These 25 Powerful Images From The Lagos Festival Are A Must See #BlackHistoryMonth

These are just a small selection of the powerful images from the Lagos Photo Festival in Nigeria. The exhibition looks at many subjects, ideas and topics such as  African identity, beauty, power and culture.

‘Launched in 2010, LagosPhoto is the first and only international arts festival of photography in Nigeria. In a month-long festival, events include exhibitions, workshops, artist presentations, discussions and large scale outdoor prints displayed throughout the city with the aim of reclaiming public spaces and engaging the general public with multifaceted stories of Africa. LagosPhoto aims to establish a community for contemporary photography which will unite local and international artists through images that encapsulate individual experiences and identities from across all of Africa. LagosPhoto presents and educates about photography as it is embodied in the exploration of historical and contemporary issues, the sharing of cultural practices, and the promotion of social programmes.’ LagosPhoto

Here are some of the pictures- there are lots more to see online in the exhibitions

This is the story of Kenya’s league of extravagant grannies that were once corporate and government leader in the 1970’s but are now retired. They now live the retired high life travelling to exotic and remote areas within Africa to explore party and enjoy in exclusivity.

In Kudzanai Chiurai’s State of the Nation, the notion of “state” is explored as a utopia and an action, a state of mind as well as a status.

In Kudzanai Chiurai’s State of the Nation, the notion of “state” is explored as a utopia and an action, a state of mind as well as a status.

The Archive of Modern Conflict, an independent publisher based in London, partners with LagosPhoto this year with three projects that explore vernacular photography in Africa.

This is the story of Kenya’s league of extravagant grannies that were once corporate and government leader in the 1970’s but are now retired. They now live the retired high life travelling to exotic and remote areas within Africa to explore party and enjoy in exclusivity.

This photo is from a collection entitled Genesis by Kudzanai Chiurai, who focuses on political and social conditions in Zimbabwe by trying to understand the psyche of what it is like to be colonised.

Nigerian photographer Lakin Ogunbanwo considers tradition and modernity by combining traditional dress with fetish wear

Kenyan photographer Osborne Macharia imagines how retired businesswomen could look in a series called Nyanye – League of Extravagant Grannies

The Art of Survival by French photographer Patrick Willocq, who once lived in the Democratic Republic of Congo, depicts what it is like to be a child refugee using storybook imagery.

Keyezua looks at fashion in her home country of Angola with this image, entitled Royal Generation, of a woman wearing fabric woven from raw materials.

A series of self portraits by Ghanaian photographer Eric Gyamfi explores African male sexuality against a backdrop of religion and tradition.

The Masked Woman is a self-portrait series that explores representation of gender in Nigerian society through a performative lens. It attempts to avert the overarching male gaze by facing it head on with the artist’s own actions and choices

To see more of the images go to http://www.lagosphotofestival.com/exhibitors
Let us know your thoughts
Which image did you like the best?
What is your identity?
Do any of these images make you feel empowered or uncomfortable?
Please comment below and share; challenge someone to think a little deeper

By

Antoine Allen
@AntoineSpeakson Tweet me to carry on the discussion or comment below.
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