How do you price African art in a global market that often undervalues it? That’s one of the questions I discussed with Oliver Enwonwu, artist, curator, and son of the legendary Ben Enwonwu, at Omenka Gallery in March 2020. It was just days before Lagos ground to a halt.

It took many rerouted GPS directions, a close run-in with suspicious police officers, and Lagos traffic at its worst to get there on time. But by the time my team set up, Oliver was good to go.

We talked about art valuation, politics, and what it means to protect the legacy of African artists in a market that is hungry for stories and quality but reluctant to pay fair value. He also spoke on merchandising, how local artists can reclaim agency, and why cultural institutions must do more than showcase art.

It was insightful. You can listen to the interview here on wherever you listen to your podcasts (Podbean, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, Spotify, iHeartRadio).

I will be back with new interviews once I have transitioned to a safer recording schedule.

Be kind and stay safe.