At ARAMI, art meets gastronomy in colouful celebration
The total package and presentation of art exhibition were recently taken a notch higher in Lagos as Nigeria’s latest creative industry collaboration between SMO Contemporary Art, a leading art gallery
The total package and presentation of art exhibition were recently taken a notch higher in Lagos as Nigeria’s latest creative industry collaboration between SMO Contemporary Art, a leading art gallery and ARAMI, a fine dining rooftop restaurant, kicked off with opening of Celebration, a curatorial project merging the best of art and gastronomy. The new partnership pave the way for the placement of modern and contemporary master pieces within exciting new hospitality spaces which are helping to position Lagos as a global culture, food and art hub.
The exhibition, which opened penultimate Saturday, is featuring fifteen contemporary and modern artists from Nigeria, Uganda, Cameroon, South Africa and the Diaspora, with paintings, sculptures, textiles and light based media from the primary and secondary art market. The exhibiting artists include Adeniyi Adewole, Ayoola Gbolahan, Christopher S. Idowu, Nelson Makamo, Somi Nwandu, Adewuyi Kehinde Ken, Badru T A and Geoffery Mukasa. Others are Raoul Olawale da Silva, Uchay Joel Chima, Alex Nwokolo, Chika Idu, Nathalie Djakou Kassi, Samuel Nnorom and Victor Butler.
The Lekki-based ARAMI, owned by the L’Ori Hospitality group, is an exquisite space where art and gastronomy ignite through Afro-Asian-fusion cuisine developed by a team of local and international culinary talent. The partnership between it and SMO Contemporary Art ensures that guests enjoy fine dining while immersed within a carefully curated space, celebrating the best of African art and design.
At the centre of the restaurant’s main hall are bold ceramic and wood sculptural works by Nathalie Djokou Kassi. Suspended high above is a large scale undulating tapestry, Supper & Wining, by award winning artist Samuel Nnorom, celebrating Nigeria’s globally renowned textile culture.
Pop-art life size figures by Adeniyi Adewole complement an imposing four meter wide abstract painting by Ayoola Gbolahan, exploring the connection between our cultural heritage and traditional value systems. Lenticular digital media works by Somi Nwandu merging photography and printmaking with optical illusion, explore Uli, the ancient iconography of Igbo women used on architectural facades and on body tattoos.
Also in the mix, is a rare portrait on paper, embellished with gold leaf, by modernist Geoffrey Mukasa, dubbed “Uganda’s Chika Idu, Christopher Samuel Idowu, Uchay Joel Chima, T. Badru, Olawale da Silva and Alex Nwokolo, creating a powerful dialogue across generations of artists.
SMO’s Founder and Artistic Director, Sandra Mbanefo Obiago said: “By developing an exciting programme of curated art events and live performance we are committed to introducing new audiences to the best of African art. SMO has curated modern and contemporary art in leading public and private spaces for the past ten years. We are convinced that these types of collaborations ensure we increase art appreciation across diverse publics by presenting exceptional work by master artists and rising talent within beautifully designed, secure, and well managed spaces for everyone to enjoy.”
Obiago explained that the exhibits reflect the diversity in materials as well as the participants’ gender and age. This, she said, is to offer a wide range of windows to appreciating Nigeria’s creative hub.
For the CEO L’Ori Hospitality Group, Valentine Nwandu, ARAMI is a family owned legacy project which is committed to bringing bespoke gastronomic experiences to a growing population of discerning foodies. “Architectural interiors were designed by my wife and son, and our hospitality training and media departments are managed by our daughter Victoria.
“With its Hibachi stations, fine dining restaurant, bespoke private meeting rooms, and sweeping rooftop entertainment areas, we believe we will become Lagos’ best kept secret for where to relax and enjoy exceptional culinary delights and the best of African artistry,!” he said.
Read Also: Take active part in saving Nigerian democracy, Gbenga Hashim urges NLC
Beyond visual art and gastronomy, the Celebration brunch treated guests to a spoken word performance by Isime Precious and an engaging panel discussion moderated by curator, writer and poet Wana Udobang in conversation with exhibiting artists such as Somi Nwandu Ayoola Gbolahan, Djakou Kassi and Adeniyi Adewole Wasiu.
The conversation explored how African art is often constricted to teach, historicise or be anthropological, and how artists push back and make room to celebrate their history and artistry. The discussion touched on how to keep one’s artistic voice and visual language, and why it is necessary for artists across generations to be in conversation with each other. The speakers shared personal insights into how they have stayed focused and deepened their work, while also exploring diverse mediums in the different seasons of their lives.
Special guest of honour at the opening, legendary master artist Prof Bruce Onobrakpeya urged artists to continue sharing and learning from each other, a practice he has spearheaded for many years in his annual Harmattan Workshop series. The ongoing exhibition will run for about three months which will be followed by solo and international shows in July/August and November respectively.
