Visual Diplomacy, Soft Power, and the International Circulation of Nigerian Contemporary Art

The international circulation of contemporary art from Nigeria through major auction houses, biennales, gallery fairs, and museum exhibitions has been interpreted both as evidence of Nigeria's growing soft power and as a site of continuing unequal exchange between African artists and Western cultural institutions. This study develops an original theoretical framework for visual diplomacy as a dimension of soft power and applies it to analyse the international circulation of Nigerian contemporary art between 2018 and 2024. The theoretical contribution articulates visual diplomacy as the deliberate and unplanned deployment of visual art in international cultural relations, operating through three channels: state cultural diplomacy through official exhibitions and cultural agreements, market-mediated diplomacy through gallery representation and auction success, and artist-initiated networks through biennale participation and residency exchange. The empirical component combines quantitative mapping of Nigerian art's international circulation using auction records, biennale participation data, and gallery representation databases with qualitative analysis of 30 in-depth interviews with artists, cultural attaches, gallery directors, and biennale curators. The study examines what types of Nigerian art circulate internationally, what institutions facilitate or gatekeep this circulation, and whether international success translates into improved conditions for artists within Nigeria or primarily benefits international intermediaries. The theoretical framework draws on soft power theory, the sociology of world art, and the political economy of cultural circulation. Findings contribute to cultural diplomacy studies, Nigerian foreign policy, and African contemporary art scholarship. Keywords: visual diplomacy, soft power, Nigerian contemporary art, international art market, cultural circulation