In two years, the city of Lagos will host the 5th edition of the Lagos Biennial, promising an ambitious and transformative experience for art lovers worldwide. Titled The Museum of Things Unseen, the 2026 Lagos Biennial, organized by the Àkéte Art Foundation, is not just a display of contemporary art—it’s a thought-provoking exploration into what makes a museum, which stories are told, and who gets to tell them.
With an innovative approach to museology and heritage circulation, this edition invites audiences to rethink conventional museum spaces and the often-invisible forces shaping them. “What lies hidden in the shadows of our museum spaces? Whose stories are silenced, and whose voices are amplified?” These questions, central to the Biennial's theme, guide the curatorial vision of co-curators Chinyere Obieze, Furen Dai, and Sam Hopkins. They propose a speculative space where unseen or rarely exhibited artworks from global collections are reinterpreted by contemporary artists, offering a fresh look at what remains hidden in the world of art and cultural history.
The curators envision The Museum of Things Unseen as a conceptual museum that challenges the existing art canon. By engaging with artifacts that have often been sidelined due to factors like cultural bias, political pressures, or financial limitations, the Biennial seeks to create a space that acknowledges and investigates these complex dynamics. The aim, as the curators note, is not merely to highlight unseen objects but to "open up the current bounding structures of these artworks" and delve into the invisible labor, evolving identities, and market forces that shape the art landscape.
One of the highlights of this Biennial is the inaugural Àkéte Collection, a historic milestone for the African art scene. This will be Africa’s first public international collection of contemporary art, hosted permanently in Lagos. The Àkéte Collection is envisioned as a diverse assembly of global contemporary works, including pieces from past Biennials, creating a tangible, accessible art repository for African audiences and beyond. The collection aims to broaden Africa’s engagement with global contemporary art, making Lagos a hub for artistic exchange and cross-cultural appreciation. For the first time, residents and visitors will have access to a public collection that challenges traditional art narratives while celebrating the continent’s role in shaping global art.
The Biennial’s ambition doesn’t stop at exhibiting artworks. An international colloquium will run alongside the exhibition, bringing together museum specialists, academics, and thought leaders from around the world to discuss pressing issues like heritage circulation, restitution, and the concept of the “universal museum.” This colloquium serves as a platform to debate the ethics and logistics of art and artifact ownership, especially in the context of post-colonial Africa. With heated conversations around restitution growing globally, this event could not be more timely. It raises questions of who owns culture, how heritage should be circulated, and what constitutes a truly universal museum.
At its core, the 2026 Lagos Biennial seeks to embody a paradox: an inclusive platform within an often exclusionary field. The theme, The Museum of Things Unseen, not only questions the limitations imposed by traditional museology but also celebrates the potential of reimagined spaces and narratives. In doing so, the Biennial acknowledges its own role within the very structures it aims to critique, encouraging visitors to reflect on the layered histories behind cultural objects and the temporal, relational dynamics that shape their meanings.
For Artistic Director Folakunle Oshun, the Biennial is an opportunity to center Lagos as a place where global and local art dialogues intersect. "The Museum of Things Unseen is an ambitious attempt to make the invisible visible, urging audiences to question the entrenched canons that museums often perpetuate. By fostering a platform that questions, disrupts, and expands" Oshun explained
The director and his team at the Àkéte Art Foundation hope to create lasting conversations around visibility, power, and cultural access. In many ways, the Lagos Biennial is redefining what it means to be a biennial itself. Typically independent of government or structural funding, the event operates with a focus on the needs of local communities and the principles of environmental and social justice. This commitment has shaped its unique approach to public engagement and exhibition format, making it as much a social movement as an art showcase.
For art lovers, the Biennial promises a deeply immersive experience. From reimagined artworks to dialogues around restitution, there will be plenty of opportunities to engage critically with art in ways that extend beyond the traditional gallery setting. Attendees will get to explore a Lagos transformed into a living museum—one that challenges boundaries, provokes thought, and amplifies silenced voices.
The 2026 Lagos Biennial is set to be a landmark event, pushing the boundaries of museology and creating a public art collection for Africa and the world. With only two years to go, the countdown has already begun. Whether you are a seasoned art enthusiast or a curious newcomer, the Lagos Biennial invites you to witness a historic moment as Africa reshapes its place on the global cultural map. This is more than an art event; it’s a reimagining of heritage, visibility, and artistic legacy.
For those interested in contributing to this groundbreaking vision, the Biennial has opened up channels for art donations, encouraging collectors and institutions worldwide to take part in building the Àkéte Collection. In doing so, the Biennial hopes to foster a collaborative, inclusive approach to cultural preservation and visibility.
So, mark your calendars for October 2026, when Lagos will once again take center stage, welcoming the world to an unprecedented celebration of art, heritage, and community. The 2026 Lagos Biennial is an event you won’t want to miss, offering a rare chance to see, question, and reimagine the unseen.
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