Yesterday, Nostalgia, an exhibition curated by Mufu Onifade, opened to the general public at National Museum, Onikan, Lagos. The exhibition had a VIP preview on May 31, 2024.

Nostalgia is a visual journey delving into the rich tapestry of Nigerian contemporary art, capturing the essence of art in the cultural space. It equally explores the trajectory of contemporary art in Nigeria.

The art on display delves into the rich tapestry of Nigerian art, spanning from 1940s to the present, while also capturing the essence of societal narratives, and personal reflections.

Speaking on the show, Demola Meshioye said it came about as a result of the need to bring something that represents history into the current Nigerian narrative.

The show, which attracts masters such as, Bruce Onobrakpeya, Fidelis Odogwu, Jossy Ajiboye, Onifade, Duke Asidere, Kehinde Balogun and Edosa Ogiugo, is devoted to artists, who have been painting in the 60s, 70s and even some who were painting before Nigeria gained independence.

For the show, there will be metal works, paintings and other media spanning between 1960s and 70s.

Works on display at the exhibition, according to him, are not just art but a variety of offerings from old and new school of art.

Explaining what makes the exhibition unique, Demola noted: “We don’t just want to showcase the art, but create an experience for the audience. There are certain features and additions that we are trying to bring to the table to create a wow experience. We want the audience to say after their visits that they didn’t just see art, but also felt art; it was like the art was on their body, like the artists painted on their body. That is the unique effect and impact we are going for.”

Nostalgia, according to him, aims to show the beauty of the past, how it could be replicated, and how it could continue to shape the future.

“It is about the old and the new, we want to have a balanced and rich mixture of art and craft in the exhibition,” he revealed.
The exhibition, which is the first of many to come, according to Demola, is featuring between 25 and 30 works from about 13 artists across the age divide: the old, not-too-young and the younger generations.

For Demola Mesh, the Meshioye family is into arts, which surprisingly, has ignited his love for the arts. His passion for the visual arts, he says, follows after Bode Meshioye, his father, who trained as a painter at the Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, with lots of works to his credit and also successfully ran an advertising and marketing firm, as well as Yemi Meshoye, his uncle, who was a film director, and Tunji Meshoye, another uncle in the creative space.

But the family seems bigger in visual art with over 100 works in its private collection, across different media. He hopes to ride on the successful exhibition to realise his ultimate plan of opening Mesh Gallery, a physical gallery, as the gallery currently runs virtual now.

According to him, “this is my first exhibition and I am passionate about this project, I want to do something that when we reach the level we planned going to, the Nigerian government will ask who are these people doing this thing, let’s get to know them.”