Sound Artists Pushing The Boundaries of African Art; Art X Lagos Returns For The Ninth Edition; Spotlighting Collins Obijiaku
Artists have been exploring the spaces around them using sound for years. Emeka Ogboh, James Webb, and Magdi Mostafa are some of the African sound artists who have been challenging the traditional notions of art, merging sounds, space, and technology in their immersive, and often site-specific, installations in over a decade.
“With the advent of technology, contemporary art takes new forms of expression and experimentation. Sound art is a diverse art medium that directs the listener’s attention to spaces typically inaccessible to the ears. Sound can be sourced from everyday noises, musical instruments, and human voices.”
In a recent article, we take a look at sound artists pushing the boundaries of African art. Read the rest of the article here.
Art X Lagos Returns For The Ninth Edition
From worldbuilding storytelling and curatorial projects, Art X Lagos has established itself as one of the leading art fairs in West Africa since its inception in 2016. This year, the fair will feature immersive experiences spanning music, film, design and art, that centre the continent and diaspora’s exceptional talent, including keynote artists and speakers such as El Anatsui, Njideka Akunyili-Crosby, Yinka Shonibare CBE, Wangechi Mutu, Bruce Onobrakpeya, Ibrahim Mahama and more.
ART X Lagos will host ten galleries from 31 October to 3 November 2024 at The Federal Palace.
Artist Spotlight: Collins Obijiaku
Collins Obijiaku (b. 1995) was born in Kaduna, Nigeria. His elegant portraits of Black men and women gaze directly at the viewer. The artist uses various materials, often mixing oil, acrylic, and charcoal to achieve soft gradients, seductive texture, and beguiling linework; seen up close, the arrangements of his brushstrokes are almost cartographical in appearance. His subjects are both people close to him and strangers he meets on the street, which allows Obijiaku to create intimate records of his home and surrounding community.
For his second solo exhibition with Roberts Projects, Obijiaku will be presenting a new series of portraits inspired by his first encounter with the Atlantic Ocean. These five works on paper feature core elements of the artist’s signature style—quarter-length portraits with unbroken eye contact and a shallow depth of field—against gestural renderings of the ocean at different times of day.
On view:
What’s Left Unsaid: Goodman Gallery presents Banele Khoza works in an exhibition exploring the weight of unspoken words. (September 5 - September 26, 2024).
Between Two Suns: a solo exhibition of recent paintings exploring the third space by Nigerian artist Luke Agada at Roberts Projects. (September 28 - November 2, 2024).
Wild Things and Perennials: Kasmin presents Nengi Omuku’s first solo exhibition featuring new body of eight oil paintings, (September 4 – October 24, 2024).
The composition of sounds, art, and artefacts has always been amazing to me. I recall an exhibition Emeka Ogboh did overseas years ago featuring Lagos danfo and it's melodies. The closest I've witnessed this is with Evil Genius, Mr Eazi's collaboration with African artists at Windsor Art Gallery. I like that when it seems that all expressions have been run through, new ideas come up. And, sound is rich! Thank you for sharing, Iyanu. Can't wait for Art x Lagos 😬