Fresh breathing with ‘Having Traveled Far’

If you are in Lagos this week, and perhaps need something fresh as art contents for a break from the eye-popping colour infested canvas that the city's art space is known for, a group art exhibition titled Having Traveled Far could just be an ideal show.

Owusu-Ankoma's Good Intention

Currently on at Omenka Gallery, Ikoyi, Lagos Island, it features the works of Owusu-Ankomah, Godfried Donkor, Manuela Sambo, EL Loko and Ransome Stanley.

While on a visit to the gallery for a different reason, I stumbled on Having Traveled Far, and was webbed by the fresh breath the exhibits radiate: not exactly for the all-Diaspora artists gathering, but the aura of calmness, softness on the walls. I wish I could return to the gallery for a review before the show ends next month. 

Much earlier, a press release was received from the gallery. It says: Having Travelled Far thus builds upon these successes and aims to stimulate the Lagos exhibition circuit, while encouraging cross-fertilization of ideas between African artists who define their practices on the continent and those in diaspora. The geographical location of the artists may be informed by Germany’s pivotal role as a vigorous space for the promotion of contemporary African art with reputable magazines and publications like Savvy, major exhibitions like dOCUMENTA and galleries promoting art from the continent including ARTCO, which represents over 20 leading contemporary African artists.