Nigeria’s art scene has gained prominence over the past decades. More people now visit art centers to view artworks or buy them to beautify their homes. These new generations of Nigerians are beginning to see what art truly means: an escape, a journey, a creative outlet that should be admired and enjoyed.
Leading this national awakening of Art in Nigeria is the Nike Art Gallery. It was first established in Osogbo in 1983 by renowned Nigerian Female Artist and Fashion Designer, Nike Monica Davies-Okundaye. Since its first creation, the gallery has expanded across Nigeria and abroad. You can find two Nike Art Galleries in the United States, while four currently operate in Nigeria: Ogidi-Ijumu, Kogi (Mama Nike’s place of birth), Osogbo, Abuja, and Lagos. A new gallery is coming up in Olumo Rock, Abeokuta.
Mama Nike says her dream is to create a space for art for her people, “where everyone can see the creativity of our own country.” She stays true to her dream by making access to the Art Gallery free for everyone.
Here’s What I Love About The Gallery
A Creative Haven Amid Bustling Lekki
I had the opportunity to visit the Nike Art Gallery in Lekki, Lagos, and truly, this place is beyond amazing. The first thing you will notice is a white shining structure towering over the busy streets. Once inside, you step into a quiet, beautiful haven that is the interior.
Just before you enter the gallery, there is a cute Adire and Batik shop in the compound. Here, you can get some of the most beautiful and colorful artwork in cloth form. Then you enter into the gallery proper, and the only thing you notice is artworks. There is this never-ending row and row of artworks made with watercolours, beads, oil on canvas, charcoal work, in small frames and large frames that can almost take up half a wall. Each artwork showcases the beauty of African traditions and cultures or the simple day-to-day life of Nigerians, at home, at work, at rest.
The Sculptures range from tall wooden pieces that resemble traditional religious artifacts, to bronze immaculate statues shaped as animals or people. And you can’t miss the wall of abstract trash that genuinely looks like what it is; trash that was interwoven together until you point your phone camera at it and it reveals the most beautiful face of a little girl.
I spent hours walking around the gallery from top to bottom, and I am pretty sure I didn’t get to see one-third of the artwork that the gallery exhibits. The Gallery is 3 stories tall, excluding the ground floor, and filled to the brim with sculptures and artworks. Even the stairs are elegantly lined with artwork, and each level of art showcased on each stair is different from the next. My favorite part of climbing them was anticipating the kind of artwork that would reveal itself in the next level.
There are mirrors exotically displayed amidst some of the artworks, overhead or beside them, and if you look at them from time to time, you can probably catch the look of awe on your face. They are also a really good spot for selfies, and you are free to take pictures of and with the artworks on any of the floors.
The Last Floor
While all the floors of the gallery were truly beautiful, I particularly loved the last floor the most. Many of the artworks in this upper level are older paintings and sculptures that probably won’t ever get sold. I walked into rooms filled to the brim with only sculptures, all standing guard like sentient beings, and a room with only rolls and rolls of old Aso-Oke and Wrappers in faded colorful beauty. I liked the room filled with beads and cute little Lizards with prestigious names like Wole Soyinka written on their backs.
In this last room, every corner is filled with art, paintings hanging from the ceiling or traditional caps (ori-ade), and royal attire. Mixed with these numerous works are bits and pieces of Mama Nike herself. You will find a torn newspaper clipping where are work was praised in an international Art Newspaper, an old magazine admiring her efforts in the art world, or a frame showing a certificate of appreciation from the Government of the District of Columbia.
The last floor looks lived in and ancient. While the other floors have a feel of ordered beauty to them, with air-conditioned rooms and well-lighted walls. The last floor is hot and stuffy but filled with knick-knacks and old keepsakes that feel like a treasure trove of lost art and the legacy of a life well-lived.
Meeting the Icon Herself
The best part of visiting the art gallery for me was seeing Mama Nike herself. Dressed simply but resplendently in flowing Adire Alaworan and Crocs, she welcomed us warmly to look around as much as we wanted. To our surprise, she took us on a tour of the center by herself. Along the way, she told us about how she still very much makes art, with stones and beads, weaving them into colorful necklaces. She also spoke about her recent fashion art: Dresses, Head Pieces, and Necklaces made with traditional sponges, shells of groundnut, and sacks woven together to make the most beautiful, sustainable artwork.
Mama Nike was hilarious, welcoming, and fun as she guided us through her older artworks. She showed us a sand bead artwork that took her 3 hours every day for one year to make, and numerous paintings that she made in collaboration with her brother and friends. When I asked her if she would ever sell these pieces or some of the older pieces stored on the last floor, she replied in the negative, saying that they contained too much of her soul to part with.
Exhibitions and Workshops
Nike Art Gallery is not just a space for art lovers to experience art, but a community for artists to learn and converge. The gallery serves as an exhibition site to showcase the work of newer artists and artworks by masters. It is also used as a learning space where new creatives are taught art in organised classes. Cultural performances and tours are held, making it a space for entertainment. In the Osogbo branch, around 150 students enroll every 3 months to learn the art of Adire, Indigo making, Batik designs, and weaving.
Many of the artworks in the gallery are for sale, and you can go home with a piece that calls to you. The gallery also has a section where beautiful dresses and books on art also for sale. The ground floor also has a section just for Adire dresses, just like the one Mama was elegantly wearing, and Batik fabrics for sale.
Tips To Note To Enjoy The Full Experience
- Book a Tour Guide: A Tour Guide explains the story and details of the artwork, giving you a holistic view that breathes life into the art.
- Come Cash Ready: A lot of the artworks are for sale, including beautiful bead necklaces and adire gowns, priced ranging from about 150,000 – 1,000,000 for the latter two. You might want to come with a debit card ready to buy, as a lot of them will steal your heart.
- Do Not Come With Food/Drinks: The Gallery maintains a strict no food or drinks policy inside. So you might want to leave your goodies outside
- Come Prepared: There’s nothing more painful than being in a beautiful place and not being able to take pictures. So, ensure that your devices are charged and you have enough storage space.
A Day Worth Experiencing
I left Nike Art Gallery feeling a little overwhelmed, at the beauty of art and the raw, undisputable talent of the many artists who have their works displayed there, a testament to hard work and resilience. I was in awe of Mama Nike, an icon who, at 78, was still creating a legacy for new artists and generations to fall in love with art, and for making it free for all.
So, if you are in Lagos or Abuja, Osogbo or Kogi, kindly find your way to the Nke Art Gallery located near you and spend a day communicating with others, taking beautiful pictures, and enjoying the beauty of art in full display.
