Lagos vibrant street art turned into ‘open air gallery’

Lagos, a popular city destination in Nigeria, has been turned into an “open-air gallery” in the words of the organisers of Lagos’ first street art festival.

According to BBC News on December 13, this vibrancy has changed the look of art and the streets. One of the featured artists, Ashaolu Oluwafemi, told reporters that the festival brings art “to the people and the community.”

“People don’t always have the opportunity to go to exhibitions,” Oluwafemi explained.

Lagos is well known for its vibrant art scene, nightlife, and creativity; however, street art is new to the city and not very well known. The festival opened on December 10 and will continue until December 15, although the murals will be left in place afterwards.

Born and raised in Lagos, Oluwafemi said he and fellow artists use their paintings to tell the story of the city and its rise.

The paintings displayed across the city tell different stories, including one of a woman smiling with her hands on her hat, conveying joy. Oluwafemi said the painting captures the city’s joy. “This woman is expressing herself. She’s so excited about her life in Lagos,” he explained.

He went on to add that people were really excited to see the street art and that “it really speaks to them.” These murals essentially convey that each has a story and can be interpreted in many ways by others.

Not only has this street art festival sparked a lot of creativity in Lagos, but it has also brought together a community of artists. In October, the annual Lagos Fashion Week (LFW) opened its milestone 15th edition, placing West Africa’s largest fashion event at the centre of the continent’s creative economy.

For many people, this event was monumental, and it was a source of pride that something so creative could continue a legacy.

Actress Hauwa Magaji, who was part of the event, said, “I think it’s just very iconic and very amazing that 15 years later we are still doing this, and it only gets bigger and better next year.”

Even though the LFW event is full of glitz and glamour on the runways, the fashion show holds a deeper meaning and purpose.

LFW also acts as a marketplace and incubator for African brands seeking to scale locally and globally. By making this happen, they help with dialogue, mentorship, and infrastructure, and help turn creative ideas into a viable fashion business.

As for the vibrant street art in Lagos, its aims are ambitious and seem designed to keep Lagos alive and exciting.

BBC News, Maghrebi.org