As the art world turns its gaze toward ART X Lagos 2025, Sola Olulode and Wunika Mukan — two visionary women – come together to illuminate the city’s creative spirit through their collaborative exhibition, “Stars Fell on Lagos”.
At ART X Lagos 2025, the creative synergy between Wunika Mukan and Sola Olulode takes centre stage with their magical exhibition, “Stars Fell on Lagos”. The show marks a return to home, heart, and heritage — melding Olulode’s celestial visual language with Mukan’s curatorial intuition. Together, they transform the fair into a space that invites audiences to immerse themselves in a dreamscape where mythology, love, and Lagos’ own magical energy converge.
For Mukan, founder of the Wunika Mukan Gallery, “Stars Fell on Lagos” represents not only a celebration of artistic growth but also the culmination of a long-standing creative partnership with Olulode. Since their initial collaboration in 2021, Mukan and Olulode have built a relationship grounded in friendship and a mutual desire to push boundaries within the Nigerian art scene. This latest exhibition captures that evolution — a testament to why collaboration is necessary in contemporary African art.
In this exclusive interview, Sola Olulode and Wunika Mukan share the inspirations, intentions, and emotional journey behind “Stars Fell on Lagos.” They discuss their unique collaboration and the significance of bringing Olulode’s work to ART X Lagos for the very first time.
Together, they capture the magic of creating an exhibition that reflects both their shared vision and the vibrant spirit of Lagos. Through their dialogue, we glimpse not only the making of an exhibition but also two women shaping contemporary art with authenticity.
How did you come up with the title “Stars Fell on Lagos”
Sola: I was brainstorming ideas with a friend of mine, and she was writing down a lot of the language that I was using. I wanted something that referenced the stars and sky directly. I also wanted it to reflect Nigeria and Lagos, since I created the work specifically for this project and this space.
For me, it’s like the works are returning to the land, returning to home to a place of magic. I was hoping that the show would be different from traditional art displays at an art fair. I’m having the walls painted blue, and I want the work to feel like little stars in the sky. I want the individual works to feel like a piece of the sky and a specific constellation personified.
The exhibition captures the very culture of the messiness of mythology and all of those fables of different love stories, tragedies and things that people imagine that these constellations represent. And that’s where the name came from.
Over the years, how do you go about choosing the show you’re going to put together for Wunika Milan gallery at ART X Lagos?
Wunika: Every city has its own vibe, its own rhythm. When you start to get to know the collectors, you understand their taste. That tends to impact the artists we choose, but then there’s always a little side of me that wants to push different ideas. I think that it’s important for us as gallerists and curators to continue to lead the conversation and to inspire and challenge our collectors, the community and our artists as well.
I love to show things that the audience will love and will receive, and also make them think a little bit outside of their own box. Sometimes you need to permit people to do that. I do like to think that our gallery can be kind of edgy and quirky, and people have grown to expect that from us. Our audience also recognises that the artists we work with are significant voices with a distinct style and perspective. They understand that there’s much more to look forward to from them.
You just want to have a good time at the fair; the energy matters, the vibe between everybody matters. I always want the exhibition we choose to be a celebration. It’s important to me that my team and the artist are happy — all these elements come together to create a genuinely good vibe.
Wunika, how did you choose “Stars Fell on Lagos” for the ART X Lagos 2025 show
Wunika: Sola is an artist that I worked with when I first started my gallery in 2020, and we did a show together in 2021. She was introduced to me, and I began following her. Of course, she had never been to Nigeria before, so when we met here for the show, it felt like such a special moment. At that time, we were a very new gallery and things were moving very fast. When we met, she was the loveliest person, and her work was so beautiful. I felt she was wise beyond her years. I loved her energy and her work, and it felt like we’ve been growing together ever since.
Since then, she’s gone on to do such amazing things. She’s already being collected by major museums and other exciting things. I’m so proud of her. When she visited last year with her dad and attended the fair, she suggested, “Why don’t we do this fair next year?” Immediately, I was like “of course”, that would be perfect. We have a good relationship. It’s Lagos. It’s home. And I love her voice and the things that she’s saying through her work. I feel like it’s necessary. It’s a good time for her to speak. And then I later found out she was doing a residency at G.A.S. So it was just a no-brainer. It just worked.
Have you always been interested in constellations? Is that something you’ve studied before this moment? Or is this something that came about because of the artwork that you’re making?
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Sola: I think my interest in the constellation is coming about because of the artwork that I’m making. Representing the stars in my work is an ongoing journey of exploring nature and natural environments and placing my figures in a space of paradise. So these are the kinds of locations that I’ve been working on. One was the sea and the ocean, and the other was a tropical garden and the night sky.
I made one painting two years ago that looked like figures in the stars, and then I made another painting for the constellation of lovers that leaned into mythology. For that, I wanted to make my figures look like mythological figures with an essence of mysticism.
I’ve also enjoyed the way people talk about astrology and astronomy and star signs in general. I’m a Taurus, and I’ve been looking at the constellation that represents the Taurus star sign, specifically the reason why they named the stars that. I was reading about the different names of the constellations, and they pretty much named all of them after Greek myths. That was the beginning of the research into the stars for this project.
I was also noticing how other black artists have been interacting with this subject. I went to the Kerry James Marshall show that just opened in London and noticed how he used stars in some of his paintings. Also, I received a book about Betye Saar, and I was looking at how she has looked at the stars in her work. I wanted that energy to feed into the work.
The figures in my work don’t necessarily represent specific constellations, but the general tone and mood and vibe of what it feels like. It’s been really special since we decided to work on this project last year.
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Sola, tell me how it feels to be a part of ART X Lagos and working alongside Wunika Gallery for this project
Sola: I visited ART X Lagos for the first time last art week, and I was really impressed by the standard of the art there. I’ve been to a lot of art fairs around the world, and I’ve always found them to be quite cold. I found that ART X Lagos truly puts thought into curating their booths, creating an engaging experience for visitors. It was something that I really wanted to be a part of. So I had discussions with Wunika, and she was open to working together to bring this vision to life. I just felt like here, people would appreciate my work.
Working with Wunika gallery has been amazing; they’re so open to creativity. In general, what I find about exhibiting in Lagos, Nigeria, is that institutions and art spaces actually want to be creative in the way that they display art and how they have people interact with the work. They really take time to think about the audience rather than just going for this bland white space. It is really exciting to me that I get to fully express myself with this exhibition and see it come to life from my head.
Wunika, what does participating in ART X Lagos this year mean to you?
Wunika: For the gallery, this is our fourth year at ART X Lagos, and I love that it’s an art fair based at home — in Lagos. Someone will ask me, “What’s your favourite place on earth?” And I’ll literally tell them Lagos, and it is so sweet to be here, especially around this time of year. Everyone anticipates the art season. Being a part of ART X Lagos is a great way for us to end the year. We’ve done shows all over, and for us, ART X Lagos feels like the final stop — a true homecoming. Here we have our local collectors, who are the primary people sustaining the gallery.
Being at home is always great because you connect with the artists you’re showing. They relate to the audience, and their work reflects what’s happening in society here. I’m very happy for Sola to have this experience and for more local collectors to get to know her because she is an important artist. She also understands the value of touching base here, understanding that Nigeria is also our home and the source of inspiration and influence.
This gives us the opportunity to make noise and quickly show everyone who she is, what she’s accomplished, and the importance and necessity of her voice. I’m also very proud of the fair as well. They’ve been doing this for 10 years. It’s not easy to sustain anything like this in this country consecutively. So it’s a big deal that shouldn’t be understated. They’ve also done a lot for the art market. The better ART X Lagos does, the better for everybody else in the community.
You mentioned that Wunika Mukan Gallery invited you to learn about Adire. Tell me a bit more about that
Sola: In 2021, I did a duo show with Wunika Mukan Gallery called “In Heavenly Blue”. It was with an artist called Paul Majek, also from London. That was the first time I had ever visited Nigeria, and I felt a strong connection to the country. The thing that has always brought me home is the art.
My family had never actually visited Nigeria in my lifetime. In previous years, they had been back a time before I was born. They’re not a very back-and-forth part of the diaspora.
My grandma is the only living relative I have who was born in Nigeria, and she currently lives in London. I remember my family not telling her that I was coming to Nigeria for the first time. Their perception of the country is decades old. But last year, I could come to Nigeria with my dad, and it was great to bring him along to all the art spaces and also to Art X Lagos. He was very impressed and understood my attempt to reconnect with my homeland.
Working with Wunika has been really amazing. I feel she understands my work. When I was here in 2021, she had organised a workshop in collaboration with Nike’s art gallery, and Nike brought professional indigenous dyers to teach us. They brought fabrics and talked us through the whole history and the processes of making Adire. It was all a one-day workshop. I always wanted to understand the specific meanings behind the patterns and the reasons for their creation. It was a truly rewarding experience for me.
Wunika, could you tell me a bit more about the Adire class at Nike Art Gallery and explain why teaching traditional practices is important for artists to incorporate into their work?
Wunika: Mama Nike is a national treasure. She trains everywhere all over the world and she has her place in Oshobo. She works with women who teach Adire, beading, and painting, and she has a large group of alumni. Sometimes, I feel like having Mama Nike around is just something we take for granted.
When Sola was coming, I thought that it would be an amazing opportunity for us to also learn more about what Mama Nike does. And also for Sola to kind of have the most authentic experience with our national treasure. The purpose of these things is the exchange of knowledge and being able to impact an artist’s process and show them something new. That is the highest role that I can play. Her coming here and, of course, Mama Nike being here, I just thought it would be a perfect opportunity, so I reached out.
Mama Nike offers these workshops. She brought in some women from Ilorin who led a workshop with us, demonstrating various techniques. It was the whole day that they spent teaching us. We created scarves with different patterns and learned a great deal about the history and various dyeing techniques. I think for someone like Sola, this is her main practice. This is something that matters and could shape her first visit to Nigeria. I think it was very explosive, and it was a memory that I’ll always have because it was a really special day.
Sola, have you always been interested in an artistic career?
Sola: From a young age, art was always my strongest subject at school. My parents were quite good at taking me to galleries growing up. It was kind of natural for me to gravitate towards it for higher education. I didn’t really think I would be working as a professional artist so soon after graduating. But through residencies and graduate opportunities, I was able to get studio space, keep working, keep pushing my practice and continue making art. I’ve been quite privileged in being able to do that, also coming out in the art world at a time when black art and black emerging artists are really popular.
The impact of 2020 and the Black Lives Matter movement meant that people paid attention to the existence of Black art. It’d be interesting to see the longevity in my career. In the 80s, many black artists had a big moment and then were kind of neglected for years. Until literally the last decade, and now they’re finally getting their flowers from major institutional exhibitions. I didn’t want to see that repeat for my generation of artists. I kind of feel like I’m learning how I can actually keep a sustainable art practice.
Wunika, you opened your gallery in 2020. Tell me a little bit about that. That was also a very dicey time to open a new business because so many were also closing. What was your experience like?
Wunika: I’ve been in the arts space for a while. I worked at the nonprofit African Artists Foundation before leaving to start my own projects. Artists began reaching out for help curating their shows, and because I’ve always taken curation seriously, I decided to give it a try. After working with a few of them, I realised how much I loved the process. With my strong relationships in the art world, it only made sense to take things a step further and formalise it by starting a gallery.
So yeah, I started the gallery in 2020. It was a weird year logistically, but also in terms of the arts, it was great. Some people didn’t have a great time during that period in time but it had its pros and cons. I just started working with a few artists who were resonating with the local community. And I decided I wanted my gallery to cater to the local audience. I do want to work with local collectors, but I want to bring international artists here as much as I can. It’s very expensive, but I liked the idea of home as a base. We’ve done a few international fairs, but the idea really is to focus on our local artists and local collectors and be on the ground.
Sola, you received formal training in art. Can you tell me more about that?
Sola: I graduated from the University of Brighton in 2013. I didn’t enjoy art education that much. I feel like I went to a very white institution. When I was at uni, we were mostly talking about Picasso and all of these very Eurocentric artists. That’s why my interest turned to Nigerian art. I was writing my dissertation on Nigerian artists and looking at the ways that Nigerian artists were using classical Nigerian art forms. I saw a lot of metalwork, textiles, woodwork, and ceramics — craft skills that are underappreciated in the art world.
But contemporary Nigerian artists were using these same techniques and that knowledge in their current art practice, continuing on the traditions. I had to do a lot of that research on my own. And I found that I’m quite good at being resourceful at learning new ideas on my own. I was really happy to see the Nigerian Modernism exhibition that opened at the Tate. Those were the artists that I was researching, but it was so hard to find information on them. This is the first time that I’m seeing those artworks in person and not just images online.
I think it’s been really great that Nigerian art and Nigerian modernist artists are being archived and collected in a way that lets us actually see that history. It feels important for me to acknowledge that I’m an artist because of their history, and I’ve always wanted to non-Westernise my art knowledge. It’s important for me to make trips to the continent and expand my knowledge of art because the arts through the eyes of my tutors and my lectures were majority white men. They didn’t have the knowledge that I needed on Nigerian art or about any kind of black art. I don’t know if we had a single lecture that looked at any of these artists in my art education; it was all my own findings.
I remember I would skip my crits because they were very uncomfortable. The tutors and the other students didn’t understand the work, and what they could gain from it was very limited to just identity politics in a very simplistic way. They couldn’t look beyond that and learn what the work was about. They couldn’t connect with it. And fair enough to them, they weren’t there yet in their own understanding.
What do you hope for your viewers to take away from the “Stars Fell on Lagos” show?
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Sola: I want them to see and feel the magic in the work. I want them to feel inspired to step outside at night and gaze at the sky, experiencing the vastness of the universe. I want them to reflect on the magical elements within their own stories. Hopefully, the audience can see how my interests influence the work, and I want them to be moved here in Nigeria. I hope that they feel like they’re transported — like when they walk into my booth, that they’re floating across the night sky.
Wunika, what do you think the feedback for Stars Fell on Lagos will be? Do you also anticipate the public will respond to Sola’s work at ART X Lagos?
Wunika: I hope that people come to see the booth and the artwork makes them feel hopeful and inspired. I hope that it makes them more curious about Sola. Also, I hope people come to the exhibition and can see themselves in this kind of hopeful, ethereal, majestic landscapes that she depicts in her work.
The work is positive, and that’s what art is supposed to do: reflect the times. I hope the fair is a time for people to feel joy and celebrate. I want them to be inspired to bring these artworks into their own spaces and environments because of their impact. Sometimes people don’t notice these small shifts and these small changes, but art does do that. I’m hoping that Sola’s work can find the right homes and continue to inspire and create joy because that’s basically the essence of Sola as a person.
Wunika, what legacy would you want to leave behind with your gallery?
Wunika: It’s always great to be on the right side of history, and I feel a lot of the artists that we work with have something to say. They tell our stories and document the times we are living in. I just feel so blessed to be a part of that journey in any kind of way, to be a part of these magnificent storytellers’ journeys. If the gallery can do something for them, that would be the greatest legacy. I feel I live to assist the community as it’s on its way to greatness because I’ve been in this art space for a while, and I’ve seen how much it’s grown.
I worked at the Lagos Photo Festival. And really, Lagos Photo was the beginning of the Lagos art season. That’s why ART X Lagos is actually on the first weekend in November because Lagos Photo Festival is always the last weekend in October. To see how much it’s grown now is just so incredible. I can’t imagine what the next 10 years would look like. I can’t begin to imagine what the next decade will look like for the artists I’m working with. To be part of their journey and assist these artists in any way possible would be the best kind of legacy.
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