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‘Emergence’: A commemorative exhibition for 10 years anniversary of Alexis Galleries

‘Emergence’: A commemorative exhibition for 10 years anniversary of Alexis Galleries

Truly, it marvels how time flies. A few days from today, precisely on October 1, 2021, Alexis Galleries, a frontline artist and visual art promotion outfit, as well as gallery, will be marking 10 years since it opened its doors to the Nigerian public, especially lovers of art, collectors and artists who are ambitious platforms to grow.

Of course, Patty Chidiac Mastrogiannis, founder and director, Alexis Galleries, easily remembers how against all odds, she founded the gallery in 2011 and through determination and commitment, grew the business from nothing to the enviable gallery it is today, after 10 years.

The gallery, which started as a joke, according to Patty, who is a mother, a wife, and unarguably, an art entrepreneur par excellence, has been a small but very effective gallery. Today, Alexis Galleries is not a ‘joke’. It is a full-scale art company; thriving gallery, visual art/artist promotion and a place for lovers of art.

Looking back at its days of little beginning, 10 years ago Alexis Galleries emerged, aiming at presenting and disseminating contemporary art in every area of specialisation in visual art. In doing so, the gallery created an art space that accommodates aesthetically pleasing arts, works in a wide range of materials and styles, contemporary works in the media of painting, drawing, mixed media and sculpture. “We have established ourselves rapidly as one of the best galleries in Nigeria, a meeting place for artists, collectors, and enthusiasts of art”, Patty notes.

As well, the gallery, which is located at Akin Olugbade Street in Victoria Island, Lagos, is further aimed at promoting artists from across Africa and Africa arts at large, especially young artists.

“We have organised and showcased their works and talent through numerous exhibitions, as we desire to take the Nigerian artists to greater heights in strengthening the ever-vibrant Nigerian art circle.

“We have over the years organised residency programmes as we recognise the enormous benefits of such programmes for artists. It creates an avenue for new communal context with other artists from different artistic backgrounds in order to have cross-experiences. We also bask in our annual effort to constantly showcase the intriguing works of reputable masters that are successful executors of techniques, styles, and material exploration”, she notes further.

However, the gallery is celebrating its 10th anniversary by remembering and recreating the way it was launched, by organising an exhibition that creates a platform for new, vibrant, and talented young artists to emerge.

To do this, the gallery is hosting “Emergence”, a group exhibition of young talented artists, which commemorates its 10 years anniversary.

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With the exhibition, the gallery in all fair assessments had selected styles and artists whose works capture and reflect on society, human experiences, and issues that are important to us as a people.

The group exhibition features intriguing paintings and sculptures by 14 talented young artists including; Victor Morayo, Damilola Ilori, Bola Obatuyi, Samson Toba, Williams Sunday, Quazeem Animashaun, Oluwaseun Ojebiyi, Gobe Joseph, Segun Okewumi, Emmanuel Ojebola, Busari Adewale, Emmanuel Aderiye, Esan Mayowa, and Seun Aderire.

The 14 artists are featuring two works each, with a total of 28 intriguing works to be displayed at the exhibition.

But the unique things about the exhibition is that the 14 exhibiting artists are all based in Ibadan, Oyo State, and were all mentored by Omofeni Oluwole, an Ibadan-based Nigerian contemporary artist of international acclaim, who worked with Alexis Galleries for over 7 years.

They are also Fine Art graduates from different high institutions across the country including; The Polytechnics Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, University of Lagos, Auchi Polytechnics, among other high institutions.

Meanwhile, in the tradition of giving part of the exhibition proceeds to charity, Alexis Galleries will be adopting The Bricon Foundation, an NGO that supports patients and their families battling cancer through counselling, education, and advocacy, and assistance with sourcing for funds for treatment.

On the choice of the NGO, Patty notes that The Bricon Foundation has impacted families that lost their loved ones, especially breadwinners to cancer a great deal and has saved their families from sufferings.

It will be recalled that for the past three years, Alexis Galleries has in every of her exhibitions given back to the community. “We adopt a charity organisation in every exhibition and give part of the exhibition proceeds to their course”, Patty says.

Speaking at a media parley heralding the exhibition, which was held at the gallery recently, the artists were happy to showcase their works in a place where their mentor has worked before and talked so much about in a positive light.

For Bola Obatuyi, the only female artist among them, who schooled at Auchi Polytechnics, Edo State, it is a platform to excel and she will utilise the opportunity very well.

Williams Sunday, a painter is presenting two works; ‘Childhood Memories’ and ‘Early Dreams’, both are paintings with charcoal, which are very appealing to the eyes. Segun Okewunmi, the only sculptor among them, is featuring a stone carving and a metal sculpture, titled ‘Family Ties’ and ‘Odessy Through Academy’ respectively.

Emmanuel Aderiye, the University of Lagos graduate among them, is presenting two paintings as well.

The exhibition will open to the public on Saturday October 2, 2021, from 3pm-6pm, and runs till October 9, 2021. It will run daily from 10 am-6pm at the gallery located on No 282, Akin Olugbade Street, Off Idowu Martins, Victoria Island, Lagos State. The exhibition virtual tour will also be published on the opening day, on the gallery’s social media handles; Instagram- alexisgalleries, Facebook- Thehomestores & Alexisgalleries. It also promises to be intriguing for both virtual and live views.

Of note are the sponsors of the exhibition, which include; Pepsi, Tiger, Indomie, Mikano, The Guardian, Wazobia TV, Cool FM, UPS, Haier Thermocool, Cobranet, Delta Airlines, Aina Blankson, The Homestores, Art Café, Lost In Lagos , and AMG Logistics.