Dafe Oboro & Belinda Kazeem-Kamiński emerge winners of Access ART X Prize

ART X has announced the finalists of the 2022/23 Access Bank ART X Prize.

The Prize, which was previously only open to emerging Nigerian artists, has expanded to include an additional award open to emerging artists from all of Africa and its Diaspora, to support sustainable careers for a broader range of artists.

Dafe Oboro, a filmmaker and photographer, won the Nigeria Award, and Belinda Kazeem-Kamiski, an artist, writer, and researcher, won the Africa/Diaspora Award. Dafe will participate in a residency at Gasworks London, while Belinda will undergo a residency at Yinka Shonibare’s G.A.S. Foundation in Lagos. Both artists will be granted exhibitions at the ART X Lagos fair in 2023, with grants totalling $10,000.

This year, over 1,500 entries from emerging artists from Africa and its diaspora were received from more than 50 countries, including Martinique.

Tolulope Ami-Williams, Kingsley Ayogu, neec nonso, and Matthew Eguavoen are the finalists for the Nigeria Award, and the finalists for the Africa/Diaspora Award are Lois Arde-Acquah (Ghana), Louisa Marajo (France/Martinique), Mallory Lowe Mpoka (Canada), and Yetunde Olagbaju (the United States).

The winners were announced following deliberations by the jury, which includes Alessio Antoniolli (Director, Gasworks & The Triangle Network), Dr Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung (Artistic Director, SAVVY Contemporary), Gabi Ncgobo (Artist and Curatorial Director, Javett Art Centre (Javett-UP), University of Pretoria), Maria Varnava (Founder, Tiwani Contemporary), Professor Peju Layiwola (Artist and Historian), and Victor Ehikhamenor (Artist).