Nana Asumah and the drive for avant-garde art curation

Curating avant-garde art for the cooked segment is about creating an intensely immersive and provocative experience that challenges and engages audiences. By selecting powerful artworks and presenting them in innovative ways, curators like Nana Asumah are redefining the boundaries of art and its impact on society. This approach not only enhances the appreciation of avant-garde art but also contributes to the ongoing dialogue about the role of art in reflecting and shaping contemporary culture.

Art is an experience that only cooked entities can comprehend. It suggests that art, in its most profound and impactful form, can only be truly appreciated and understood by those who have reached a certain level of sophistication, maturity, or enlightenment. This metaphorical idea of “cooked entities” implies a process of development and refinement, much like the cooking process transforms raw ingredients into a complex and flavourful dish. Before naysayers and fifth columnists, leap into equating this frequency of comprehension into condescension. A helicopter oversight is imperative to gain requisite insights, as it’s individuals who have undergone significant intellectual, emotional, and experiential growth that dwell in this ecosystem. They possess a deep understanding and appreciation of complex ideas and artistic expressions.

It’s a matter of raw versus cooked segments – The metaphor contrasts the raw, unrefined state with a mature, fully developed state. Cooked entities have the capacity to engage with and comprehend nuanced and sophisticated art forms, while not isolating enthusiasts who want to make a dive into the arts world when the opportunity presents itself. This is the value chain where Nana operates with artistic dexterity and ease. This intrinsic element delivers value for artists, partners and clients.

Nana’s foray into the arts ecosystem began in 2002. She encountered Prince Olasehinde Odimayo, founder and director of Treasure House Fine Arts, by chance. With a cursory eye for the inherent talent, Odimayo offered her an opportunity to work with him and he polished the rough diamond christened Nana Asumah whose artistic DNA was carved while digesting the artistic locomotion of the old school exponents of Nigeria arts as a teenager.

This unique opportunity was pivotal in influencing and expanding her ideology in the realm of African art. She was introduced to a world of influential artists who played key roles in the development of contemporary art in Nigeria. She transited to the much-vaunted Artshouse Contemporary – an international auction house that specialises in modern and contemporary art in West Africa. It was the first artistic window to introduce the novel auction-styled sales of artworks in Nigeria and the West Coast.

In addition, Nana’s quest for excellence led her to berth Art Pantheon in 2019 to nurture artistic expression and visualisation. The artistic enclave nestled in Oniru, Lagos is renowned for its visually pleasing and immersive atmosphere. The inaugural exhibition, “Metala” by Dotun Popoola in December 2020 witnessed noteworthy results with a medley of contemporary themes and cultural heritage. Since the birth of the Nana-led Art Pantheon, this unique platform has established itself as a key entity in promoting and managing African art in Nigeria and beyond.

Nana Asumah’s participation in the Venice Arts Biennale via the art curation bandwidth marked a significant milestone in her career and highlights her contributions to avant-garde art curation across the board. The Venice Biennale, one of the most prestigious cultural events and the Holy Grail in the art world, provides a global platform for showcasing cutting-edge contemporary art where the art inventory and logistics for stellar artistic display of Peju Alatishe therein. Asumah’s involvement brings her unique curatorial vision to a wider audience and reinforces her influence in the art community even though she’s meticulously coy about her credentials in the public domain.

In a nutshell, Nana’s career trajectory as an art curator and manager across the arts ecosystem has witnessed her collaboration with notable Nigerian artists like Peju Alatise, Ndidi Emefiele and Victor Ekpuk amongst others. At this rate, she has made her mark in the burgeoning arts scene in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa with plans on the horizon to drive locomotion for arts curation beyond the ordinary. Nana’s artistic exposition in the background devoid of noise continues to bridge the gap between artists and their relevant audiences, fostering a vibrant art community onshore and offshore.

Ayoola Ajanaku is a communications and advocacy specialist based in Lagos, Nigeria