To mark the Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos’s 15th Anniversary celebration the time spent time reviewing the archive, remembering and discovery projects that spans the organisation’s history, The resulting exhibition is a site specific love letter to the space and its contribution to the growth of contemporary artistic practice in Lagos, Nigeria. The video installation of Bisi Silva at The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage speaking on “the local” and “the global” in curatorial practice’ places Bisi’s voice and perspective, as the organisation’s founder, at the heart of the exhibition, inviting her voice to intertwine with conversations at the milestone event. Her presence is a reminder that she is still very much felt in the building and in the projects we continue to facilitate.

The centre’s early commitment to showcasing fine art photography can be seen across the gallery. Controversial social and political issues were the topic of many exhibition including the curatorial trilogy, that kicked of the first year of CCA, Lagos programming “Democrazy”, which featured the works of Ghariokwu Lemi, Ndidi Dike and George Oshodi.

The Ephemeral nature of the exhibition making, and the importance of the documentation are highlighted through the inclusion of publication’s, exhibition catalogue, curatorial statements, poster and fliers. The sheer number of the artist, curators, galleries, funders, facilitators and institutions that can be found in the featured material highlighted, but by all means do not encompass, the full picture of the reach Bisi and CCA, Lagos have had on the global art scene.

Archive might be about the past, but they are not of the past, when they are represented in the present for purpose in the future, by the use of culturally bounded expressive forms. Therefore , ‘Looking Forward to Look Back: CCA Lagos at 15’ is a precursor to a more in-depth programme of archival engagement and research kicking off in 2023 with partner organisations like Goethe Institute, Yaba Museum and Guest Projects Space. It also marks the launch of the ‘icontinuetocontinue” project a conceptual artistic response which aims to reflect on the legacy of Bisi’s work through CCA, Lagos and the Asiko Art School curated by Asiko alumni Letaru Drelega, Precious Mhone and Rosie Olang’ Odhiambo.

We can say that archive are about directing the past and the future, or to paraphrase Owe Rostrom, there is an archive not because there has been a past , because there is a future to come. It is to pave the way for this future that we are “Looking Forward to Looking Back” at CCA, Lagos at 15.

1. Installation view of Centre for Contemporary Art at 15 by  CCA Team, showing works from her collection featured works are Local Space, Transnational Connection  by Ayo Akinwande, 2018, (The wall in front)  American Invasion Series by  Victor Ehikhamenor, 2009, (wall on the right)   Green Summary by  Karo Akpokiere, 2010, Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos, December, 2022. Photo by  Peter Okotor
2. Installation view of  Centre for Contemporary Art at 15 by  CCA Team, showing works from her collection featured works are  (wall on the right) The Underbridge Series by Emeka Ogboh, 2013 – 2014, Green Summary by  Karo Akpokiere, 2010, American Invasion Series by Victor Ehikhamenor, 2009, White platform on which you have CCA Newsletters 2008 – 2012, The Archive Static Embodied, Practiced flier, Exhibition Catalogue,  Asiko: The Future of Artistic And Curatorial Pedagogies in Africa, 2017, A Publication by  CCA, Lagos,  Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos, December, 2022. Photo by  Peter Okotor
3. Installation view of  Centre for Contemporary Art at 15 by  CCA Team, showing works from her collection featured works are  (L-R)  FELA, Ghariokwu Lemi and The Art  of the Album Cover, Ghariokwu Lemi,  2007 – 2008,  Waka into Bondage, 2008,  Ndidi Dike, Discomfort, Zone, Published by Iwalewa  Books, Paradise Lost : Revisiting The Niger Delta, George Oshodi, 2008, Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos, December, 2022. Photo by  Peter Okotor
4. Bisi Silva on considering “the local” and “the Global” in curatorial practice, 3mins 57sec, Filmed at The Pew Center for Art & Heritage on  September 9, 2016 and Mariam Bettin (a GAS foundation Resident, 2022)

 

1.

 

2.

 

3. 

 

4.