Where Culture Meets Craft: Inside The Macallan and Kokopelli’s Celebration of African Creativity

The Macallan joined Kokopelli Art Gallery in marking its fifth anniversary with a three-day celebration that brought together contemporary art, storytelling and craftsmanship, culminating in Epignosis I: Our Story First, an exhibition spotlighting the work of five emerging African artists from the inaugural Once Upon a Time (O.U.T) Residency.

Across the three days, from September 10 to 12, the gallery became a meeting point for artists, collectors, cultural tastemakers and creatives, with The Macallan adding a refined dimension to an experience centred on the value of time, craft and creative expression.

At the heart of the celebration was the O.U.T Residency, the first programme of the Kokopelli Art Foundation. The residency brought together five artists from Ethiopia, Ghana, Benin Republic and Nigeria, giving them two weeks to develop their practices through studio work, mentorship, research and creative exchange. The resulting works were presented as part of Epignosis I: Our Story First.

What made the exhibition particularly compelling was the distinct perspective each artist brought into the room.

Estifanos Solomon Gashaw, a painter and printmaker from Ethiopia, explores passion, conflict and personal narrative, often examining society’s responsibility towards vulnerable communities. His work considers the consequences of neglect and asks deeper questions about empathy, care and the kind of society being created for future generations.

Victor Chigozie Anachuna, a Nigerian contemporary painter based in Lagos, works primarily in realism, using figurative compositions to explore identity, power, social hierarchy and political instability. His practice examines how people navigate complex social structures, while challenging conventional ideas around Black identity and masculinity. His works have been exhibited in Nigeria and internationally, including Only Human at Curtiss Jacobs Gallery in New York.

From Ghana, Putin Bempong works across painting and installation, bringing folklore, environmental transformation and material experimentation into conversation. His process is deeply research-led, incorporating materials such as mining soil, contaminated water, resin and found objects. Through the recurring figure of Ananse, he examines themes of adaptation, survival, power and environmental exploitation.

Falhone Kemi Ogoun, from Benin Republic, works across drawing, painting and installation, exploring the space between appearance and essence. Drawing from her Yoruba and Nago heritage, her work often turns to the human face as a reflection of character, identity and inner beauty, creating a dialogue between cultural tradition and contemporary expression.

Completing the cohort, Vurzie Kimnaton, a photographer from Northern Nigeria, documents people, places, culture and everyday life through portrait and documentary photography. During the residency, she turned her attention to Lagos, observing its markets, neighbourhoods, bus stops and waterfronts and looking at familiar spaces through a fresh perspective.

Together, the works formed Epignosis I: Our Story First, a “Call and Response” exhibition that paired the five residency artists with a solo body of work by Ayoola Gbolahan. The format drew from African oral and musical traditions, placing two generations of artists in the same space and allowing their works to engage with one another.

For The Macallan, the experience reflected a natural connection between craftsmanship and creative practice. The brand’s presence complemented an exhibition where time, patience, process and attention to detail were central to the stories behind the works, creating a considered cultural experience without taking away from the artists at its centre.

The programme opened with a private dinner on September 10, followed by a private viewing on September 11 and the public opening on September 12. Epignosis I: Our Story First continues at Kokopelli Gallery in Ikoyi, Lagos, until November 8, 2026.

More than an anniversary celebration, the experience offered a glimpse into the evolving possibilities for African creativity, where art, heritage, craftsmanship and contemporary storytelling can exist in the same space. For the five O.U.T Residency artists, it marked the beginning of a new chapter as the founding OUTliers of the Kokopelli Art Foundation.