‘Nigeria needs investments to boost local arts market’

A Director of Patrons MCAA, an art advisory and dealership firm, Keturah Ovio, says Nigeria requires huge private and public investments to drive the local arts market.

While announcing an upcoming miniature art exhibition known as small and Iconic scheduled between March 24 and 26 on Friday, Ovio said Nigeria is among the biggest arts markets in Africa, but several aspects of the industry will only require support to manifest.

“Nigeria’s art market is dynamic. We are already in the international scene. We are prominent in Art Dubai, Cape Town Art Fair, Loop in Barcelona, 1:54 in London and even at the International Fair of Contemporary Art in France.

“However, the challenge is that more young artists require funding and policy support to unleash their potential and talents. It does not have to be established persons or entities all the time,” Ovio said.

She cited an African Market Today’s report, which says that Lagos has the highest density of galleries in Africa, noting that artists must be given sufficient attention in Nigeria.

On the forthcoming exhibition scheduled to take place between March 24 and 26 at The Art Hotel in Lagos, Ovio said the event would be exciting and enable hardworking Nigerians to enjoy some relaxation.

“It is going to be exciting and educational as visitors will learn the new trends in the local arts industry,” she said.

Ovio noted that all the four exhibitors are women, which is deliberately targeted at celebrating the International Women’s Day.

“In celebration of International Women’s Day 2023 and the month of March being celebrated globally as Women’s History Month, it is only fitting that we feature women changing the narrative and taking charge of their career paths in the African art industry,” she said.

Ovio mentioned some of the exhibiting artists as Nathaniel Djakou Kassi, Bola Obatuyi, Omoyeni Arogunmati and Ejiro Fenegal.

She explained that “small & Iconic” is a series of miniature art exhibitions that are intended to spark memorable and inspiring conversations in the arts industry through bite-sized artworks.

She added that Nigeria has the potential to tap into the $65.1 billion global art market, but regretted that Africa lags in the global comity of arts countries owing to low government support.