Àsìkò Art School's Pan-African Pedagogical Model Evolves Under Oyindamola Fakeye
Artistic director Oyindamola Fakeye of the Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA) Lagos reflects on the development of the Àsìkò Art School since the death of its founder, Bisi Silva, in 2019. Established in 2010, this five-week initiative has been hosted in various countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Mozambique, Ethiopia, and Cape Verde. The program features workshops, critiques, and exhibitions, with contributions from notable guest faculty such as El Anatsui and Teju Cole. Collaborating with Yaba College of Technology and the University of Lagos, Àsìkò addresses challenges in art education. Current partnerships involve the University of Finland and Nordic Studio. A publication in 2023 will reflect on past editions, leading to a planned relaunch in 2024 with sustainable funding. CritLab in Ghana has been notably influenced by the program.
Key facts
- Àsìkò Art School was founded in 2010 in Lagos by curator Bisi Silva (1962–2019).
- The program has been itinerant since 2013, operating in six African countries.
- It combines workshop, laboratory, and residency models over five weeks.
- All participants must be African, with recent inclusion of diaspora members.
- The program maintains a non-hierarchical structure where facilitators and participants learn together.
- Current partnerships include the University of Finland and Nordic Studio for pedagogical research.
- A new publication edited by Serubiri Moses will document all eight editions in 2023.
- Plans aim for a 2024 relaunch with North African partners and sustainable funding.
Entities
Artists
- Oyindamola Fakeye
- Bisi Silva
- El Anatsui
- Nontobeko Ntombela
- Simone Leigh
- Teju Cole
- Raqs Media Collective
- Viye Diba
- N'Goné Fall
- Eddie Chambers
- Zoé Whitley
- Kwasi Ohene-Ayeh
- Tamar Garb
- Aura Seikkula
- Kelvin Haizel
- Bernard Akoi-Jackson
- Ato Annan
- Adwoa Amoah
- Kianga Ford
- Shane Aslan Selzer
- Dorothy Akpene Amenuke
- Yinka Shonibare
- Serubiri Moses
- Antawan Byrd
Institutions
- Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA) Lagos
- Àsìkò Art School
- Yaba College of Technology
- University of Lagos
- University of Nigeria Nsukka
- RAW Material Company
- RAW Académie
- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KUNST)
- Wits University
- Exit Frame Collective
- CritLab
- blaxTARLINES KUMASI
- Independent Curators International (ICI)
- Global Crit Clinic
- Ofkob Art Residency
- Arts Promotion Centre in Finland
- University College London
- University of Finland
- Nordic Studio residency programme
- Guest Artists Space
- Res Artis
- Video Art Network (VAN) Lagos
- ArtReview
Locations
- Lagos
- Nigeria
- Ghana
- Senegal
- Dakar
- Mozambique
- Ethiopia
- Addis Ababa
- Cape Verde
- Finland
- Kumasi
- South Africa
- North Africa