Few countries in Africa lead the contemporary art scene like Nigeria. In 2024, all eyes will be on the West African country for its ambitious second national pavilion, alongside first-time participants Benin and Morocco, as Africa aims to buck a decades-long trend of underrepresentation at the Venice Biennale. its presence was hailed as “a milestone for the continent”.
Aindrea Emelife, the 29-year-old curator of the Nigerian pavilion, does not take the responsibility lightly. “This is extremely important for Nigeria and Africa. “I feel like we are on the verge of something politically and culturally,” says Emelife, promising that the pavilion will “embrace the unexpected,” “show who we are,” and “dispel narrow stereotypes.”
Sunshine Alaibe, creative director of Art Report Africa, a center for visual arts and culture in Nigeria, says the continent’s artists, designers and filmmakers are “bulldozing” their way onto the global stage. Events such as Art art market”.
Azu Nwagbogu, Nigerian curator of the Benin pavilion, says: “The simultaneous participation of Benin and Morocco, two countries with rich artistic histories, marks a turning point for the continent.
“Benin’s distinctive visa-free, open border policy, rare on the continent, has birthed a cultural renaissance for Africa,” he adds. “The nation, under the Presidency [Patrice] Talon’s leadership is at the forefront of the ambitious restitution movement and is taking a leadership role in shaping the arts and cultural landscape across the continent.”
We refute what the colonial project is trying to do, which is to tear us away from our culture. Instead we embrace it
Aindrea Emelife, art curator
Emelife has assembled an impressive line-up for the Nigerian pavilion, including British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare and Nigerian-American visual artist Toyin Ojih Odutola, as well as “rising art world star” Precious Okoyomon; but only one – London-born Ndidi Dike – is based in Nigeria.
“Nigeria is booming in every corner of culture, from the cinema boom in Nollywood, to the global dominance of Afrobeats, from the broad spectrum of Nigerian writers, to our international culinary experiences and of course the international focus and enthusiasm for contemporary art, because in these many ways, Creators look back within themselves and create a They dream of the future,” says Emelife. “We refute what the colonial project is trying to do, which is to alienate us from our culture. “Instead, we embrace it, reimagine it, and bring it into the world.”
The theme of the pavilion is the Nigerian Dream because “imagination is the most efficient and powerful tool of liberation we have,” says Emelife.
“What kind of nation do you dream of? Can we make a contemporary analogy? “These are some of the questions that arise when I sit down to think about how I can express such a diverse nation,” he says, adding, “Optimism and belief in the future are embedded in the psyche of Nigerians.”
“The Nigeria Pavilion catapults the audience towards an optimistic future with the wind of history; an optimistic past, an uneasy present, and the dream of a Nigeria that could be, and the many Nigeria that live within us.”
Relating to: Nollywood moment: African film industries ‘could create 20 million jobs’
Emelife is the curator of modern and contemporary art at the highly anticipated Museum of West African Art (Mowaa) in Benin, Nigeria, which will open in phases from late 2024. The Nigerian pavilion, which features works donated by artists such as Shonibare and British-born Tunji Adeniyi-Jones.
The 60th Venice Biennale, to be held from April 20 to November 24, is directed by Adriano Pedrosa, Brazilian curator and director of the São Paulo Museum of Art, and explores the idea of art. Stranieri Ovunque, or Strangers Everywhere, evocative of the concept of borderlessness, “a world filled with multiple crises related to the movement and existence of people across countries.” The UK will be represented by Ghanaian-born artist and filmmaker John Akomfrah, who moved to the UK when he was four.
The Benin pavilion will feature four artists: Mofouli Bello, Chloé Quenum, Ishola Akpo and Romuald Hazoumé, who will address the theme All Things Precious Is Fragile. “This theme provides a lens through which to navigate tragic historical events such as the transatlantic slave trade and the resistance to it through the bravery of the Agojie, Dahomey Amazons,” says Nwagbogu, citing Benin’s elite female warriors.
Nwagbogu, who founded the African Artists Foundation in 2007 and is the director of the LagosPhoto Festival, recently visited the Vodoun high priest at his palace in Ouidah. “There was a memorial wall with portraits of past ancestors [and] “In the middle of that memorial wall was a framed photo of George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks, and Breonna Taylor,” he says.
“It was a moving moment. He was visibly emotional when we talked about the violence against African Americans in the United States.
Nwagbogu says the pavilion’s theme “involves grappling with the pressing issues of our time: ecology, climate change, loss of biodiversity and the wisdom of learning from nature and our ancestors to meet the challenges of the 21st century.”
Four art events not to be missed in Africa in 2024
• 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair (February 8-11): Contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora in Marrakech, Morocco will be exhibited at the fair. Founding director Touria El Glaoui says its aim is “to contribute to a global narrative that recognizes Africa’s important role in the contemporary art scene.”
• Investec Cape Town Art Fair (February 16-18): The curatorial theme for the 2024 edition of Africa’s largest art fair is Unbound and will focus on emerging and “boundless” voices. “Art is becoming a compelling catalyst in the midst of global challenges. “It offers individuals a platform and space for expression where different voices can be heard,” said the organizers. The 2024 fair includes 112 exhibitors from 24 countries and exhibits more than 400 artists from 54 different nationalities around the world.
• Dakar Biennale (16 May – 16 June): The biennial, known as Dak’Art, is an important contemporary art exhibition that started in 1996 and opened to the participation of non-African citizens in 2014. The exhibition includes paintings, graffiti, photography and textile products. This year’s biennial is curated by art critic and composer Salimata Diop.
• ART Tokini Peterside-Schwebig, founder of ART X Lagos, said: “ART X Lagos remains a cornerstone of the African arts industry. “Our uniqueness and strength lies in our ability to bring together a wide range of artistic voices on one stage, from respected foreign artists and leading collectors to Africa’s newest musical talents.”