Kokopelli Gallery's parallel passages exhibition garners praise in grand unveiling

Kokopelli Gallery hosted a successful private unveiling of its exhibition, ‘Parallel Passages: Typologies’ attracting attendees from different walks of life. The showcase, featuring eight contemporary artists employing paintings, sculptures, and mixed media, drew attention from key figures in Africa’s art scene like Ajoke Silva, Toyin Akinosho, Eniafe Momodu, Claire Idera-Nnani, Eso Dike, Adaora Mbelu, Renike Olusanya, amongst other collectors, and enthusiasts, underscoring the significance of art and creative spaces in our societal fabric.

‘Parallel Passages: Typologies’ provided a captivating experience, employing narrative to delve into societal commonalities and distinctions, illustrating our interconnectedness within a collective consciousness.

The exhibition underscored the necessity for platforms where African creatives can express themselves, offering fresh perspectives on the societal landscapes they navigate.

The exhibiting artists included Chinezim Moghalu, Ronke Komos, Victoria Makinde, Okedoyin Luli, Imomoh Asemokah, Ayela-Uwangue Nosawema, Eghosa Raymond, and Babatunde Affiko.

Kokopelli Gallery’s Director, Mr. Dare Herald, elucidated that the exhibition’s theme, Typology, aimed to weave diverse real and fictional narratives, forming a bridge between artists and attendees. Herald emphasized the gallery’s commitment to being a storytelling hub, asserting, “We want to tell everybody’s story, so every piece exhibited here is at the core of the gallery’s hinge of storytelling. And because stories are special, unique, and intriguing, they form the fundamental rock on which all art is created. So we want to be a platform where everyone can tell their stories”.

Ronke Komos, one of the exhibiting artists, spoke on the need for more spaces to accommodate growing artists still discovering their styles and the narratives they choose to pursue, as this helps them develop a stronger body of work and opens them to critique.

“When I started professionally in 2012, I was still growing my craft and trying to find my niche, and it was difficult to find people that’d look at my earlier works and see the stories I was trying to express”, she stated during an interview.

Parallel Passages explored recurring themes and patterns in society across time, with artists interpreting them uniquely. The exhibition also sheds light on challenges faced by Nigerian artists, such as securing exhibition spaces and acquiring materials due to rising costs.

It positions Kokopelli Gallery as a pioneering art showcase platform and an inspiration for artists in Africa, offering a receptive audience for their narratives.

The exhibition is open until December 30, 2023, at Kokopelli Gallery, 17 Ademola Street, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.