Some areas of Lagos are now an open art gallery following the first-ever Street Arts festival held in the city, which has seen murals and artworks go on display along major roads, including Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue in Victoria Island.
The aim of the festival is very simple, the organisers explain, “but quite radical given the lifestyle of a city of its size and speed. It is about removing art from galleries and domestic spaces and locating it where people already live, move, and work. For many of these residents, it is their first exposure to contemporary visual art.
The festival is about access, one of the artists who took part, Ashaolu Oluwafemi, explains. A lot of people do not get a chance to visit exhibitions or museums, so it brings art to where they are. Art, in his view, “should not be something that is far away and elitist, and Lagos is a dynamic city.
Oluwafemi, who grew up in Lagos, describes murals that paint a story of survival, ambition, and migration. “He’s painting about the resilience, about the intelligence, about the strength that it takes to survive in this city, because this city requires all that and more,” Oluwafemi says about another artist’s work. His own mural shows happiness and freedom of expression, which he believes is the energy that comes with living in this city despite its struggles.”
Despite its reputation for entertainment, such as music, film, and parties, as well as fashion, there seems to still be some untapped potential for street art compared to other parts of Africa. According to painter Ernest Ibe, there is creativity, but a lack of exposure to enhance this aspect of the culture.
Another artist featured, Babalola Oluwafemi, is from Manchester, United Kingdom. According to him, the ever-busy nature of Lagos, complete with traffic, seemed part of the experience, with people reacting in real time to his art. This is evident in his use of colour to depict the Lagosians’ affinity for parties and food.
“Symbolism is a big feature of these murals. Peacocks, binoculars, space travellers, and figures are just a few examples of recurring motifs that symbolise pride, awareness, imagination, and self-authorship. Then there are messages like ‘Rewrite your story’ and ‘We are alive’ that express the overall theme of identity and agency.”
The festival officially kicked off mid-week, with the murals expected to conclude on Monday. They will long outlive the festival itself. Many residents feel the city itself has transformed, with walls now projecting a story that reflects the city of Lagos.
