Celebrating Africa鈥檚 history and hopes through art
Amid weaving vehicles and the fumes and clamor of traffic, residents in Lagos, Nigeria, one of Africa鈥檚 largest cities, are discovering something new 鈥� a vibrant, visual feast of large-scale public art.
Nigeria has long been a dynamic art hub, teeming with musicians, writers, visual artists, and filmmakers who have achieved international renown. But, when it comes to street art, it has lagged behind the long tradition of such work in other African nations.
The city has just hosted its first Street Art Festival 鈥� Legendary Lagos: City of Dreams. The event features 12 artists 鈥� nine with Nigerian roots, and three international 鈥� who have transformed pollution-blackened walls into concrete canvases.
鈥淲e believe art shouldn鈥檛 be confined to galleries and museums,鈥� mural painter and festival co-organizer Osa Okunkpulo (who goes by the name Osa Seven) told Reuters. 鈥淧ublic art allows people to interact with creativity in their everyday environment. It鈥檚 about giving hope and showing what art can do to shape society.鈥�
This festival comes just one month after the city鈥檚 annual Art X fair, an event that has gained prominence among art professionals and the public in the decade since its launch. The Dakar Biennale in Senegal is, similarly, a major cultural touchstone in the region.
Art 鈥渇eeds our imagination ... makes us dream and think; it teaches and educates,鈥� Senegal鈥檚 President Bassirou Diomaye Faye said at the biennale鈥檚 2024 opening. As Africa鈥檚 youngest elected leader, he is popular among youth, and has urged them to explore artistic and cultural traditions. Art, he noted, imbues an 鈥渆xtra soul鈥� into citizens鈥� hopes, 鈥渟o that they adhere ever better to what we are and aspire to become as a people.鈥�
Across the continent, street art is feeding political and social awareness as well as local pride. 鈥淲e are beginning to understand the impact of social murals and their influence on our social life and our environment in general,鈥� Lagos muralist Ernest Ibe told a French news agency.
In Kenya, for example, street artists have taken inspiration from young protesters over the past year 鈥� and have championed the demands they鈥檝e voiced for greater freedom and better governance. In Conakry, Guinea, muralists鈥� work is reviving residents鈥� pride in their history. It鈥檚 鈥済ood for Africa, it鈥檚 good for this country. ... I like it, and it changed the face of our city,鈥� one young Guinean told The Associated Press in October.
And that鈥檚 largely what the Lagos festival is aiming to do 鈥� to democratize art and reflect citizens鈥� joy and exuberance, even amid current-day challenges.
