LagosPhoto Foundation is pleased to present the sixth edition of the annual LagosPhoto Festival in Lagos, Nigeria, October 24 – November 27, 2015 entitled Designing Futures.
Currently in its sixth edition, LagosPhoto is the first and only international arts festival of photography in Nigeria. In a month long programme, events include exhibitions, workshops, artist presentations, discussions, screening, and large scale outdoor installations in congested public spaces in Lagos.
LagosPhoto aims to provide a platform for the development and education of contemporary photography in Africa by establishing mentorships and cross-cultural collaborations with local and international artists. LagosPhoto presents photography as it is embodied in the exploration of historical and contemporary issues, the promotion of social programmes, and the reclaiming of public spaces. LagosPhoto 2015 will feature thirty-ĕve photographers spanning eighteen countries.
Designing Futures, this year’s theme and conversation of interest is intended to explore contemporary dialogues surrounding design in Africa. In a continent whose design history includes the Benin Bronzes, Adinkra, and some of the oldest writing systems known to man, deference to these feats are acknowledged in the rich and sometimes frugally chic designs we see today.
Photographers from across the continent and beyond display deft but also awareness of the cultural and socio-political landscape that influence daily life, and in turn communicate that awareness through the images they create. Looking at both the literal definition of design, and a more philosophical one, curator Cristina De Middel states: “Making a plan is designing your future, crossing your fingers, praying… a pony tail, a choreography, the shape of countries like Mali.”
By questioning our concept of creative design and day to day design and blurring the line between the two, the exhibition presents photography that forces the viewer to reconsider and even reconcile what design is, has become, and will be in the future.
LagosPhoto opens to the public on October 24th, 2015 at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. Satellite exhibition venues in arts and cultural spaces throughout the city extend to Omenka Gallery, Africans Artists’
Foundation, Stranger Lagos, Goethe-Institut, White Space, Yaba Tech, Quintessence. Outdoor exhibitions in public spaces in Lagos include Muri Okunola Park, Falomo Roundabout (Ikoyi), Beko Ransome Kuti Park (Antony), Awojobi Park (Onike), Freedom Park, MKO Abiola Park (Ikeja), and Dolphin Park (Ikoyi).
LagosPhoto is proudly sponsored by the Eko Hotel & Suites and Etisalat, with partners World Press Photo. Supporters include LIRS, LASAA, LASPARK, Lagos State Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Lufthansa, Romarong, Pixers, Pernod Ricard Nigeria, Universal Furniture, Goethe Institut, France 24.
Media sponsors; Hello Nigeria!, Ovation Magazine, Cool FM, Cool TV and 54artistry.
LagosPhoto is additionally supported by the Ford Foundation.
