The National Gallery of Modern Art, Lagos (NGMA) is a major art gallery in
Lagos
Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the List of cities in Africa by population, second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national ca ...
, the largest city of
Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
. It is a permanent exhibition of the National Gallery of Art, a
parastatal
A state-owned enterprise (SOE) is a government entity which is established or nationalised by the ''national government'' or ''provincial government'' by an executive order or an act of legislation in order to earn profit for the governmen ...
of the Federal Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation. The gallery is located within the
National Arts Theatre
The National Theatre, Nigeria is the primary centre for the performing arts in Nigeria. The monument is located in Iganmu, Surulere, Lagos. Its construction was completed in 1976 in preparation for the Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC) in ...
, at Entrance B.
Location
The National Gallery of Modern Art is located on two floors below the huge auditorium of the National Arts Theatre.
The upper level features a showcase of
contemporary art
Contemporary art is the art of today, produced in the second half of the 20th century or in the 21st century. Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. Their art is a dynamic com ...
, including colourful abstract canvases by
Bruce Onobrakpeya
Bruce Obomeyoma Onobrakpeya (born 30 August 1932) is a Nigerian printmaker, painter and sculptor. He has exhibited at the Tate Modern in London, the National Museum of African Art of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. and the Malm ...
and bronze
busts by
Ben Osawe.
There is also a bookshop and library.
Exhibits
The Portrait Gallery section includes both modern and earlier portraits of prominent, including all Heads of State.
It includes portraits of artists such as
Aina Onabolu, Chief
Hubert Ogunde
Chief Hubert Adedeji Ogunde, D.Lit. (10 July 1916 – 4 April 1990) was a Nigerian actor, playwright, theatre manager, and musician who founded the first contemporary professional theatrical company in Nigeria, the African Music Research Part ...
,
Chinua Achebe
Chinua Achebe (; 16 November 1930 – 21 March 2013) was a Nigerian novelist, poet, and critic who is regarded as the dominant figure of modern African literature. His first novel and ''magnum opus'', ''Things Fall Apart'' (1958), occupies ...
,
Wole Soyinka
Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde Soyinka (Yoruba: ''Akínwándé Olúwọlé Babátúndé Ṣóyíinká''; born 13 July 1934), known as Wole Soyinka (), is a Nigerian playwright, novelist, poet, and essayist in the English language. He was awarded t ...
and Professor
Ben Enwonwu
Odinigwe Benedict Chukwukadibia Enwonwu MBE (14 July 1917 – 5 February 1994), better known as Ben Enwonwu, was a Nigerian painter and sculptor. Arguably the most influential African artist of the 20th century, his pioneering career opened th ...
. The section holding the works of the masters and other Nigerian artists includes work by
Akinola Lasekan,
Erhabor Emokpae
Erhabor Ogieva Emokpae, OON, (9 May 1934 – 16 February 1984) was a renowned Nigerian sculptor, muralist, graphic artist and painter who is regarded as one of the pioneers of modern arts in Nigeria. Some of his notable works include the a br ...
, Professor
Solomon Wangboje, Bruce Onobrakpeya,
Haig David West Haig may refer to:
Places
*Haig Avenue, football stadium in Southport, England
* Haig, British Columbia, settlement in British Columbia, Canada
* Haig, Nebraska, a community in the United States
*Haig Point Club, private community on Daufuskie Isl ...
and
Gani Odutokun
Gani Odutokun (August 9, 1946 – February 15, 1995) was a contemporary Nigerian painter who is known for his contributions and nurturing of artists in the Zaria art society. His works include wall murals, paintings and book cover designs.
Early ...
.
[
The modern sculpture section presents recent Nigerian sculpture, showing continuity with earlier forms such as the ]Nok culture
The Nok culture (or Nok civilization) is a population whose material remains are named after the Ham village of Nok in Kaduna State of Nigeria, where their terracotta sculptures were first discovered in 1928. The Nok culture appeared in Nigeria ...
but now no longer ritual and mystical in character. Other sections are devoted to ceramics, artwork from friendly nations, a comparison of media and styles, glass painting and textiles. Modern textile art in Nigeria draws on rich traditions from the Yoruba
The Yoruba people (, , ) are a West African ethnic group that mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba constitute ...
, Hausa
Hausa may refer to:
* Hausa people, an ethnic group of West Africa
* Hausa language, spoken in West Africa
* Hausa Kingdoms, a historical collection of Hausa city-states
* Hausa (horse) or Dongola horse, an African breed of riding horse
See also
* ...
, Igbo
Igbo may refer to:
* Igbo people, an ethnic group of Nigeria
* Igbo language, their language
* anything related to Igboland, a cultural region in Nigeria
See also
* Ibo (disambiguation)
* Igbo mythology
* Igbo music
* Igbo art
*
* Igbo-Ukwu, a ...
and other peoples of Nigeria. Even modern textile art may draw heavily on folklore and use traditional symbols, colours and patterns.[
]
See also
* Virtual Museum of Modern Nigerian Art
The online Virtual Museum of Modern Nigerian Art is a non-commercial initiative whose primary aim is to provide an easily accessible educational resource that can serve as a first point of reference for students, teachers and art enthusiasts inter ...
References
Museums with year of establishment missing
Art museums and galleries in Lagos
Contemporary art galleries in Africa
Modern art museums
Nigeria, Modern Art, Lagos
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