West Africa’s renowned art fair, Art X Lagos and Access Bank have announced Bolatito Aderemi-Ibitola as the winner of the 2018 edition of Art X Prize with Access, instituted to recognize and support emerging visual artists in Nigeria.

Bolatito was chosen from a pool of several dozen applicants by a jury of 5 renowned artists comprising pioneering artist, Professor Bruce Onobrakpeya; Turner Prize nominee Yinka Shonibare MBE; highly regarded visual artist Wura-Natasha Ogunji, Honorary Fellow of the University of the Arts, London Sokari Douglas-Camp; and gallerist and curator Oliver Enwonwu.

Access Bank’s collaboration with ART X Lagos stems from a mandate to support and contribute to the development of the art sector in Nigeria by investing in Nigerian talent. The sponsorship of the ART X Prize with Access is a partnership that will celebrate, empower and provide vital professional development for a new generation of emerging Nigerian talent.

Founder and Director of ART X Lagos, Tokini Peterside, remarked: “The extraordinarily high quality of work we received speaks volumes of the potential of the art sector in Nigeria. We are delighted to have the privilege to support the prizewinner, Bolatito Aderemi-Ibitola, at this pivotal stage in her career. With certainty that this will propel her forward towards a successful future within the African and global art industry, we look forward to unveiling Bolatito’s ambitious project at ART X Lagos 2018 in November. The project will introduce Bolatito to our international audience of critics, collectors and curators from renowned institutions around the world. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Access Bank for their support for this initiative and to our stellar jury for their tireless commitment and generosity to this effort.”

Herbert Wigwe, CEO and Group Managing Director of Access Bank Plc opines: “At Access Bank, beyond our vast collection of established artists, we believe that we are also responsible for empowering emerging artists. This is why we continue to support the ART X Prize - to celebrate the ingenuity of Nigeria's emerging art talent. I can see the recipient of the ART X Prize with Access being the next great artist of our time, endowing us with the potential and the privilege to shape the most relevant art that will come out of the African continent.”

Bolatito Aderemi-Ibitola emerged as the winner of the Prize, after live presentations to the jury members, alongside a shortlist that also included two other artists – Ayo Akinwande and Williams Chechet as finalists. Bolatito is a trans-disciplinary artist working primarily in time-based art, interactivity and performance. She lives and works in Lagos, Nigeria, and earned her Masters in Performance Studies from Tisch School of the Performing Arts, New York University and holds a Bachelors in Communication Arts with a focus in Television/Film Production and a minor in Political Science from Allegheny College.

On the selection process, Professor Bruce Onobrakpeya comments: “The finalists have demonstrated far-sighted maturity in their presentations, in varied media, with demonstrable projects and feasible proposals. ART X Lagos must be congratulated for its professionalism in organising an international jury to deliberate on the ART X Prize with Access.”

Jury-member Yinka Shonibare MBE also commented: “Aderemi-Ibitola, Chechet and Akinwande have all expressed contemporary cultural concerns in Nigeria through their work. All of the finalists are very strong, so you can imagine what an impossible decision it has been for us! I am very proud to have been part of this exciting process.”

Bolatito Aderemi-Ibitola will receive invaluable opportunities for networking and mentoring to realize, promote, and contextualize her art project. She will also receive a ₦1million grant towards her project which will be exhibited in a solo presentation at ART X Lagos 2018 from 2nd to 4th November.

•L-R: Amaechi Okobi (Access Bank), Bolatito Aderemi-Ibitola (Winner) and Tokini Peterside (Founder & Director Art X Lagos)

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