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Artists, collectors celebrate Vivid Gallery’s new outlet

Three years after Vivid Exclusive Art Gallery made its entry into Lagos creative environment, another outlet just opened within the same Lekki axis of the first space.

Inside of the new Vivid Exclusive Art Gallery

Three years after Vivid Exclusive Art Gallery made its entry into Lagos creative environment, another outlet just opened within the same Lekki axis of the first space. The third in its outlets, the new gallery space, which opened two weeks ago at Penny Mall, Lekki Phase I, came few months after opening a second space as part of collaboration with Art Hub 360. The new outlet is at Novare Mall, next to its initial location at Lekki Gardens Phase II.

Artists, collectors and creative professionals as well as culture enthusiasts witnessed the opening.

Director at Vivid Gallery, Gabriel Jideonwor, stated that in view of the Coronavirus pandemic, no formal opening ceremony was scheduled. However, art lovers, he said, visited the event on invitations that created spacing of guests in observation of the COVID-19 protocols.

He disclosed that there was walk-in from 2:00 pm onwards, to view the Nigerian contemporary art collection and interacted with the artists.

“On show were paintings, collages, drawings, sculptures and aluminium works in different styles from Damola Adepoju, Dolapo Ogunusi, Seyi Odukoya, Chima Ikeguonu, Barry Nzennaya, Aina felix, Seido Yusuf, including myself,” stated artist and gallerist, Jideonwor.
“To ensure a safe Coronavirus-proof experience for all, the number of visitors was controlled at the door as guests had 1.5metre social distance at all times with masks whilst viewing the works.”

The young gallerist expressed excitement, as he recalled the brief history of Vivid: “We started with our gallery in Lekki Gardens – Phase II and just added an absolutely top location at the new Novare Lekki mall as part of Art Hub 360 a few months ago. But when the opportunity came by to open this third location at Penny Mall, solely under our own name, I could not resist. It is in a great shopping street and from these three locations, we can now conveniently serve any art buyer living on the island.”

A year ago, the young gallerist’s planned international residency and exhibition projects in Europe were cancelled due to travel restrictions. More challenging, the Nigerian lockdown measures and the difficult socio-economic circumstances in Lagos proved to be significant barriers to take. But Jideonwor was determined to keep his mission of spreading art appreciation alive.

“You just have to open your mind to see that when one door closes, others open,” he said, explaining how he realized the need to create different ways in connecting collectors, instead of relying only on our activities in Lekki Gardens–Phase II. “I developed our online presence and partnered with others to set up new locations within a shopping environment with a more natural traffic.”

The new location at Penny Mall, he disclosed, would only display upmarket art works of established Nigerian artists including his own paintings and collages. “It is very important in these difficult times to have decent exhibition places for good artists to present and sell their work. It not only gives them hope and a chance to survive, but they pass this hope and energy on in their art, elevating people from their ordinary tough lives. It is important that good quality Nigerian contemporary art remains to be accessible to the public.”

Most of the artists whose works are on display at the new gallery space, Jideonwor said have been exhibited at the two other spaces. “As most of the artists are favourites of collectors, we hope that the latest Vivid Exclusive Art Gallery establishment at Penny mall will surely be worth the visit of any contemporary art lover.”

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