Founder of Nigeria’s first international contemporary art fair Tokini Peterside speaks to Louise Dablay about Lagos’ art scene.
Tokini Peterside is the founder of ART x Lagos, Nigeria’s first international contemporary art fair, which has acted as a catalyst for the local art scene since 2016. The fair held its sixth edition this year, both physically and online, with galleries from the continent and abroad.
ArtReviewBefore setting up ART x Lagos, you were working in the world of fashion – what led you into the artworld?
Tokini Peterside When I started working with [fashion designer] Maki Oh and [concept store] Alára, the artists I was collecting would say, “You’re doing this work with Maki, she’s a great designer, but we would also love to have someone work with us on the business side of what we do”. I then went away for a year to business school between France and Singapore at INSEAD, and spent a lot of that time thinking, ‘There is a need’. There is a need for artists to professionalise their practices. They don’t want to think about the business concerns. They don’t want to think about negotiating with collectors. They just want to structure the commercial sides of their practice and receive greater exposure for their work...Keep reading on ArtReview.
Tokini Peterside is the founder of ART x Lagos, Nigeria’s first international contemporary art fair, which has acted as a catalyst for the local art scene since 2016. The fair held its sixth edition this year, both physically and online, with galleries from the continent and abroad.
ArtReview Before setting up ART x Lagos, you were working in the world of fashion – what led you into the artworld?
Tokini Peterside When I started working with [fashion designer] Maki Oh and [concept store] Alára, the artists I was collecting would say, “You’re doing this work with Maki, she’s a great designer, but we would also love to have someone work with us on the business side of what we do”. I then went away for a year to business school between France and Singapore at INSEAD, and spent a lot of that time thinking, ‘There is a need’. There is a need for artists to professionalise their practices. They don’t want to think about the business concerns. They don’t want to think about negotiating with collectors. They just want to structure the commercial sides of their practice and receive greater exposure for their work...Keep reading on ArtReview.