Rave reviews trail Nigeria Pavilion at ongoing Venice Biennale

The Nigeria Pavilion at the 60th Venice Biennale, an ongoing international contemporary art exhibition from April to November 2024, has attracted significant attention from prominent visitors across various sectors.

The Venice Biennale is one of the world’s most prestigious art exhibitions, held every two years in Venice, Italy.

It draws artists, curators, and enthusiasts from around the globe and showcases cutting-edge works of art.

In a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday, the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA), which set up Nigeria’s Pavilion at the ongoing Venice Biennale, announced it has attracted over 50,000 visitors.

They said guests, who have experienced the Nigerian Pavilion, have shared favourable reviews across international media outlets.

MOWAA said, “Nigeria’s exhibition’s excellence secured its coveted inclusion in roundups of the best Pavilions at the Biennale”.

The feat was also recorded in several major art publications, including Art in America, ARTnews, The Evening Standard, Forbes, Harper’s Bazaar, The New York Times, The New York Times: T Magazine, and W Magazine, among others, the statement added.

Outstanding recognition

MOWAA, a Benin-based non-profit organisation committed to preserving West African heritage, promoting cultural education, and spotlighting the region’s artistic diversity, highlighted that the pavilion has captured the attention of art enthusiasts, curators, and critics alike.

MOWAA said this further cements Nigeria’s rising status as a creative force on the global stage.

Titled ‘Nigeria Imaginary’, the pavilion was commissioned by Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Arts and Culture and represented by the Minister for Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa.

The exhibition featured remarkable contemporary Nigerian art and served as a testament to MOWAA’s vision and curatorial expertise.

MOWAA highlighted the pavilion’s success, underscoring the growing international interest in Nigerian and West African modern art. It showcases the region’s creative depth and cultural richness.

Furthermore, MOWAA highlighted that the pavilion has attracted visits from several prominent Nigerian figures since its creation over six months ago.

Notably, Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka, during his visit, described the pavilion as a space rich in artistry, history, and emotion.

Mr Soyinka: “What I’ve seen today, for me, has been most fulfilling. It’s replete on its own. It’s both artistic, historic, and evocative. It goes from lyrical, the lyrical, to the, how do you say, the contrasting, kind of statuesque aspect of our society.”

Likewise, Ms Musawa conveyed her Ministry’s eagerness to partner with private organisations to highlight Nigeria’s vibrant cultural heritage.

“We are committed to working with private sector institutions and foundations such as MOWAA, and we see the Nigeria Imaginary as a shining example of what can be achieved through partnerships. We see this as the beginning of a long-term collaboration with MOWAA and look forward to more successes,” the minister said.

Features

The NGO said the pavilion showcased the works of an intergenerational group of eight Nigerian and Nigerian diasporic artists, curated by Aindrea Emelife of MOWAA.

The featured artists—Tunji Adeniyi-Jones, Ndidi Dike, Onyeka Igwe, Toyin Ojih Odutola, Abraham Oghobase, Yinka Shonibare CBE RA, Fatimah Tuggar, and Precious Okoyomon—delve into intricate narratives surrounding history, identity, and the future.

MOWAA highlighted the pavilion’s success, underscored by its extensive and favourable international media coverage since its opening.

“The Pavilion has been featured extensively in print and online media, including prominent articles in major daily newspapers: The Financial Times, The Guardian, The Washington Post via The Associated Press, Le Monde, The Evening Standard, and The Times UK, among others; leading art and architecture trades, including Artforum, The Art Newspaper, ARTnews, ArtReview, and Frieze; high-impact lifestyle outlets: Hemispheres and Vogue; and major wires and broadcast outlets, such as The BBC and The Associated Press, including pick-up on NBC News.

MOWAA announced plans to bring the Nigeria Imaginary exhibition back to Nigeria, where it will be showcased at the MOWAA campus in Edo State, after the Biennale.

“Our goal is to ensure that the exhibition not only continues to shine at the Biennale but thrives when it returns to Nigeria.”

Nigeria debuted at the 57th edition of the Venice Biennale, held between 13 May and 26 November 2017, with the theme ‘How about now?’