Vanessa Branson Visits Lagos On Her First Ever Trip To Nigeria

It is undeniable that the last few years have seen an increasing interest in not just Nigerian art, but also Nigerian Artists. And that is why Vanessa Branson was keen to visit Lagos.

Despite being active in North Africa for many years, it was Vanessa’s first time in Nigeria, upon the invitation of Ifeoma Dike, the founding CEO of Idioblast Dynamic Development (IDDUK) Ltd, an art agency.

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Vanessa Branson

Ifeoma Dike, Event creator & CEO IDDUK

Irunna Ejibe with Grace Onodode

Olatowun Candide-Johnson CEO GAIA

With cultural intelligence and exchange at the heart of the visit, the pinnacle moment was the bringing together and leveraging on the formidable strength of women, in driving change in the visual art eco-system.

Sustainable change is best achieved through collaboration over time and across silos. Women in the Arts (WIA) – A conversation, the brainchild of Ifeoma Dike aims to achieve, hence the launch of IDDUK & GAIA Arts & Culture last Friday.

Hosted at Gallery 57, by artist and gallerist Ade Adekola, in Victoria Island, Lagos, and sponsored by Taittinger Nocturne Champagne, Vanessa Branson, the founding President of the Marrakech Biennale, was the guest of honour.

Notable contributors to Nigeria’s art industry, such as Ms Evelyn Oputu; a seasoned art collector, artists Chinwe Uwatse, Ndidi Dike and Jumoke Sanwo; gallerist Mrs Sandra Mbanefo Obiago, ArtXLagos founder Tokini Perterside and art enthusiast Mrs Irunna Ejibe, among others, engaged Vanessa in a spirited discourse on bridging the Nigerian, African, and global markets.

Other topics of conversation were the role art plays in an emerging art market, and the mechanics that would keep this sector alive and continuously evolving that is locally relevant with a global focus.