Lagos is set to host a groundbreaking art exhibition that celebrates the rich cultural heritage of African coffee. The Spirit of Coffee exhibition, organized by Mind of the Masters in collaboration with the West African Specialty Coffee Association (WASCA) and NK Art Space, will transform The Spotlight Hub on Victoria Island into a sensory experience from November 29 to December 12, 2025.
Bridging Tradition and Innovation in Coffee Culture
The exhibition aims to elevate Nigeria's position in the global coffee industry while honoring Africa's legacy as the birthplace of coffee cultivation. Larry Segun-Lean, CEO of Mind of the Masters, emphasized the economic significance of this initiative. "Coffee ranks among the world's most traded commodities, yet Nigeria has not fully capitalized on its potential revenue," he stated during the announcement.
Segun-Lean provided compelling market insights: "While Brazil dominates global coffee exports, Uganda currently leads Africa's coffee export market, surpassing even Ethiopia's figures as of May 2025." Major importers of African coffee include Italy, Germany, India, and China, with Europe representing the largest single market.
Art Meets Coffee: A Multi-Sensory Experience
The exhibition will feature twenty artworks by renowned professional artist Lenrie Preks, who brings over three decades of artistic expertise to the project. Preks, a two-time winner of the Kano State History and Culture Bureau Competition (1991 and 1992), explores coffee's cultural significance through various media.
Notable works include The Spirit of Coffee, a mixed media piece depicting a woman in ancestral blue holding a coffee cup as a sacred offering. Another significant work, Coffee Fruity, captures the harvesting ritual through oil on canvas, portraying the connection between grower and ground.
Preks's artistic journey includes education at Roman Catholic Mission Primary School in Warri, Urhobo College Effurun, and Auchi Polytechnic, where he studied from the 1981-82 session through 1986-87.
Health Benefits and Cultural Significance
Tobi Nancy Keshinro, Founder of NK Art Space, highlighted the exhibition's educational aspect regarding coffee's health benefits. "Regular coffee consumption can reduce high blood pressure, lower type 2 diabetes risk, improve liver health, enhance brain function, and protect against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's," Keshinro explained.
The curator emphasized that coffee contains rich antioxidants that protect cells from damage and reduce inflammation, while noting that moderation remains crucial due to varying individual caffeine tolerance.
WASCA's role in the exhibition underscores its mission to unite Africa's coffee stakeholders—from smallholder farmers to roasters and baristas. The association serves as a bridge between traditional practices and modern innovation, promoting sustainable methods that ensure African coffee competes effectively on the world stage.
The Spirit of Coffee exhibition invites visitors to slow down and engage with coffee beyond its conventional role as a beverage. Through artistic interpretation and cultural celebration, the event positions Nigeria as an emerging force in the global coffee conversation while honoring Africa's historical connection to this cherished commodity.
