KEY POINTS
• The fifth ArtMiabo International Art Festival has opened in Abuja with contemporary works examining African heritage, identity, culture and history.
• The four day festival is connecting emerging and established artists with collectors, government institutions, embassies and other potential supporters.
• Artists at the exhibition highlighted preservation, documentation, copyright, storage and logistics as important to the development of Nigeria’s art sector.
MAIN STORY
The fifth edition of the ArtMiabo International Art Festival opened in Abuja on Monday, bringing artists, collectors, culture stakeholders and art enthusiasts together for a four day celebration centred on African heritage and legacy.
The festival, themed “African Art: Heritage and Legacy,” is holding at the FCT Exhibition Pavilion from Sept. 28 to Oct. 1 and features contemporary works exploring African identity, history and cultural experiences.
The opening attracted emerging and established artists whose works covered subjects ranging from historical figures and collective memory to identity, social issues and intangible cultural experiences.
Artists also interacted directly with visitors, explaining the ideas and techniques behind their works as guests moved through the exhibition.
The festival’s convener, Miabo Enyadike, said the platform was created partly to give artists access to institutions and individuals capable of supporting their careers and expanding the market for their work.
She said the festival was also using the exhibition to draw attention to the preservation and restoration of artworks that form part of Nigeria’s cultural heritage.
Enyadike said the choice of heritage and legacy as this year’s theme reflected the role of art beyond visual appeal, particularly its ability to document stories, identity and history for future generations.
Among the participating artists was Udie Undie, whose paintings and works made from up cycled materials examine the human mind and sociological issues.
Participating in the festival for the first time, Undie said his colourful works were intended to provide viewers with a way of balancing the pressures of everyday life rather than simply escaping from reality.
He also stressed the need for artists to document their creative processes, including sketches and other records, to establish the authenticity and provenance of their works.
Fridausi Garba, another visual artist at the exhibition, focused on culture, history and earlier generations in her works, using oil and acrylic as her main media.
One of her works draws on the story of Queen Amina of Zazzau, particularly the courage and resilience associated with the historical figure.
Garba said art could serve as an important means of preserving historical accounts, particularly in cases where photographic documentation of historical personalities was unavailable.
For mixed media artist Favour Enumah, the focus is on making intangible aspects of human experience visible. Her works explore identity, heritage, culture, memory and experiences passed between generations.
Enumah, who was participating in an international festival for the first time, said she hoped the event would provide greater visibility and connections that could support her career. She also urged artists to document their works and consider copyright protection against unauthorised reproduction.
Lagos based contemporary paper artist Deolu Femi approached memory through layers of paper, using the material to represent the different elements that make up human experiences.
Femi also drew attention to practical challenges affecting the preservation and commercialisation of Nigerian art. He called for institutional support, including suitable facilities for storing artworks and stronger systems for transporting them, particularly across African borders.
According to him, high logistics costs can make international sales more difficult and discourage artists from participating in the wider African and global art market.
He nevertheless said Nigerian artists were gaining increasing international recognition and could compete more effectively in the global market if the necessary structures were available.
Beyond the exhibition, the festival programme includes the Nigeria Art Legacy Forum, workshops and masterclasses, live art sessions, cultural performances and artisanal food and drinks.
THE ISSUES
- The festival highlights the role of contemporary art in preserving cultural memory, particularly by giving historical events, identities and experiences a physical record that can be passed to future generations.
- Documentation and copyright remain important to artists seeking to establish ownership and provenance, while preservation also requires suitable storage and restoration facilities.
- Access to markets is affected not only by artistic visibility but also by practical issues such as logistics and the cost of moving artworks across borders, which can influence the ability of Nigerian artists to sell internationally.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
“We want to position artists before high-profile institutions, collectors, embassies and government officials. We want them to have access to the people and organisations that can support their work and help them grow,” — Miabo Enyadike, festival convener.
“My works are like escapism. Escapism isn’t a bad thing. You’re not running away. It’s a way of balancing reality, making reality bearable for you,” — Udie Undie, participating artist.
“I am interested in giving form to the things we cannot always see but shape who we are, such as memory, culture, identity and inherited experiences,” — Favour Enumah, mixed media artist.
WHAT’S NEXT
The ArtMiabo International Art Festival will continue through Oct. 1, with the exhibition running alongside the Nigeria Art Legacy Forum, workshops, masterclasses, live art and cultural performances.
The programme is also expected to provide participating artists with opportunities to interact with collectors, institutions and other stakeholders in the creative sector.
BOTTOM LINE
The fifth ArtMiabo festival is using contemporary art to connect cultural preservation with opportunities for artists, while participants draw attention to the documentation, copyright, storage and logistics structures needed to strengthen Nigeria’s art ecosystem.
