
|---|---|
| Name | Art X Lagos |
| Genre | Contemporary art fair |
| Founded | 2016 |
| Founder | Tokini Peterside-Schwebig |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Location | Lagos, Nigeria |
| Venue | Landmark Centre |
Art X Lagos Art X Lagos is a leading contemporary art fair in Lagos, Nigeria, that showcases contemporary visual arts from across Africa and the African diaspora. Founded in 2016, the fair brings together galleries, artists, curators, collectors, institutions, foundations, museums, and cultural festivals to foster market development, curatorial exchange, and public programming. It serves as a nexus connecting Lagos with art centres such as London, Paris, New York, Johannesburg, and Dakar.
History
The fair was established in 2016 by Tokini Peterside-Schwebig amid rising global interest in contemporary African art, linking Lagos to the trajectories of Frieze Art Fair, Art Basel, 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, Zeitz MOCAA, and Investec Cape Town Art Fair. Early editions featured collaborations with institutions including British Council, British Museum, Tate Modern, The Africa Centre, Serpentine Galleries, and Mori Art Museum, while engaging with collectors associated with Okwui Enwezor-era networks, the Saatchi Collection, and philanthropies like Prince Claus Fund and Ford Foundation. Over successive years the fair expanded its remit alongside national cultural policies in Nigeria, regional museum initiatives such as Museum of African Contemporary Art Al Maaden, and artist-led platforms like Crawford Art Gallery partnerships and city biennials including Dak'Art and Biennale de Lyon.
Organization and Format
Art X Lagos operates as an annual commercial and curatorial platform featuring invited galleries, project spaces, and solo presentations. The organizing body coordinates with international galleries such as David Zwirner, Tyburn Gallery, Rele Art Gallery, and regional exhibitors including African Artists' Foundation, SMO Contemporary, James Cohan, and Galerie Cécile Fakhoury. The fair comprises a main presentation of exhibiting stands, a curated section curated by rotating guest curators affiliated with institutions like Institute of Contemporary Art Boston, Stedelijk Museum, Centre Pompidou, and Maxxi Museum. Programming logistics are managed alongside sponsors and partners such as MTN, Guaranty Trust Bank, Shell Nigeria, and art market advisors connected to Sotheby's and Christie's.
Exhibitions and Programmes
The fair's exhibition program includes gallery booths, the curated "Discovery" section, solo artist commissions, performances, talks, and film screenings. Curatorial projects have involved figures linked to Theaster Gates, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Yinka Shonibare, El Anatsui, and William Kentridge networks, while educational programming has collaborated with universities and schools such as University of Lagos, Pan-Atlantic University, Rhode Island School of Design, and Goldsmiths, University of London. Public programmes feature panels with representatives from National Gallery of Art (Nigeria), collectors from The Walther Collection, museum directors from Hewlett Foundation-supported institutions, and critics from outlets like Artforum, Frieze, and Contemporary And. The fair also commissions large-scale works that enter collections of institutions such as Zeitz MOCAA, SCAD Museum of Art, and private collections linked to Dangote Group and international collectors.
Artists and Participants
Participants span established and emerging practitioners from across Africa and the diaspora, including artists affiliated with Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Senegal, Kenya, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Egypt, Morocco, Côte d'Ivoire, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Mali, and communities in London, Paris, New York, and Dubai. Notable participants have included practitioners connected to names such as Laolu Senbanjo, Peju Alatise, Nengi Omuku, Otobong Nkanga, Amoako Boafo, and alumni of residencies at Pigozzi Collection, Gasworks, Künstlerdorf Schöppingen, and The Atlantic Fellows. Galleries and curators bring artists represented by platforms like ReDot Fine Art, Tyson Beckford Gallery, Blank Projects, and university-affiliated collections such as Stellenbosch University Museum.
Impact and Reception
Art X Lagos has been credited with amplifying Lagos as a global art hub and stimulating dialogues among institutions including Lagos Biennial, Nigeria Prize for Literature stakeholders, and international art market actors such as Perrotin and Hauser & Wirth. Critics and commentators from publications like The New York Times, The Guardian, Vogue, CNN, and The Art Newspaper have analyzed the fair's role in shaping secondary and primary market dynamics, artist career development, and museum acquisitions. The fair has influenced collecting patterns among corporate collections like Zenith Bank Collection and affected programming at regional galleries including Nike Art Gallery and African Artists' Foundation. Reception has been framed by debates involving cultural institutions such as UNESCO and cultural diplomacy actors from British Council and Institut Français.
Awards and Initiatives
The fair has launched initiatives and awards to support emerging talent, residency exchanges, and acquisition funds, often collaborating with foundations like Prince Claus Fund, V&A (Victoria and Albert Museum), Ford Foundation, and corporate partners such as MTN Foundation. Programmes include mentorship schemes with curators from Tate Modern, acquisition partnerships with collectors linked to The Walther Collection and Rubell Family Collection, and residency placements at institutions such as Goethe-Institut and IF (Institut Français) programmes. These initiatives aim to create pathways to biennials including Venice Biennale and regional exhibitions like Kunsthalle projects.
Venue and Logistics
The fair is typically hosted at large Lagos venues such as the Landmark Centre (Lagos), coordinating logistics with airlines and hospitality partners serving hubs like Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos State Government cultural agencies, and local transport operators. Event planning involves customs liaison for artworks with agencies interfacing with regional freight forwarders used by galleries traveling from Cotonou, Accra, Abidjan, Johannesburg, and Istanbul. Security, conservation, and installation work often involves collaborations with technical teams associated with museum-standard practices from Conservation Center (GCI) models and private conservation firms.