Lagos Curator Ugoma Chinelo Ebilah Opens Mbari Kola Private Art Society

Ugoma Chinelo Ebilah, an economist-turned-curator, is launching Mbari Kola, a private art society and members club in Lagos, Nigeria. The 800 sq. m space in Ikoyi will feature a public gallery, shop, and garden, plus a private lounge, terrace, library, and multifunctional rooms for members. Events will span exhibitions, residencies, film screenings, concerts, performances, and readings, focusing on pan-African art and culture. The club houses the Mbari Kola Arts and Culture Foundation, which supports publishing and other programs. Art on display comes from the foundation's, Ebilah's, and members' collections. Ebilah founded Bloom Art Lagos in 2010 and the foundation in 2019. She aims to separate her commercial and social charges, fostering exchange between art makers and consumers. The soft launch for founding members is on Africa Day (25 May), with further phases after summer and during Lagos Art Week (5-8 November). The club is part-funded by Ebilah and crowdfunded through about 50 founding patrons and members from Nigeria and beyond. Mbari Kola is inspired by 1960s Mbari artists' and writers' clubs, the first established in Ibadan, Nigeria in 1961. Artist and curator Oliver Enwonwu notes the Ibadan club's intellectual significance and says Mbari Kola's impact depends on fostering serious cross-disciplinary exchange, providing spaces for reflection and conversation outside market pressures.