! world over, manifestations of the 
energy and versatility of a people's art 
have catalyzed the growth of showcases, as much 
as the phenomenon of modern art has inspired 
global art-focuses, festivals and biennales across 
New York, Venice, Sao Paulo, Paris, Florence, even 
Dakar and Johannesburg, celebrating prestigious 
art fashions and styles. 
In Nigeria, the vibrant forms evolving off or with 
the celebrated Oshogbo arts, the Uli and He 
schools, classical or avant-garde contemporary 
modes are either overburdened by 'priraitivist' 
considerations, a distortive 'modernizing' art elite 
reduced to the limits of Western aesthetics or the 
lack of a network integrating the numerous 
flowering taking place. 
When instances of coordination present 
themselves, they occur more like jamborees of 
sound and reputable confusion neglecting the 
insights that braid historicity and 
contemporaneity, diversity of expression in 
different media, with the intersection of 
identities that give character to art forms 
as cultural icons. 
An art event, ART EXPO NIGERIA 2002 is a 
necessary intervention for the Nigerian 
visual art industry. For a country overladen 
with creative talents, very little is known 
about the proliferating artists adding novel 
colors and perspective to its artscape, 
those inhabiting the cutting edge of 
innovation, and speaking in new visual 
languages. This, therefore, is borne of the 
need to expose these various artistic 
styles, unique techniques and materials 
used. 
Scheduled to run through the summer of 
2002 and introduce a cast of artists from 
the Northern, Middle, Western, Southern 
and Eastern parts of the country, the EXPO 
will, utmostly, draw attention to the wealth 
of Nigerian 'classical' and contemporary
arts and the peculiarity of these 
artistic diversity. The scope of the 
expo mandates its conception as a 
composite of views from various 
segments of the visual art industry - 
the traditional schools, modern 
primitives, postmodern styles, while 
the presentation emphasizes organic 
curating pulling together essential 
turns in print, photography, 
installation art, sculpture etc into a 
unique encounter. Thus, the visitor 
will be afforded an experience of the 
finest of art interacting across 
media, their provenance and variety 
at a single occasion. 
Significantly, like other important art 
centers or focuses, the city of Lagos 
will be on offer as gateway to a 
renaissance that has crept in and 
coalesced quietly, while forms 
capable of altering the direction of or 
jpmm g j^P^ I 
Art is Africa, art is the air we breath, from the rising up 
to the going down, from the tangible Imphments of 
domestic living to the inimitable flairs in movement and 
mannerisms, styles of speech and systems of oratory 
and music. The existential spaces enhanced by graphic 
depictions of legends and idioms, artistic nodes had 
always interspaced the every intent and purposes 
ways of relating to modern art are on 
exhibition. 
At another purposive level, this 
recalls the time-long wonder "does 
African art have the dynamism to 
transform and re-interpret the old or 
bring forth more Interesting new 
reflections?" - a date with ART EXPO 
would clarify and extend this. 
For artists, galleries, art collectors, 
patrons, and critics who believe the 
imagination can push so far, 
enquiries should be directed to 
Onyemaobinna Offoedu Okeke, 
artexpo@hotmail.com. 
SBT EXPU 
NIGERIA 2OOa 
This publication is issued from 
the office of the project 
coordinator: Onyemaobinna 
Offoedu-okeke. Ml inquiries 
should go to the e-mail 
address: 
artexpol nigeria@hotmail.com. 
Copyright 2001 Jadeite 
Kameleon Ltd Nig. Ml rights 
reserved. The logo Art Expo 
Nigeria is a registered trade 
mark. Reproduction in part or 
in whole without permission is 
prohibited. 
ill