The Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art (YSMA), in partnership with Yenwa Gallery and the Myma Art Prize, is hosting an expanded presentation of What Is Given in Lagos from September 27 to October 21, 2026.
The exhibition, first shown at Yenwa Gallery earlier this year, features works by four emerging artists from Nigeria and Ghana and includes additional pieces from the private collection of Dr Myma Belo-Osagie.
Originally presented at Yenwa Gallery between June 13 and July 4, “What Is Given” brings together the work of Omolola Coker, Emmanuel Ellis, Vincent Frimpong and Edward Prah.
Across painting, photography, sculpture and installation, the artists examine themes including memory, inheritance, identity, materiality and place.
The exhibition’s title reflects a central question explored by the artists: how inherited materials, histories and experiences can be interpreted and transformed.
According to the curatorial framework, the works engage with objects, memories and cultural references that are received rather than created from scratch, and consider how these can be reimagined through contemporary artistic practice.
The move to YSMA followed a visit by Dr Jess Castellote, the museum’s director and a member of the inaugural Myma Art Prize judging panel, during the exhibition’s first showing.
Following his engagement with the project, he proposed bringing it to the university museum. Castellote said the exhibition’s exploration of inheritance, memory and identity made it particularly suitable for a learning environment and wider public engagement.
YSMA said the exhibition will be accompanied by educational programmes for university and secondary school students, including activities intended to encourage discussion, research and critical engagement with the featured artworks and themes.
At the centre of the project is the Myma Art Prize, an artist development initiative established in honour of Dr Myma Belo-Osagie. Created by her children to mark her 70th birthday, the programme combines exhibition opportunities, mentorship, professional development and a residency scheme for the grand-prize winner.
Ugonna Ibe-Ejiogu, founder and curatorial director of Yenwa Gallery, said the exhibition reflects the broader aim of the prize to support artistic production and visibility, while extending opportunities for artists to engage new audiences.
Junaid Belo-Osagie, who works with the Myma Art Prize team, said presenting the exhibition at YSMA would enable it to reach additional audiences, particularly students and younger people interested in art and creative careers.
The Myma Art Prize was established as an artist development platform for emerging visual artists from Nigeria and Ghana. Beyond financial awards, it aims to support professional development and contribute to the broader infrastructure surrounding contemporary African art practice.