Henry Akubuiro
The Eko Atlantic, Victoria Island, Lagos, is used to sea waves, but when a wave of artists adds to the mix, unprecedented delight is a given. From Friday October 25 to Sunday, October 27, the upscale arena will be the locale for denizens of the art.
Themed Art Meets Tech, the Lasmara Impart Artists Fair will be featuring 300 African international and local art collectors, established members of the art community, students and art enthusiasts from different socio-economic backgrounds.
The Impart Artists Fair, said the organisers at a pre-event briefing in Lagos, is meant to increase awareness of African arts and culture, as well as improve African Art Recognition on a global pedestal.
Before arriving at the 300 artists to feature at the fair, a rigorous vetting process by the selection committee was organised by 11 international art professionals and collectors.
Other plans are underway to make the fair a memorable one. These include a Digital Art showcase, which will deploy Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Technologies. The fair will also offer artists a platform to exhibit themselves via the use of Interactive and Immersive Technology with the support of Templars (a law firm).
The Eritrean born Hana Omilani, Founder and Director of Lasmara, explained, “This is where technology plays a vital factor, and we believe that, through technology, we can reach a larger audience –the audience that is needed to create volume in the transaction of African Art.”
For her, “What’s important is that the fair is a way to officially launch Impart, the platform. Impart is a new initiative –a platform to promote African artists, and the Impart Artists Fair is just one of the series of initiatives. Impart Art Fair uses technology to promote art. This is why the maiden edition of Impart is themed Art Meets Tech.”
She also disclosed of ongoing plans to empower artists through the platform, as it is actively involved in social, non-profit activities, such as community building, portfolio management, talks, artists’ workshops, residency programmes and special workshops for women, to help increase the representation of female artists in the field.
The founder of Lasmara would like art denizens to storm Eko Atlantic for the fair, “You cannot afford to miss this experience. So tell a friend to tell a friend to tell another friend. Come along one and all, and enjoy the best that African Art has to offer.
“Interact with your favourite artists, purchase their artworks, meet new people and make new connections while taking pictures and enjoying lovely music. It will be very exciting and stimulating experience.”
Lasmara is an independent art consultancy, specialising in contemporary African art. It offers a wide range of specialist art services, from commissioning artists and sourcing works to creating strategies for investment and exhibition.
“Our database of artists is constantly expanding, both well-established and up-and-coming, but always exciting and original. Our specialty is African but our interests are global, and we work with clients, galleries and art houses all over the world.
“In addition to sourcing and acquiring artworks, we can also assist with the liquidation of art collections, resale of artworks, art handling, administration of loans and consignments, shipping and storage, and much more.
“We look forward to working with an expanding array of Nigerian and international clients, to meet their requirements while increasing awareness of African art and African artists across the globe,” she said.
