a vast, beautiful, but often misunderstood continent – they invite us to see and engage with the continent as ‘she’ truly is. How has ART X Lagos, the fair you founded, evolved over the past six years? In November, we will celebrate the 7th edition of ART X Lagos, the fair I created to serve as a bridge between Africa’s active communities of artists and practitioners, to amplify the local and international patronage of our artists, and to establish Lagos as an emergent cultural capital globally. Our fair has become a cornerstone of the African art world and is now recognised regionally and internationally for its dynamism, its energy, and its ground-breaking multidisciplinary identity. ART X Lagos has tripled in size since its launch and has succeeded in building a vibrant art season around the fair, which now attracts the world’s leading art collectors, institutions, and more, to our city. We have placed art back on the agenda in Nigeria and have planted Lagos firmly on the global art map. What are the biggest misconceptions about African art? That it is ‘new’, as opposed to being descended from Africa’s vast artistic and cultural heritage; that it possesses a predictable, discernible aesthetic quality; that it prioritises aesthetic value over conceptual rigour or complexity…There is a long list. But all of these misconceptions can be floored by a singular glance at the monumental tapestries of El Anatsui; the animations of William Kentridge; the intricate drawings and lithographs of Uche Okeke and Bruce Onobrakpeya; the canvases and sculptures of Wangechi Mutu; the photography of Seydou Keita, Zanele Muholi, Omar Victor Diop; the installations and performance art of Otobong Nkanga, and many, many more - here, the list is literally endless. This event will take place in the following cities: New York, Dubai, Hong Kong, Tokyo. Full day experience. For more information and to book, please visit the CenturionLiving website using the instructions on page 19 or 53. 79
