In November 2021, the Nigerian visual art landscape received a huge boost courtesy of the debutant Gemini Art Gallery.
Set on King George Road, Onikan, Lagos, the new and trendy art gallery has since its arrival added to the plethora of art and culture offerings in Onikan, which is unarguably an art and culture hub of Lagos.
From the National Museum, Biodun Omolayo Gallery, to the new Lagos gallery, Onikan speaks volumes for art and culture.
Yet, Gemini Arts Gallery is the icing on the cake. The new gallery is a must-visit for many reasons.
It took almost two decades to establish; from the idea conception over 17 years ago when the founder started out as an art collector and dealer to November 2021 when it opened the gallery to showcase the treasures he has been collecting and hiding over these years.
Of course, Gemini is beyond the normal gallery where it is all about hanging works on the walls for people to see or holding exhibitions.
The gallery comes with a difference amid commitment to put Nigeria art in a global perspective. “Our gallery is different”, says Raphael Akinnire, owner, art dealer and director of the gallery.
“We use the educational medium to enlighten our environment and to enlighten the young ones and even the older ones.
“Our presentation is different from others. We are redefining art using the educative side of it because gallery is not all about the space alone but the impact on people and our environment.
“If we want to go for the international community, we have to start from here”, he says.
Another uniqueness of Gemini Art Gallery are the rare works it houses, some of which are for the 17 years Akinnire has been collecting art for self and as a dealer, while others span more than that.
“The artworks here are my collections. I have been collecting art for over 17 years now”, he says.
However, having been running as a dealer for years before opening the gallery, Gemini Art Gallery offers Akinnire a platform for connection and for expressing himself.
“The gallery is a medium for me to express myself more. It is more like a station where people can reach me instead of me taking what I have to people’s space”, he enthuses.
The collection is rich and also a reason to visit the gallery. With over 200 works, some over 17 years, others more than two decades, including works from art legends such as Bruce Onobrakpeya, Gemini Art Gallery is offering many reasons for visit.
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Moreover, the walls of gallery are decorated with works by artists like Wale Alimi, Samson Akinloye, Rotimi Akinloye, Emmanuel Dudu, John Ogbeta, Donald Onuoha, George Edozie, Bob Nosa, Duke Asidere and others who the artist cannot mention for now, but insists that, “these are artists I have respect for”.
Though the gallery opened to the public last November, it has been putting up great shows, amid sustained appreciation by the art-loving public. One of the shows is happening this month, according to the gallery owner.
“We are working on a show for Donald Onuoha on June 4, 2022. He is one of Nigeria’s finest artists. We have done a series of exhibitions as well. In 15 years, we have done like 10 exhibitions, but since opening last November we have done up to four shows”, he explains.
But he will not forget the feeling when an artwork he collected years ago and has kept very well is taken off the wall of the gallery by a buyer. Recalling the feeling with nostalgia he says, “I am attached to a lot of works hanging on this wall. But I am putting them up because this is business, I need to replace them.
I sold some works recently, among them is one Alimi, which I have had for over nine years. But I see myself losing a part of me after selling the work because the money does not make a difference for me. But I need to go see Alimi and what he is doing now because I need to replace the work. As I sell the old works, I replace them with the same artists and some with new artists who I see their works to be interesting”.
While the opening of the gallery is a feat, Raphael Akinnire does not see it that much because he is not relenting yet. He is already working on his next level of ambition, which is going global with Nigerian art.
“My next level is to take our art to that global space where our voices can be heard, where we can use art as a currency exchange, and where we can see value to what we do because art itself is about value”, he concludes.
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