The Future of Nigeria’s Art World Is In the Hands of its Young Artists Victor Ehikhamenor is an award-winning writer, photographer and visual artist who’s had a career that spans over two decades and has covered Nigeria’s creative industry.

Before his solo exhibition at the inaugural ART X Lagos, Ehikhamenor talked to Okayafrica via email about how social media has contributed to the growth of contemporary art in Nigeria, Lagos as a source of inspiration and the talented young Nigerian artists whose work he admires.

Ashley Okwuosa for Okayafrica: How does your experience as a writer influence your work with designing book covers? Do you read the work before you design the covers? And if so, how does that influence how you go about designing a cover for the book?

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Victor Ehikhamenor: It has helped in various ways, I can catch the essence of the book quick enough. I must say my cover designs are not autocratic, the writers and publishers have a lot of contribution in the birthing of a new cover. Some work I read in their entirety to get the soul of the book, others I design based a good synopsis. Sometimes the publishers or the authors choose from my existing art as a cover. All in all, it is a collaborative effort.

Photo | Guardian Life Magazine

Photo | Courtesy of Victorehistudio.com

Photo | Courtesy of Victorehistudio.com

Photo | Courtesy Gafra Gallery of African Art.

Photo | Courtesy of Black Fabulousity.com

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ART X Lagos is a new art fair designed to widen Nigeria’s connection to the contemporary art scene across Africa and internationally. The fair aims to provide the best insight into what the visual art sector in Africa has to offer to a wider local and international audience, and to encourage African and international patrons to visit Lagos.

ART X Lagos has been created to contribute to the increased visibility of contemporary artists from Africa, creating a vibrant art market and positioning Lagos as an emergent cultural capital on the continent. The maiden edition of ART X Lagos will take place at The Civic Centre, a state of the art conference and banquet centre in Victoria Island, Lagos, from Friday 4th November to Sunday 6th November 2016.

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