A recent trip to Nigeria for an African acquisitions committee coincided with the second Lagos Biennial of Contemporary Art, located in the historic, derelict Nigerian Railway Corporation building and bringing together 37 leading artists from across 5 continents.
The crumbling interiors provided a unique backdrop for paintings, installations and photography which were charged throughout with social and political meaning. The Lagos art week also hosted the acclaimed Photo Lagos at the African Artists’ Foundation, as well as the slick Art X Fair which hosted us for their VIP programme.
As well as exploring the burgeoning art scene, we dined at some of the best new contemporary restaurants in the city, including NOK by Alara which doubles as the most exclusive fashion boutique in West Africa. We ended our trip at the studio of renowned printmaker, painter and sculptor, Bruce Onobrakpreya, whose studio in the heart of the Lagos mainland was packed with works from throughout his illustrious career, charting the history of Nigeria.