Bolaji Alonge to Explore Lagos City  Life through Photography

Ferdinand Ekechukwu

Iconic Lagos, a multi-media exhibition scheduled to take place at Didi Museum, Lagos, on Saturday 17 till Sunday 25 September, is dedicated to the largest city in Africa, the economic and cultural heart of Nigeria. Organised by Eyes of a Lagos boy, Bolaji Alonge, Iconic Lagos is about celebrating everyday life in Lagos, honoring its inhabitants and exploring what makes the city unique.

Iconic Lagos consists of three elements: photography by Bolaji Alonge, mixed media images by Jason Ogbazi/Alonge and artworks by other artists – expressing their own vision of Iconic Lagos. A call for submissions was published in July and about 400 entries were received that show the centre of excellence as a source of inspiration.

Bolaji Alonge is an artist, photographer and actor from Lagos, Nigeria with more than two decades of experience in documenting history from the African perspective, working towards a balanced representation. “Defining our own image is one way of taking charge of our future. Iconic Lagos presents an alternative narrative that will remain tattooed on the viewers’ retina”, Bolaji Alonge explains.

According to him, “Celebrating the beauty around us in spite of everyday challenges and the current global instability is not a luxury, it is a necessity.”

A selection of 20 artworks by artists from US, India, South Africa, Belgium, Benin Republic, UK, Abuja, Osogbo and Lagos will be presented as part of the exhibition.

All others will be displayed in a digital format. Alonge adds: “The artists all capture the idea of Lagos that we intend to showcase and we are proud to work with these amazing talents. Over the years, I have encouraged young Nigerians to take up the camera to express themselves. Opening up my platform to others is a natural next step.” The exhibition runs every day from 10am to 6pm.