By Iroyin Yoruba Television
LAGOS, October 31, 2026 — The Lagos Biennial is set to return for its fifth edition from November 14 to December 6, bringing together more than 70 artists from Nigeria and other parts of the world for an international contemporary art exhibition at Eko Atlantic City.
The 2026 edition, titled The Museum of Things Unseen, will explore cultural memory, overlooked histories and the question of whose stories are preserved or excluded from conventional museum spaces.
Founded in 2017 by Nigerian artist and curator Folakunle Oshun, the Lagos Biennial has developed into a platform for contemporary artistic expression and international cultural exchange.
The forthcoming edition will be curated by Furen Dai, Chinyere Obieze and Sam Hopkins, under Oshun's artistic direction.
Organisers say the exhibition will challenge conventional ideas about museums and encourage visitors to reconsider how cultural institutions represent communities, histories and identities.
Through installations, sculpture, photography, film and performances, participating artists will examine the politics of visibility, collective memory and alternative approaches to preserving cultural heritage.
The exhibition will also consider the relationship between the development of African cities and the histories that risk being overlooked as urban environments change.
This year's move to Eko Atlantic City marks another change in the biennial's use of significant Lagos locations as exhibition spaces.
Previous editions were held at the Nigerian Railway Corporation compound in Yaba in 2017, Independence House in 2019 and Tafawa Balewa Square in 2024.
The selection of Eko Atlantic City provides a new setting for the exhibition, bringing contemporary artistic practice into a rapidly developing part of Lagos.
A major feature of the 2026 programme will be the presentation of the Akete Collection, an initiative of the Lagos Biennial aimed at establishing a permanent contemporary art museum in the city.
The organisers are also planning special pavilions involving the European Union, Floating Museum Chicago and other international cultural organisations.
The programme will extend beyond the display of artworks. It is expected to include public conversations, performances and the Curatorial Lab Lagos, an international professional development initiative designed for emerging curators.
These activities are intended to encourage exchanges between artists, cultural professionals and members of the public while creating opportunities for emerging creative practitioners.
Speaking ahead of the exhibition, Oshun said the theme invites audiences to reconsider what museums preserve, what they leave out and how new cultural institutions could better respond to different histories.
He also highlighted the significance of bringing the exhibition to Eko Atlantic City, where the changing urban landscape provides an opportunity to reflect on the relationship between development and cultural memory.
The biennial's return is expected to attract artists, curators, collectors and visitors from different countries, strengthening Lagos's profile as a destination for contemporary art.
For Nigeria's creative sector, international exhibitions of this nature can provide opportunities for local artists to reach new audiences, build professional relationships and participate in wider conversations about culture and artistic practice.
The fifth edition will begin with a special preview on November 13, followed by its public opening on November 14. The exhibition will continue on selected dates until December 6, 2026, at Eko Atlantic City, Victoria Island, Lagos.
With more than 70 participating artists and an expanded programme of exhibitions and professional activities, the organisers are positioning the 2026 Lagos Biennial as a major gathering for contemporary art and cultural exchange.