A-ARTs: In Lagos, two galleries, 20 artists converge for 'Here & Now'

'Tailored To Her Root' (acrylic & fabric on canvas, 18x24inches, dated 2025) by Austin George Dorgu.

By Ola Alowoloke

AS 20 contemporary artists explore the stories shaping Africa's present and future, two art galleries collaborate for better understanding of the environment.

Titled Here & Now: Becoming, Identity, Memory, and Environment, the group exhibition opens to the public from June 13-30, 2026 at Thought Pyramid Art Centre, 96 Norman Williams Street Ikoyi, Lagos. The exhibition is Organised by Chief Jeff Ajueshi-led Thought Pyramid Art Centre, and Rodney Asikhia-led Tribes Art Africa Gallery (TAAG).

The collaboration between Thought Pyramid and TAAG converges artists whose works investigate the intersections of identity, memory, personal transformation, and the environments that shape human experience. In a curatorial note and gallery statement, TAAG and Thought Pyramid explained that the exhibition brings together a dynamic group of artists whose practices span figurative painting, conceptual realism, mixed media, expressive portraiture, and contemporary storytelling. Through diverse visual languages, the artists explore how memory, culture, environment, and personal histories shape the ongoing process of becoming.

Exhibiting artists include Williams Merenini, Olatide Amusa, Frank Ndubuisi, Don Okuchukwu (Moonlight Art), Bella Mfon, Tarikoro Tamunofiri Henrietta, Austin Dorgu, Mark Duke, Ella Ojadi and Nelson Etok. Others include Temitope Victoria Ogunwale (Temi OG), Moses Bamba, Esinulo Chiamaka Praise, Wasiu Sunday Hassan, Shina Ernest Odofin, David Okoi, Enoch Oyewole, Similoluwa Ilori, Kingsley Oghenekaro Omodigono, and Adabekee Chisom Nichodemus.

The galleries noted that at a moment when conversations surrounding identity, belonging, migration, cultural heritage, environmental awareness, and self-determination continue to shape contemporary society, Here & Now offers a timely reflection on the experiences and narratives that define the present. The organisers explained that the exhibition examines how individuals and communities navigate memory and transformation while responding to an ever-changing world.

According to Thought Pyramid and TAAG, the participating artists engage the themes through works that range from intimate psychological portraiture and emotional storytelling to broader explorations of cultural memory, social realities, resilience, and collective experience. The collectivity create a rich visual dialogue that celebrates both individual perspectives and shared humanity, the curatorial note and gallery statement added.

"Here & Now is an invitation to reflect on the forces that shape who we are and who we are becoming," the curator, Asikhia stated. "The exhibition brings together artists whose practices explore memory, identity, environment, and transformation in ways that are deeply personal yet universally relevant."

Asikhia noted that the exhibiting artists offer powerful perspectives on contemporary life and remind viewers that the people's stories are continually being written through the experiences everyone carry and the worlds being inhabited.

"Thought Pyramid Art Centre remains committed to providing platforms that elevate contemporary African voices and encourage meaningful cultural dialogue," Chief Ajueshi added. "Here & Now reflects the richness of artistic perspectives emerging across the continent and demonstrates the important role artists play in helping us understand ourselves, our communities, and our shared future."

Located in Lagos and Abuja, Thought Pyramid Art Centre has become synonymous with artistic excellence and innovation, presenting exhibitions that challenge conventions while celebrating the diversity and complexity of African creativity. Through its commitment to nurturing talent and supporting contemporary artistic practice, the institution continues to shape the future of African art both locally and internationally.

TAAG Gallery (Tribes Art Africa Gallery) is committed to championing contemporary African art through exhibitions, art fairs, publications, and cultural initiatives that connect artists with collectors and audiences worldwide. The gallery represents emerging and established artists whose practices explore identity, culture, memory, and contemporary African experiences.

Line, light through digital brushings-of Oseh