Adenrele Sonariwo
Born
Washington DC
NationalityNigerian
Alma materHoward University, Academy of Art University, University of the Arts London
Occupation(s)Curator, Entrepreneur

Adenrele Sonariwo is a Nigerian entrepreneur and art curator. She is the founder of the Rele Art Gallery on Military Street, Onikan, Lagos Island, Lagos, Nigeria as well as the Rele Art Gallery on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Rele Gallery is the first African contemporary art gallery to establish an outpost in Los Angeles. Sonariwo was the lead curator of the first Nigerian pavilion at the 57th Venice Biennale in 2017. Alongside the Rele Art Gallery, Sonariwo is also the founding director of the Rele Arts Foundation. The foundation's projects include the annual young Contemporaries programme, which offers grants, mentorship, residences and training to a small group of emerging artists, an opportunity that results in an exhibition hosted at the gallery.[1]

Education

Sonariwo got her first degree in accounting at Howard University in 2007,[2] then went on to work at PricewaterhouseCoopers as an accountant for four years.[3][4] She has an MA Multimedia Communications from the Academy of Art University and a certificate in Curating Contemporary Art Exhibitions from the University of the Arts London.[4]

On return to Nigeria, she founded Rele Art Gallery in 2010, though it didn't kick off as a physical space until February, 2015.[4] In 2011, while the idea of the gallery had started taking root, she attempted to start an arts university in Nigeria which she called The Modern Day School of the Arts.[5][3] It was "a pop up art school for art lovers who may be stuck in a different career."[6]

57th Venice Biennale

In 2017, Sonariwo became the lead curator of the first Nigerian pavilion at the 57th Venice Biennale.[7][8] She was joined by writer and art critic Emmanuel Iduma as associate curator. The edition was themed Viva Arte Viva[9][6] and the Nigerian pavilion featured the work of Victor Ehikhamenor, Peju Alatise, and Qudus Onikeku.[10][11][12]

Awards and other Honours

Sonariwo won The Future Awards for Arts and Culture in 2016.[13] She has also been on the Power List of influencers in culture in 2016 [14] and 2017.[15] In March 2017, she was listed as one of the 100 Most Inspiring Women in Nigeria.[16] She has spoken at TEDx events,[17] and been a member of the jury at Dak'art Biennale which took place in 2018.[18] She has also graced the cover of Guardian Life magazine in Nigeria.[19]

In 2018, Vogue listed her as one of the "Five Coolest Women in Lagos".[20] Since 2019, Sonariwo has been a consultant on culture ad tourism to the Governor of Ogun State.[1]

Personal life

Sonariwo is the daughter of the 18th Akarigbo of Remo, Oba Michael Sonariwo, who died in 2016 at 80 years.[21]

Notable interviews

  • An Interview With Adenrele Sonariwo at The Spark (March 2018)[22]
  • Adenrele Sonariwo: Giving The Arts A Voice at The Guardian (January, 2018)[23]
  • The Venice Questionnaire[24]

References

  1. 1 2 Apollo Magazine. "Adenrele Sonariwo - Apollo 40 Under 40". apollo-magazine.com. Apollo Magazine. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  2. ↑ New York Times. "From Lagos to Los Angeles, an African Art Gallery Arrives". nytimes.com. New York Times. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  3. 1 2 "I Am Creative With Adenrele Sonariwo". Retrieved 2017-11-25.
  4. 1 2 3 "From Accountant to Art Curator! Rele Art Gallery's Adenrele Sonariwo is our #BellaNaijaWCW this Week - BellaNaija". www.bellanaija.com. Retrieved 2017-11-25.
  5. ↑ Nescafé (2017-04-11). "Why Adenrele Sonariwo Quit Her Auditing Job To Launch An Art Gallery". Konbini Nigeria. Archived from the original on 2019-07-01. Retrieved 2017-11-25.
  6. 1 2 "Adenrele Sonariwo; The Art Lover and Brain behind The Rele Gallery". Konnect Africa. 2017-09-08. Retrieved 2017-11-25.
  7. ↑ "The Venice Questionnaire #22 – Adenrele Sonariwo / ArtReview". artreview.com. Retrieved 2017-11-25.
  8. ↑ "56 editions after, Nigeria debuts at Venice Biennale - Premium Times Nigeria". Premium Times Nigeria. 2017-03-28. Retrieved 2017-11-25.
  9. ↑ "57th International Art Exhibition - Viva Arte Viva". La Biennale di Venezia. 2017-03-09. Retrieved 2017-11-25.
  10. ↑ "See the Highlights from Nigeria's Debut at the Most Important Art Exhibition in the World - La Biennale di Venezia - BellaNaija". www.bellanaija.com. Retrieved 2017-11-25.
  11. ↑ "Nigeria unveils first national pavilion at Venice art exhibition". Retrieved 2017-11-25.
  12. ↑ Orubo, Daniel (2017-03-24). "Meet The Nigerian Artists Set To Make History At The Venice Biennale". Konbini Nigeria. Archived from the original on 2019-07-01. Retrieved 2017-11-25.
  13. ↑ "See the inspiring profiles of the winners of The Future Awards Africa 2016 - The Future Awards Africa". The Future Awards Africa. 2016-12-18. Retrieved 2018-07-16.
  14. ↑ YManager (August 5, 2016). "LAOLU SEBANJO, DAMILOLA ELEBE, ADENRELE SONARIWO… SEE THE #YNAIJAPOWERLIST FOR CULTURE". YNaija.
  15. ↑ "Bovi, Wana Udobang, Osa Seven… See the #YNaijaPowerList2017 for Culture » YNaija". ynaija.com. Retrieved 2018-07-16.
  16. ↑ "AMINA MOHAMMED, MO ABUDU, SOMKELE IDHALAMA & MORE! YNAIJA.COM AND LEADING LADIES AFRICA PRESENT THE 100 MOST INSPIRING WOMEN IN NIGERIA". YNaija. March 8, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Tedx: Ibara Set To Hold The First Tedx In Abeokuta City - The Bees NG". The Bees NG. 2018-04-16. Archived from the original on 2019-07-01. Retrieved 2018-07-16.
  18. ↑ "Dak'art 2018 – Biennale de Dakar Edition 2018". biennaledakar.org (in French). Archived from the original on 2018-07-16. Retrieved 2018-07-16.
  19. ↑ "Nigeria: Adenrele Sonariwo Covers Guardian Life Magazine". News of Africa - Online Entertainment - Gossip - Celebrity Newspaper - Breaking News. 2018-01-29. Archived from the original on 2018-07-16. Retrieved 2018-07-16.
  20. ↑ "Meet the 5 Coolest Women in Lagos". Vogue. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  21. ↑ "Ogun monarch, Oba Sonariwo, dies at 80 in UK". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  22. ↑ "An Interview with Adenrele Sonariwo - The Spark". The Spark. 2018-03-09. Archived from the original on 2019-07-01. Retrieved 2018-07-16.
  23. ↑ "Adenrele Sonariwo: Giving The Arts A Voice". Retrieved 2018-07-16.
  24. ↑ Bosworth, R.J.B. (2014-09-30), "Awaiting an Italian Destiny Venice To 1866", Italian Venice, Yale University Press, pp. 1–22, doi:10.12987/yale/9780300193879.003.0001, ISBN 9780300193879
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