Hope 93 is an art advisory and project space founded by me, Aki Abiola, a Cambridge university alum with almost 20 years of experience in finance. I sit on the Board of Pallant House Museum and an Acquisition Committee at the Tate museum.
My passion for collecting art began in 2006, saving up £750 to buy my first expensive artwork. The print was of 6 Black street kids on a burned out car. It reminded me of struggle, hope and my 5 siblings and I getting up to no good. A little harsh if truth be told as my brothers and sisters are incredible, but being able to relate to an artist or the subject matter had a lasting impact on me.
Since then I have amassed a wonderful (at least in my eyes) collection that includes works from emerging female/non binary, LGBTQX, black, LATAM and British artists at various price points. This venture was born from my experiences in life, finance and the art world.
As I continued to collect, I found it very difficult to navigate the art world. There were more questions than answers: Where could I go to buy art? Why can I not access certain pieces even though they are "available"? Why is EVERYTHING so expensive in here? Why are the best female artists priced so low compared to the best male artists? Why are there no Black artists, Latin American artists, Asian artists etc showing? How come I dont see too much work by minority artists and females in Museums? Why does it feel like I am not welcome in some galleries? Why do some of the best artists find it so hard to gain traction? What can be done to spotlight the work of historically underrepesented artists?
Over the years I found the answers to these questions, especially during my roles within international Museums and interactions with artists and collectors from all over the world. I would like to share my experiences and create solutions. By creating an Art Space and Advisory company that champions diverse talent from all over the world, its a small part of the solution. A space that is inclusive and approachable and a place where we can inspire generations of collectors and artists. I also want this place to be cool!
On a personal note: I named the company Hope 93 after my late father’s presidential campaign for a better Nigeria in 1993. He tragically never got to see his dream of democracy come to fruition. However, he fought for what he believed in for the benefit of others, especially those worse off than him.
Fast forward 30 years, the majority of Nigerians were not born when he ran this campaign, while only a tiny fraction of the UK, my home, would have ever known about Hope 93. Some people will not appreciate me naming the company this way, citing distraction, appropriation, lack of Search Engine Optimisation etc! The 2 versions are vastly different, and mine is a small way of honoring my late Father, re-imagining his journey and creating a path for Hope.