Artzmania brings Montana Colors to Nigeria

Lagos is the most populated city in all of Africa and it is only natural that is should have a thriving creative arts scene. Artzmania was founded last year by Andrea Manuela Giaccaglia to serve as a social hub and arts supplier for the whole country. Montana Colors have recently started working with this impressive organization, so we wanted to find out more about the story behind the store.

Who are you?

Artzmania is run by a group of artsy individuals who are passionate about art and our art community of over 5000 people. We have the social media manager who ensures that Artzmanians are updated on the latest art supplies; we also feature their artworks on our platforms, helping other art enthusiasts appreciate their craft. Artists bring our supplies to life through vibrant use of the art materials purchased from us. It’s why our page is so colourful. We also have a customer representative personnel who ensures that Artzmanians are promptly attended to, and then most importantly the team that packs and labels the orders for deliveries! We totally enjoy giving our customers seamless shopping experiences, and working with them to create magic.

Tell us the story of the shop opening.

Artzmania NG was born out of the need to make art supplies readily available to art and craft enthusiasts like myself. I relocated from a region where I had access to a wide range of art supplies to an area with limited art stores and supplies. I realised that this was a big gap because Lagos is a city with lots of talented artists, yet there were only pockets of art supplies stores. I decided to make it easy for both myself and for them to get only the best art materials, and I launched Artzmania NG. The reception was very warm when the store launched in June 2019, and now we are recognised as the go-to online store in Lagos Nigeria for quality art supplies.

What do you like about the city where the shop is located?

Our online store is located in one of the busiest cities in Nigeria, Lagos. Because of how connected Lagos is, we are able to deliver everywhere, and this has been such a huge relief for our customers because the majority of artists in Nigeria are based in Lagos. We really like the interconnectedness of the city.

How would you describe the community of artists that come through the shop?

We have a range of artists because we do not only sell graffiti supplies, we also sell craft items; kids art supplies; acrylic paints; fabric paints for textile designers; and art supplies that event decorators and thrift sellers have found useful in refurbishing their items among others.

Our community of artists are incredibly creative and intelligent. They are bold, expressive and are not afraid to chart new paths. Some of our regulars are the iconic Osa Seven, Dricky, Tosin Kuzzi, Ice Nweke, Ayanfe, HK Locks, Fabulous Junk Company, Crafted by Neneh, Yusuff Aina, My Artsy Store and many others.

How is the arts scene in your city?

The art scene in Nigeria is very active; social media has also helped to create the necessary awareness of many art works and artists that are creating amazing stuff every day. In fact, in different states in Nigeria, yearly Art Exhibitions which attract hundreds of people across Africa are held.

In the city of Lagos (as is in other cities), the government has shown great interest in murals and graffiti. Virtually every central area within Lagos state is spotting wall murals. Art has been used as an avenue to retell the Nigerian history, celebrate national heroes and remember iconic Nigerians.

Which places do you recommend to visitors for checking out art?

There are quite a number of galleries in Lagos, Nigeria. Some are; Rele art gallery, Red door, Nike Art Gallery, African Artist Foundation, Omenka Gallery, Angel’s & Muse, Artojaafrica etc. There are also art shows that are held annually in Lagos to promote African Art. Examples are; the Art X Lagos, and the Lagos Photo Festival.

What are some of the special or unusual products that you carry?

We have a wide range of Montana Color products, our best sellers are the Hardcore and MTN 94 spray can. We also have markers, primers, Varnishes, inks, refills as well as the replacement tips and caps to match. We are pretty new in the market, so we don’t have anything other-worldly just yet.

Do you offer anything else aside from art supplies?

We also offer assistance to clients looking to source artists or DIYers for specific art projects; we create unique cake toppers to bakers. We also brand items like clothes and souvenirs. One of our favourite things to do is to refurbish decorative items for Artzmanians. We mostly use our MTN spray paints or liquid paint and any of our wide range of products depending on the outcome we hope to achieve.

Images

1st image used is Polly Alakija's mural at Falomo bridge, Lagos Island
2nd image is By the artist Flying bushman
3rd image is By Osa Seven 
4th Image is By Dricky and Art by Bello