For sixth '1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair', over 130 artists hit London

Installation view – From past edition.

With 42 art galleries and over 130 artists from around the world, 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair hit its sixth London edition, to be held at Somerset House, 4-7 October 2018.

Breeding Future Contemporary Masters From 'Generations' series

'Tender Anticipation (Expectation series,
22 x 28 Inches Oil on textured canvas 2018), by Raji Mohamed.

When artists who are below mid-career, or few years post-training, gaze into the future with mastery of art mentality, the pressure of creating faultless contents is higher. Emeka Nwagbara, Chinedu Uzoma, Damilola Opedun, Ezekiel Osifeso, Olajide Salako, Olufemi Oyewole, Oluwafunke Oladimeji, Segun Fagorusi and Raji Mohamed are artists, supposedly, with future mastery of the pallete.

Again, most of the artists have been selected to show at Generations - Future Masters-2', a series that debuted last year and opening June 30, 2018 at Mydrim Gallery, Ikoyi, Lagos. The gallery's taste for mastery of art is not a recent development; in 2007, it showed exhibition titled Living Masters. And just few weeks ago, the Gallery has 12 modern and contemporary artists showed as The Masters.

Bolatito Aderemi wins Art X Lagos Prize 2018

Tokini Peterside, admiring winner of Art X Prize 2018, Bolatito Aderemi (middle) flanked by finalists Williams Chechet and Ayo Akinwande with Amaechi Okobi, of Access Bank, during the presentation ...yesterday.

Out of three finalists selected from a pool of entries, Bolatito Aderemi has emerged as winner of the third edition of Art X Lagos Prize after being adjudged by a five-member jury.  Master printmaker, Dr Bruce Onobrakpeya, Yinka Shonibare MBE, Wura-Natasha Ogunji, Sokari Douglass Camp and Oliver Enwonwu were members of the jury.

Talent hunt for Fashola Photographic Foundation takes off

After the success of its first edition, the Fashola Photographic Foundation has opened a call for entries in search of the next top talent in photography.

Moulding 'Beyond Functions' from Nathalie, Arinze

'Venus'
(Glazed Clay 23.5”/17.5” 2018), by Djakou Kassi Nathalie.

Ato Arinze and Djakou Kassi Nathalie, in this exhibition, are inspired by the desire to project ceramics as a genre of art that is not limited to functionality. Limiting ceramics to functionality reduces its value and commodifies it, hence the theme, Beyond Functions.

Its maiden edition was held in 2016 where the two artists exhibited works of art that are conceptual and engaging. This second edition is a step ahead of the initial edition as it offers a bold and courageous approach to subject matters and style.
Ato's oeuvre offers a trajectory into the rumbles and chaos of the society. He is deeply concerned by the agony and hardship that the people experience occasionally and positions himself as a social commentator who participates in public comments through conceptual art. In Bullet holes and bullet wounds, the artist presents a commentary on the recent killings in the country by Fulani Herdsmen who attacks villages and settlements at will.

With Beads, Olafisoye Interrogates Metaphysics In Art, Craft

Cultural and royal parapherlia by Chief Robinson Olafisoye.

ART, in its functionality, design or craft, goes beyond creative application in the studio of Chief Robinson Olafisoye. There is a dual role of using his art and craft to promote tourism as well as African spirituality. And with the Lagos State government’s projection of turning Ikorodu into a tourism hub, Olafisoye, whose studio is located on Agric area of the town, appears well prepared for the future.
 
A ride through quite a number of rough roads, off the main Ikorodu Expressway, leads to the 63-year-old artist’s studio.  Serving as home and studio is a detached block of one of the two buildings inside the gated compound. On the wall of his studio are art and

'Connecting the Dots' with Onadipe's exuberant art

A mixed media titled 'The Monocular' (172 x 142 cm, 2017) by Olumide Onadipe.

Recurring issues such as Identity, migration, enviromental management and globalisation are being analysed through the palette of Olumide Onadipe. An artist with exuberant deployment of re-purposed materials in creating sculptures and paintings, Onadipe places managers of resources on the spot just as he chides Africa for freely losing its dignity.

Currently showing as Connecting the Dots, at Temple Muse, Victoria Island, Lagos, Onadipe's new body of work also marks the host space's 10th anniversary as a design shop. As Onadipe herds select preview guests through his artworks mounted

Today, Shonibare, other Royal Academicians open 250th show in London

A section of the Royal Academy's 250th Summer Art Exhibition.

When the 250th edition of Royal Academy Summer Art Exhibition opens today, ending August 19, over 1, 300 artworks will be on display for the yearly show.

Among top artists showing paintings and installations are Yinka Shonibare, Tracey Emin,

Taking Osawe's 'Pa Johnson & Gabriel' to mainstream art after three decades

Cartoonist, Moses Osawe

OVER 30 years after the comic character Pa Johson & Gabriel of the rested Fun Times disappeared with the weekly Sunday magazine, the creator of the cartoon, Moses Osawe, is back from his U.S. base. He has pulled the cartoons out of the magazine onto the canvas to give them aesthetic value beyond its original fun contents. 

Osawe showed the paintings and drawings, inspired by the 'Pa Johnson & Gabriel' characters as a solo art
exhibition at Weave and Co Gallery, Moor House Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos. While some of the exhibits still

Sotheby's legitimacy suit against Greece may favour holders of looted African artefacts

Ancient Greek bronze sculpture of which Sotheby's is challenging Greece'a ownership claim. PIC: Courtesy Sotheby's.

If the ongoing legal issue between Sotheby's and the government of Greece over a 8th Century BC Greek sculpture ends in favour of the auction house, legitimacy of quite a number of looted ancient artworks may favour subsisting holders. In fact, some collectors of alleged looted artefacts of African origins would be bold to sell them at auctions if the government of Greece loses it's legitimacy claim against Sotheby's.

Eight years ago, Sotheby's was forced to cancel its sales of artefacts of Benin origin - including an iconic 16th Century Idia mask pendant - after a non-governmental group, Nigeria Liberty Forum (NLF), raised an alarm. NLF, led by Kayode Ogundamisi had written to Sotheby's to stop the

Tonight, 'Anyanwu' by Enwonwu goes for 50-60 million Naira Nigerian auction record

Anyanwu' The Wakening), by Ben Enwonwu.

 It took more than one year and two editions of Arthouse auctions before Ben Enwonwu won the heart of collectors after the 2008 historic sale event in Lagos. Dr Bruce Onobrakpeya and Yusuf Grillo were among the I  eading masters in top sales of the first two editions.

Knowledge of 'Collecting Art' With Asibelua Foundation

Mr Nero Asibelua (left), giving copies of the book to Mr Mike Omoighe, representative of Yaba College of Techonology, Lagos.

Art appreciation is incomplete without the knowledge of what to collect. And to spread that knowledge, a not-for-profit organisation, Nero Asibelua Foundation has donated copies of 'Collecting Art: A Handbook' to some Fine and Applied Arts higher Institutions of learning across Nigeria.

In partnership with Quintessence Gallery, the ceremony tagged  'Books For Knowledge',  took place at the gallery, Parkview Ikoyi, Lagos.

The donation is Nero Asibelua Foundation's contribution to the lmowledge of art appreciation in Nigeria. Written by

Capital market experts, others converge for 'Art' as an Alternative Investment'

 

Oliver Enwonwu.

 
Second in its 'Art as an Alternative Investment' Seminar  series, Omenka, again gathers resource persons the creative and the larger financial sectors to expand the commercial value of art. Perhaps the recurring emphasis on art's commercial value is necessary in a clime such as Africa where consciousness in art appreciation appears to ha've increased in recent years.
  
On June 4, 2018, at The Wheatbaker Hoyel Ikoyi, Lagos, one of Africa's top art collectors and a stock broker, Prince Yemisi Shyllon; art critic and architect, Jess Castellote; MD/ CEO, Zenith Capital

As monarch blesses exhibits of Asante cultural objects in Dallas, origin unknown

Asante monarchy representation, ahead of the exhibition, in Dallas.

Collections of Asante cultural objects from various museums in the U.S and Europe currently on display as 'The Power of Gold: Asante Royal Regalia from Ghana', at the Dallas Museum of Art through August 12 have received the nod of

The Asante king, His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene.  NBC reports that the monarch sent his second-in-command to Dallas with a special message. “He is deeply appreciative of this special exhibition that has been mounted because gold is a symbol of the great Asantes and we are a proud nation within modern Ghana,” Daasebre Osei Bonsu II, Mamponghene was quoted as saying ahead of the opening.

The exhibition, said to feature over 250 objects, include pieces on loans from
Dallas Museum of Art’s collections, private collections and