Inside Anthony Azekwoh’s Unique N1K Art Sale In Lagos

At exactly 7:12 AM on the 26th of August 2023 , multi-disciplinary artist Anthony Azekwoh posted a not-so-subtle reminder on his Twitter account about his exhibition cum charity sale holding at 22B Gallery, Lagos. At 10:30 AM,  a queue of over 70 eager art enthusiasts already lined the entryway of the gallery situated in the trendy Lekki suburb of the coastal city. By 12:20 PM, the artist put out another tweet announcing that the art sale was over and all the pieces were sold out. This is something that has simply never happened in Nigerian art history.

The Nigerian artist, storyteller and creative entrepreneur who shuffles between Lagos and London, had earlier in August, posted a video teaser on his social media accounts promoting his manifold exhibition, “Sorry I Missed Your Calls” and “The N1k Art Sale”. Widely known for his skilful use of symbolism, stellar storytelling and the utilisation of cutting-edge technology to push modern artistic  narratives about the African culture and folklore, this exhibition is of immense significance as it serves as both a homecoming for  the artist and a way of giving back to the society in an innovative way.

From hosting workshops and exhibitions around the world, to featuring in a Metaverse campaign and gaining virality and recognition for his craft, Anthony has been on a mission to tell the Black story in a unique way. Not one to hold back from sharing his life experiences, and as vividly alluded to by the visuals announcing the exhibit, he has been on a journey of self-discovery in a bid to master and promote his craft. It is safe to say that, due to this, he missed some important calls from home in Nigeria.

The execution of this show, the first of its kind, is his way of properly returning to his roots after two years, to show and exhibit to his countrymen his reasons for missing the literal and metaphorical calls to come home. Through this, he showcases what he has been up to artistically and the extent of the mastery of his craft. For this exhibit, Anthony curated a careful selection of his paintings from 2020 till date

The central idea of the N1K Art Sale was to sell 100 certified prints of his latest metaphysical inspired work, “Procyon”, at a very affordable price of one thousand naira (₦1000, the equivalent of $1.32), with all the proceeds from the sale donated to Meadow Hill Foundation, an education focused charity based in Lagos. In demonstrating empathy towards the attendees who weren’t able to get copies of the fast-selling prints, the host announced a raffle sale on his website and for that day alone, digital copies of the same prints went on sale for ₦1000. Taking into consideration the current socio-economic situation of the country  was a genius avenue to provide Nigerians with a piece of his art and also participate in humanitarian activities.

For the “Sorry I Missed Your Call” showcase, the artist and founder of the digital art gallery, Lewa Gallery, leaned into his familial love for Nigerian folklore and literature to curate pieces that resonated with the attendees, the works on display were timeless pieces of art that were crafted by employing genius storytelling and contemporary digital technology.

The carefully curated pieces on show at the “Sorry I Missed Your Calls” exhibition included his world-famous pieces; “Yasuke”, “The Black Samurai”, the viral crimson-hued duo, “The Red Man” and “The Red Lady”, the azul themed, “I Weep for Us” and his latest painting “Procyon”. To cement his multidisciplinary skill set , the design of the exhibition space, further led to an effulgent and natural light filled boudoir featuring framed prints of his sculpture series, “Aunties”.

The featured artworks in their own rights, were standout parts of the exhibition, as the most notable and recognizable features of his work lies in his use of texture and bright hues, which were evinced in his stroke pattern and colouring technique. All of these components converged and added more depth, details and context to the paintings and the overall white space of the gallery.

Besides the humanitarian aspect of the art sale, this exhibit heralds a monumental cultural moment for the new generation  of Nigerians, the Gen Z and Millennial population. In line with the global proliferation and inter-exchange of African and global culture, a renewed and curious appreciation for the arts and culture has emerged among this demographic, and more Nigerians are becoming increasingly appreciative and cognizant of the aesthete side of life. The “N1K Art Sale” presented an opportunity for 100+ young Nigerians to become first time art owners, and it made complete sense to collect from one of their own.

The successful showcase ran its course for the whole of the last weekend in August and it was supported by fintech company, CoinProfile.

Folarin is a culture storyteller and writer living in Lagos, Nigeria. He identifies as an aesthete and his words are reflective of his deep appreciation for design and the arts. Currently building a career at the intersection of tech, culture, law and the creative industry, he holds an LL.B. from the University of Lagos and is en route to the Nigerian Law School