ARTX- the first contemporary art fair in Lagos

Art X at Civic Center

On the first Friday night of November in Lagos, at the Civic Center, an unusual buzzing was going on with a collection fancy cars attempting to enter the exiguous parking lot by the water side. In the end cars we moving out of the parking lot after having delivered their passengers at the red carpet entrance of the first international contemporary art fair in Lagos called ART X. Friday night was the preview night for acknowledged potential buyers or influencers. Drivers went away through the evening traffic to park in some nearby improvised car park or perhaps line-up on the road until the time they would be called to pick-up their passengers again.
Well, as usual, there is always a way to find a parking space where "no parking" signs are put. Just promise the guards that there will be something for them and they creatively come up a some space by moving way the signs. "Bros, can you find us some space, there is something for you" would say the driver with a wink.

artful hat and paintings

Civic Center is a 2 storey white building looking like an inverted pyramid which is located by the side of the Lagoon next to the Falomo bridge in Victoria Island. The building otherwise white is lit up with glows of red. Veuve Clicquot was sponsoring welcome drinks at the end of the red carpet. The exhibition hall, on the second floor, was all immaculate white. The space was a bit constrained for the size of works displayed by galleries and individual artists but overall it had a feeling of unusual care about its execution.

Adeleke Adekola and his diamond dust works

Adeleke Adekola was commenting on the name of the fair: The “X” in “Art X” has become one of those contemporary monikers with a variety of meanings. From the old pirating/buccaneering form, where “X” signifying location = “marks the spot” (i.e. Art X = “Art, marks the spot: Lagos”) to the more modern day and urbane form, where “X” signifying crossroads = “by way of” (i.e. Art X = “Art, by way of Lagos”). I personally prefer the latter.

That sounds like a very policed interpretation of the X!

Keziah Jones contemplating South African art

Victor Ehikhamenor's work behind an assorted visitor

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