New Telegraph

Artists, galleries from Africa, Diaspora converge on Lagos for NXT.ART Fair

All is set for NXT.ART FAIR 2022, featuring artists and art galleries from Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Kenya and the U.S., among others.

Dedicated to new innovators, the Fair also focuses on contemporary aspirations and future realities. As a gathering that creates an umbrella for fresh ideas, NXT.

ART Fair, which holds from February 27 to March 4, 2022, at Landmark Event Centre, Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria, is designed as a yearly event.

“The NXT.ART space will showcase contemporary art from galleries in Africa and the African Diaspora, designed to focus on the distinctive and connective themes in Black culture,” says fair director, Ugonna Ibe-Ejiogu. “NXT.ART has partnered with African Digital Art to host a Digital Gallery co-curated by Ugonna Ibe-Ejiogu & Somi Nwandu.”

Ibe-Ejiogu who is also the founder of Yenwa Gallery, explained that the NXT. ART FAIR, in addition, includes a curated section with theme ‘Here & There’, adding that the theme is about contemplating present dreams and future realities. “Here & There is then, now and everywhen.

 

A journey of reimagined space – physical, psychological and conceptual. “It considers this moment and explores a future experience for Africa and her Diaspora.” The NXT. ART five-day experience also has a gathering tagged ‘Curated Convos’, featuring local and international artists, curators, collectors and investors.

 

According to Ibe-Ejiogu, in showcasing a fair of rare standard and quality in Lagos, NXT.ART’s Advisory and Selection committee has been carefully chosen to comprise of prominent art collectors and curators in Africa and the Diaspora.

 

The committee screened and selected the galleries being featured in the fair.

 

Advisory and Selection Committee: Jess Castellotte: Director, Yemisi Shyllon Museum of African Art (Nigeria); Amy Andrieux: Executive Director, Museum Of Contemporary African Diasporan Art Mocada (United States); Chid Liberty: CEO & Founder Liberty & Justice – (Liberia); Solange Farkas: Director & Curator VideoBrasil Cultural Association (Brazil); Somi Nwandu: External Affairs Coordinator Smithsonian Museum of African Art (Dubai); Jepchumba, Founder, African Digital Art (Kenya); Ifeyinwa Ighodalo, CEO & Founder DOII Designs – (Nigeria); Olivia AnanI, Co-Director of the Africa + Modern and Contemporary Art Department Piasa (France); and Ifeyinwa Momah: Lawyer & Member Society for Art Collection (Nigeria). Confirmed participating Art Galleries include: Gallery at

 

The Landmark (GATLDMK) (Lagos), presenting works by Isaac Emokpae and Ighiwiyisi Jacobs; June Creative Art Advisory (JCAA) (Lagos) presenting works by Yadichinma Ukoha-Kalu, Laja Oladotun, James George, Joseph Ogbeide and Musa Ganiyy; Forme Femine (Berlin) https://www.formefemine. com, presenting works by Ebuka Pascal Agudiegwu, Chinwe Chigbu, Yewande Oseni; and ADA NFT Gallery (USA) www.africandigitalart.com, presenting works by Afroscope (Ghana), Ike Slimster (Nigeria, USA), Martin Ndere (Kenya), Qaadira Ihsaan (USA), Kevin Karasha (Kenya), MahlÔt Sansosa (USA), Farhana Jacobs (South Africa), Hakeem Adam (Ghana), Omololu Johnson Ayodeji (Nigeria).

 

NXT. ART Fair 2022 Curated Conversation. Panelists include: Professor Peju Layiwola; artist Olivia Anani; Co- Director of the Africa + Modern and Contemporary Art Department Piasa (France), Ayodeji Rotinwa; writer Niyi Okeowo; artist Jepchumba; Founder, African Digital Art, Oyindamola Fakeye; Creative Director CCA Lagos, Tony Agbapuonwu; Curator Fisayo Bakare. Founded by Ngozi Odita, AfricaNXT has been a work-in-prpgress for 10 years.

The debut edition of 2022 provides a platform keenly focused on the continent, serving a global community eager to connect to Africa from all verticals.

 

Through diverse programming and immersive experiences we curate a week of high-level conversations, oneof- a-kind moments and game-changing connections.

‘’Having been a part of the local tech and business ecosystem for 10 years, we seek to leverage our learning and insights to ensure we are providing capacity and creating an enabling environment that fosters collaboration and innovation for decades to come.

 

‘’For the 2022 edition of AfricaNXT we are tasking ourselves, our speakers and attendees to reimagine what’s possible, to rethink our approach to innovation and to radically collaborate.

We believe in the power of us gathering with purpose and understand the opportunity before us, to collectively build the Africa we want.’’

 

African Digital Art, foundeed by Jepchumba, Ngozi Odita and Chinedu Enekwe, is an award winning platform that has presented over 1,000 projects and artists from Africa and around the world. Launched in 2008 by Jepchumba, Kenyan digital artist and curator, the platform aimed to bring exposure to African creative visual art, design and culture online.

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