20 finalists for Next of Kin Series 8
After an intensive two-month global call for applications, Thought Pyramid Art Centre last Saturday in Lagos, announced the 20 finalists for the eighth edition of its juried art project, Next
After an intensive two-month global call for applications, Thought Pyramid Art Centre last Saturday in Lagos, announced the 20 finalists for the eighth edition of its juried art project, Next of Kin (NOK) S8. According to the Exhibition Director and initiator of the project, Mr. Ovie Omatsola who made the disclosure, this year’s edition saw a surge in international interest, receiving more entries from London, South Africa, and Nigeria, along with applications from the African Diaspora across the globe.
Out of hundreds of entries, twenty finalists who were selected to proceed to the exhibition stage include Adetoro Debas, Ahmed Adeleke Sadiq, Chimzuroke Ogbuagu, Dumbor Kkemgbara Debeeh, Elijah Imisioluwa Adegbite, Emmanuel Cyril Ekong, Emmanuel Gbenga Eweje, Emmanuel Merit Adeyeye, Gugulethu Brendan Ndlalani (South Africa), Hamed Qozeem Olamilekan, Ifeanyichukwu Joy Munachimso, and Joseph Odeh Ogbole.
Others are Julius Ojomugbo Odah, Michael Oluwatomileyin Shorunke, Progress Jesutomiwa Giwa, Taiwo Taoheed Olawale, Theophilus Chinonso Agunwa, Tosin Paul Ajayi and Zayyad Abdulkadr.
In his presentation, titled The art of endurance: sustainability of career and creative vision, Dr. Adeola Balogun of Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, urged the young artists to tell their stories genuinely from their heart, adding that ‘no one can tell it better than you. Enjoy what you are doing as this will keep you going. This is one way of telling yourself the truth. Also, volunteering is one way to learn and grow network particularly with the masters.’
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Balogun, who spoke at the Mentoring moments, at the Thought Pyramid Art Centre, in Lagos, tasked the artists to find their voice and work like the deaf, adding that they must be authentic and consistent as consistency breeds authenticity.
Read Also: Next of Kin: 20 artists make long list
“Know your area of strength, seek mentors and explore it, seek the ecosystems that provide consistent constructive feedback, how do you manage your studio? You are a CEO of your business, exploit the power of social-media and be presentable and always show up,” he said.
He admonished the young artists to be wary of creative block, which is often rooted in deeper psychological issues- fear of failure, perfectionism, and biological burnout.
“At the beginning, you have to nurture your art and later, your art will compensate you profoundly. In the fullness of time, your dedication and integrity will manifest in your work without an iota of hesitation.
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“Don’t build a career as a monument; build it as an ecosystem. Monuments weather and crack, but ecosystem evolve and thrive through every season,” he added.
Another speaker ,David Olatoye, identified mentorship as a critical part of career growth for every artist, saying no one can do it alone. “You need many people, the community, and others. You need to build a space where you feel comfortable,” he said.
Olatoye who spoke on the Act of Standing Out, described honesty and being true to one self in the space of art as part of what makes an artist to stand out.
“You cannot be in a space where there are lots of people and you want to claim to be all. You need to stand out. It’s also knowing your true self and not also being like another person. You must stay long enough to develop a path as well as finding your language and colours that promote you standing out. The proper language of art will help you stand out too. Consistency is also part of creating or sustaining a new vanguard. The language is what the global art scene listens to and you must speak with your works. Don’t rush to be seen and never be in a hurry to achieve your goal,” he noted.
The finalists will showcase their works in a grand exhibition running from Sunday, 5th April to 8th May 2026.
At the exhibition opening, an overall winner will be announced, receiving a solo art exhibition prize worth N6,000,000 for 2027—a career-defining opportunity to enter the professional art market with full institutional backing.
Next of Kin Series 8 is proudly sponsored by Nigeria Machine Tools and Trustbanc, and continues their dedication to artistic excellence and cultural development in Africa.
