Lagos curator establishes private art society with focus on cross-disciplinary exchange

Growth in Nigeria’s art scene over the past two decades has largely been generated by individuals who created private galleries and institutions to support a large community of artists. Ugoma Chinelo Ebilah, an economist-turned-curator, founded Bloom Art Lagos in 2010 and established the Mbari Kola Arts and Culture Foundation in 2019 to support artists and creative projects. She is now opening Mbari Kola, a private art society and members club in Ikoyi, Lagos, in a renovated lagoon-view building. The 800 sq. m venue spans two floors with public areas including a gallery, shop, and garden, plus member-only spaces such as a lounge, terrace, library, and multifunctional rooms. It will host exhibitions, residencies, film screenings, concerts, performances, and readings, with a focus on pan-African art and culture, and will support publishing and other programs through the foundation.

"A lack of government support has meant that growth in the Nigerian art scene, which has developed substantially over the past two decades, has mostly been generated by individuals who have set up private galleries and institutions to support the country's significant artist community."

"Mbari Kola will be located in a renovated building overlooking the lagoon in Ikoyi, one of Lagos's most affluent areas. Spread over two floors, the 800 sq. m space will include a gallery, shop and garden open to the public, as well as a private lounge, terrace, library and multifunctional rooms reserved for members."

"The venue will hold events across the arts, from exhibitions and residencies to film screenings, concerts, performances and readings, with a predominant focus on pan-African art and culture. It will also house the foundation, which will support publishing initiatives and other programmes. The art on display will be drawn from the collections of the foundation, Ebilah and the club's members."

"Ebilah says she founded the club to separate her "commercial charge", which is in full force at Bloom Art Lagos, from her "social charge". "There are certain decisions I cannot make if I'm commercially inclined," she says. On the other hand, she hopes Mbari Kola will bring together the makers and the consumers of art. "The more these two people never lose sight of each other, then the more responsible and thoughtful they can be of each other," she says."

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