Sunshine Alaibe is a Lagos-Based Curator, Creative consultant and Art Dealer with extensive experience in client relation and project Management.

As the current Gallery Manager & Lead Curator at O’DA Art Lagos, she is responsible for organising exhibitions, developing the gallery’s collection and broadening the representation of artists from Africa and the African diaspora.

Prior to this role, she served as a Client Relations Manager at Art Twenty One along with duties as a sales liaison to Echo Art Lagos. She has also served as a Sales Executive for Online Art company, Artyrama, while curating exhibitions for Cameroonian Collective, Gondwana Art.

Sunshine earned a Bachelor’s degree in Art History from the University College London and obtained a Master’s Degree in International Management from the University of Exeter with a Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership.

In this interview with GABRIEL OLAWALE, she spoke on the state of art appreciation in the country, what young artists should do to be successful, motivation behind O’DA Art Lagos, among other issues.

Why did you go into Art?

From a young age, I had always been interested in forms of artistic expression. I particularly loved how freeing and boundless it was for one to create.
This interest propelled me to pursue a degree in Art History and further delve into the world of the Artist first and the Industry second. It was from that moment I knew that it would be a perfect career path for me.

What is the motivation behind O’DA Art Gallery?

The Gallery was inspired by our director’s love for Art and interior design. The opportunity for those two elements to co-exist birthed O’DA and its mission.
‘O’DA’ in yoruba means ‘good’. Our slogan is “it is good” which ultimately means that we strive to showcase everything that is good and pleasing and enjoyable for a wide audience.

What are the area O’DA Art is focusing on and the reason for it?

We are a gallery that champions Contemporary mid-career and established artists from Africa and its diaspora, whilst celebrating multi-faceted designers from the continent. We chose to pursue this section of the market because we believed in furthering the careers of artists that have worked tirelessly to share their creativity across the world.

Also tell us the uniqueness of O’DA Art and what you are doing differently that distinguished you from other Art Businesses?

The Gallery serves by creating an oasis for people to explore and experience Contemporary African Art and Design. We want to engage and empower our community through the arts by highlighting the creative, cultural and historic diversity of our region.
As we continue to contribute to a growing industry of African creativity, we want to develop an understanding and appreciation of art’s complex role in affecting how people relate critically and creatively to a changing world. The choice to showcase both art and design is one difference between.

How would you say you became confident enough in your understanding of the art scene to advise clients skillfully?

Research, Research, Research! I spend a lot of time reading books on the Global Art Market, reviewing Auctions and Art fairs, while attending Exhibitions and Art Talks to continuously keep up with the latest Art Market trends.
In addition, I also spend time visiting artist studios and conversing with other key players in the industry as a way to share ideas and discuss ways to grow the African Art Market.

A tremendous amount of research, planning, and behind-the-scenes labour is required for any exhibition, how did you usually develop the final concept for exhibition?

It’s important for me to have a firm understanding of the work we exhibit in the gallery. Oftentimes, the art is what connects us to the artist. It’s truly a unique feeling when you are confronted with great art. It’s from here that we work closely with the artists to formulate a curatorial direction which is usually experimental and unique to their artistic expression.

What are the type of art you showcase/ things you consider in developing gallery’s collection?

We have been fortunate to have worked with a wide range of artists who not only have a visual language of their own, but also have a defined artistic expression.
We usually spend time with artists whose work is deeply reflective. They explore a wide range of themes such as; identity, technology, political commentary, social consciousness and environmental change.

Which project are you currently working on, the motivation behind it and any other plans for the year?

Over the weekend we opened our first show for the year titled, ‘The Re-Agents: Amplified’ by Visual Artist Ayoola Gbolahan. This exhibition comes at a crucial time in Nigeria’s history as it represents a generation of Nigerians who are here to redefine what it truly means to be a Nigerian–and African by extension.
We have an interesting program lined up for the year with three exhibitions by talented visual artist next quarter! We are also gearing up to attend a few art fairs later in year which will allow us to broaden our connections in other art markets and showcase our artists outside of the country.

What is your comment on the state of art appreciation in the country?

I think Art has penetrated several social and corporate groups in the country but I still believe there is so much that can be done to expand the awareness of the industry’s potential.

How would you describe government and wealthy Nigerians attitude towards art and how it can be improved?

It’s very evident that a majority of Art projects and initiatives in Nigeria are either state or private-sector funded. ‘Wealthy Nigerians’ who have a vested interest in the arts are more inclined to fund such projects but for preservation and maintenance, we need government support. Specifically, for them to provide funding for projects in the Art Space so that we have more rope to expand, inspire & cultivate art initiatives.

Your advise to young artists in Nigeria?

My advice would be for young artists to remain true to themselves. It is important to have inspiration and reference points, but I truly want our young artists to explore beyond what they see on social media and what the general consensus is doing. Originality is Key!.

Can you share your experience with ‘The Ascendancy of Machine’ exhibition?

It was one of the most incredible exhibitions we’ve done. Working with both Kelani Abass and Olu Amoda was inspiring but having the opportunity to showcase their work at the gallery was truly an honour.
We opened the show during art week in 2022 and that also happened to be the weekend of our 1 year anniversary at the physical gallery space. We were graced by the presence of key industry players, collectors, artists and friends of the business.