When Desperados Collectives Playground Lit Up Lagos
Brand Manager, Desperados, Abayowa Ikpobe; Multidisciplinary artist, Alabi Mayowa (Shuta Bug), OAP, Oluwakemi Owatemi (Kemi Smallz), Senior Brand Manager Flavoured Beers, Nigerian Breweries PLC, Kolawole Akintimehin; at the DSP Collectives event held in Lagos
The Jewel Aedia – in the heart of Eti-Osa, Lekki came alive recently when the Desperados’ Collectives Playground and Nigerian multidisciplinary artist Mayowa Alabi aka Shuta Bug showcased his work for the 2022 Desperados Design Collectives. Youthful art connoisseurs witnessed the vibrant display of creative energy through music, arts, fashion and dance. Hosted by Kemismallz and Ilowitdflo, the playground was an engaging blend of art and party vibes as pockets of live graffiti paintings ran across the walls and hot mixes from the DJs filled the air.
The Desperados Design Collectives is a unique initiative by Desperados, the tequila flavoured beer from Heineken, to give a platform for a new breed of vibrant and energetic artists and content creators in different countries. For the 2022 edition, Nigeria was selected alongside France, Germany, Spain, and Ivory Coast for the global campaign.
A graduate of the University of Lagos, Shuta Bug, who expresses himself in varied art forms like illustration, photography, animation and augmented reality, has since unveiled his first illustration of the Desperados bottle on social media as part of his contribution to the Desperados Collectives campaign. His piece resonated with the theme of inclusivity using the vibrant energy and colour that the Desperados brand is known for.
At the event in Lagos, the artist who works as a visual artist with the BBC revealed how this campaign has impacted his artistry.
“I’m ecstatic. This is the first time this is happening to me. Most artists like their works to speak for themselves but this is really huge for me and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be here. I was given artistic freedom to play around with the bottle. I also got to collaborate with an amazing international artist, Ivorian American fashion designer, Loza Maléombho. My work is travelling around the world as part of this campaign. It is all surreal for me.”
Also speaking at the event, the Brand Manager, Desperados, NB Plc, Aboyowa Ikpobe, spoke on how the campaign gives a voice to the growing community of young experimental artists.
“We’re excited to partner with Shuta Bug and other young artists to fire up the spirit of playful experimentation for the Desperados Collectives. We have given every artist the freedom to be creative, daring and expressive in this multicultural campaign by Desperados.”
