Get Guardian on GoogleAdegbola Gallery has reported a strong response to its presentation of works by three Nigerian artists, Uche Okeke, Haneefah Adam and Aaron Kudi, at the 2026 edition of ART X Lagos, which held at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, from November 5 to 8.
The presentation, displayed at Booth 13, brought together works exploring material, memory and individual expression across generations of Nigerian art.
The exhibition featured Okeke’s conserved linoleum printing blocks and ink drawings, portraits of women and a sculptural installation by Adam, as well as a new body of abstract paintings by Kudi, marking his first exhibition in Nigeria.
The gallery also arranged loans of several ceramics by renowned Nigerian ceramicist, Ladi Kwali, for a special project curated by Dr Jareh Das.
A major highlight of the presentation was Okeke’s original linoleum printing blocks, which were displayed following extensive restoration and conservation.
The carved blocks, originally used by the artist to produce prints, preserve direct evidence of his creative process and provide insight into the relationship between line, material and the printed image.
Okeke, a defining figure in modern Nigerian art, developed a distinctive visual language through his engagement with Igbo uli traditions.
According to the gallery, the printing blocks were acquired in poor condition before undergoing conservation.
The conservation methods were presented by Dr Rita Amor at the 27th Conference on the Conservation of Contemporary Art organised by Museo Reina Sofía in Madrid in March 2026.
Her paper, titled “Entre trazo y material: conservación de matrices de linóleo de Uche Okeke,” examined the conservation of the artist’s linoleum printing matrices.
The gallery said the presentation of the restored blocks at ART X Lagos reflected its commitment to preserving Nigerian art and advancing research into its material histories.
Adam, on her part, presented portraits of women, including a series inspired by J.D. Ojeikere’s hairstyle photographs, alongside a sculptural installation exploring memory, identity and women’s lived experiences.
Working with conventional and everyday materials, Adam examines how objects, textiles and repeated patterns preserve personal and collective histories, with particular attention to motherhood and women’s labour.
Kudi presented a new collection of abstract paintings for his first showing in Nigeria.
Working with liquid metal, ink, enamel and acrylic on tarpaulin and canvas, the artist creates layered surfaces through processes of addition and erasure.
His works explore the relationship between physical materials and spiritual and psychological experiences, connecting ancestral visual knowledge with contemporary abstraction.
Reflecting on the exhibition, Adegbola Gallery described its participation in the fair as successful, citing renewed engagement with existing clients, new collectors and strong institutional interest.
“We had a splendid time at Art X Lagos. As our home fair, it was a pleasure to reconnect with existing clients and meet new collectors. There was a strong institutional presence and good collecting energy,” the gallery said.
It added that the presentation brought Okeke, Adam and Kudi into a conversation across generations about material, memory and individual expression, noting that the works received a positive response.
The gallery also expressed satisfaction with the inclusion of Kwali’s ceramics in the special project curated by Das.
“We were also privileged to arrange loans of several Ladi Kwali ceramics to the special project curated by Dr Jareh Das. It was particularly gratifying to see Kwali’s pioneering work given the prominence it deserves,” it said.
