At last, it’s that time of the year when ART X Lagos injects artistic fervour into Nigeria’s art capital. The 9th edition of West Africa’s leading art fair, which premiered in 2016, will begin on October 31st. As expected, ART X Lagos 2024 promises to be a feast for the senses. It is happening at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island in Lagos.
The venue is divided into three sections: the Projects, the Amphitheatre, and the Galleries & Exhibitions. Strategically, each component of the fair is curated to project a collective message. Through installations, artworks, music, discussions and films, the fair guarantees visitors a mentally stimulating experience.
This year’s curatorial theme-“Promised Lands” is Missla Libsekal‘s brainchild. As the Curator-at-Large for the fair, she sets the tone for the entire affair across all segments.
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One foot through the entrance and the Amphitheatre awaits, sandwiched between “The Projects” and the “Galleries & Exhibitions”. The Amphitheatre is where visitors can watch all the shorts and films curated for the fair.
Over the years, ART X Lagos has consistently delivered a beautiful cocktail of art, live music and even live installations. ART X Lagos 2023 took things up a notch by introducing a new segment to its broad programme called ART X Cinema.
Hopefully, the ART X Cinema segment is here to stay as it makes a comeback in ART X Lagos 2024. Curated by Tega Okiti, the second edition of ART X Cinema is about “unlocking the future of African film.” Tega Okiti embraces diverse genres to breathe life into the overarching theme of the fair. Through films reflective of the realities of Africans, the audience will be encouraged to contemplate creative solutions to prevailing issues.
East of the Amphitheatre, 10 galleries will display artworks from different artists. Besides the beautiful formation of various exhibitors’ booths, west of the amphitheatre features various projects. They include the newly added “Speakers’ Corner” and “Imagination Station”-an educational/ participatory corner for kids, inspired by the “Promised Lands” theme.
After a long day of interacting with the various visual enticements on display, visitors are welcome to ART X Live! curated by Lanre Masha and Ayo Lawson. These two creatives have worked hard to optimise the flagship platform for experimentation and expression. Here, art meets music to concoct a unique experience for the audience.
ART X Live! 2024 assembles 6 performing artists whose sounds echo the past, present and future of music in Nigeria. These artists range from the King of Bonsue Fuji, Adewale Ayuba to multi-disciplinary artist, Niyi Okeowo and popular Alté (alternative) musicians (Cruel Santino and Odunsi the Engine). Altogether, this presents the opportunity for a unique concert experience.
While Art X Live! offers visitors the chance to experience genre-defying musical styles, it simultaneously doubles as an accelerator for performing artists. The curators claim to work with artists who have a narrower scope of audience within Nigeria. That way, they stay at the forefront of history when these artists go on to perform on more prestigious platforms.
With the enlightening discussions to be had, the artworks to gaze upon and the music to sway to, visitors are in for a treat. ART X Lagos 2024 transcends the regular threshold of art fairs.
Collector’s preview is by invitation only on the 31st of October. On the 1st of November, there will be a VIP preview also by invitation only. The next two days are public days and all one needs is a ticket to get the proposed experience.
