On the 3rd of February, this year's Lagos Biennial opened at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, an emblematic venue that was once the site of Nigerian independence celebrations in 1960. As the 4th edition of the art fair, it continues with its objective of using art to activate historic landmarks that have lost significance either through functional use or symbolic meaning to the residents of the former capital city.
The previous editions of the Biennial have explored various aspects of the city's architecture, its symbolic significance, political implications, sovereignty, ownership, notions of belonging, and its relationship with the public. This year, the theme of "Refuge" at the Tafawa Balewa Square takes this exploration even further. Curators Kathryn Weir and Folakunle Oshun highlight that this theme prompts the square to address the concept of a nation-state. It also brings together artists and architects from different disciplines to explore alternative approaches to constructing renewable communities and promoting climate justice.
The Biennial showcases the works of 80 participants from 30 countries, who explore the theme through architectural pavilions, art installations, artist talks, film screenings, projections, and performances. As you enter, you are greeted by an installation of closed wooden doors created by the renowned artist, Demas Nwoko. These doors serve as an interface, inviting visitors to interact with enclosures as a form of refuge. They also raise questions about the democratic nature of the venue and its accessibility for the city's residents. Many visitors expressed appreciation for the Lagos biennial being an opportunity to visit the square and admire its structure. The Biennial’s installations are spread throughout the concrete floor square and raked seats of the structure, encouraging visitors to freely explore and contemplate the underlying themes.
Related Article
The Beauty of Impermanence: Exploring Adaptive Architecture from the Global South at the 2023 Sharjah Architecture TriennialSpace: A Framework for Self-Identity
As one explores the square, one will encounter numerous architectural pavilions that delve into local materials and incorporate mixed-media installations exploring individual and communal identity. One notable pavilion is "Traces of Ecstasy," curated by KJ Abudu and designed by Oswald Dennis. This modular structure consists of overlapping curvilinear enclosures that draw inspiration from the fractal geometries of African indigenous space-making. The enclosures are constructed using concrete bricks stacked transversely, resembling breeze blocks, and are covered with Adire fabric patterns to create a specific ambiance. The Pavilion serves as a framework for sound and video installations, live performances, and a digital browser network that delves into African history, freedom dreaming, and self-identity. Similar themes can be found in other installations within the square, such as the gridded structure of wooden cubes by Albanian architect Endri Marku, which evokes the imagery of a pixel grid and is titled “Wahala, Freedom, Quantum Leap". This structure houses video exhibits that explore the body as an archive, critique public corruption, and delve into gender-queer experiences in Nigeria. These installations prompt a reflection on self-identity and the importance of embracing plurality as a form of refuge.
However, one particular structure takes a different approach to exploring self and collective identity. Titled "Taşlık Kahvesi" and created by French artist Deniz Bedir, it serves as both a resting space and a communal café, inviting the public, staff, and artists to serve themselves and others. This simple wooden structure features interior paintings depicting seascapes, creating the illusion of windows overlooking a static horizon. With mats on the floor, it fosters an atmosphere for informal exchanges, encounters, discussions, and people seeking solace in one another.
Resource as Socio-Political Refuge
As the Global South teaches us that scarcity breeds innovation, the Lagos Biennial lends its voice through artistic installations that explore the socio-political nature of resources. In the square, renowned artist, Bruce Onobrakpaeya showcases giant outdoor sculptures made with recycled materials, capturing your attention with its collage of interesting shapes and designs. These materials include motherboards, computer parts, engines, automobile spare parts, iron, pipes, and stainless steel sourced from Popular Market spaces in Lagos. They make a compelling case for reuse, environmental protection, and sustainability.
Other installations that reflect the same message are “Human Hive 3” by Nigerian artist Chinenye Emelogu and “Yakachana” by Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama. The former is a colorful sprawl of reused plastic rings used for packaging products, while the latter consists of interwoven old jute sacks that were originally used to transport cocoa, rice, and other food products. Mahama's installation speaks to how foreign-made packages, like the jute sacks, carry various histories of countries in the global north and are used to package home-grown products, limiting certain economic infrastructures from developing and generating wealth for Ghana.
Furthermore, as the Biennial explores the redistributed resources between the global north and global south, it is important to distinguish between imported resources that hinder the growth of the local economy and those that contribute to circularity between both regions. An impactful installation called Re-(t)exHile showcases a textile architecture made of sewn pieces of multiple clothing hung on diverging wires to create an enclosure. The installation aims to address the problem of textile waste that travels from the Global North to the Global South disguised as second-hand clothing. It does so by buying them from markets in Lagos and re-exporting the installation to the Global North. While this installation critiques the durability of these clothes, it fails to understand the role that the global south plays in the circular economy of textiles and how the act of re-exporting is an antithesis to the resource needs of the region.
A Sense of Belonging within Spiritual Space
Various architectural and artistic installations within the Biennial explore the themes of religion and spirituality as a socio-cultural refuge. One particularly striking installation is the Miracle Central by artist Victor Ehikhamenor. It depicts a simple church structure with a facade covered in thousands of white handkerchiefs, which symbolize Pentecostal Christianity in the country. Inside, the installation further delves into spirituality with suspended elements commonly found in these churches and an evangelical sound installation. At the apse of the pavilion, an intricate work of rosaries sewn on lace fabric showcases human figures of a congregation and preacher, accompanied by the message "Expect a Miracle". This structure explores the intersection of religion, politics, history, and expressions of belonging in the country.
Other installations in the biennial, such as Xtracenstral curated by Kukily Afrofeminist Arts Collective, Airi: Bone Altar by artist Yussef Agbo-Ola, and Omi Elu by French artist Tabita Rezaire, also explore spirituality by examining traditional religious practices. Similarly, all three installations use fabrics with motifs and dye patterns that represent spirits, ancestors, and environmental entities that human life depends on, within a metal frame to create enclosures. Collectively, these installations reference the complex relationship between people, traditional religions, and Africanized Christianity as a space for supernatural and transformative encounters.
The 4th Lagos Biennial showcased a diverse range of installations that explore various themes, such as self-identity, resource scarcity, spirituality, and the complex histories of Nigeria. Other thought-provoking installations, including "Levitate" by Iván Argote, "Disassembling the Cloud" by Data Centered Collective, "El Salto" by German artist Jimmie Durham, “Jimmie Durham, Island” by Brazilian artist Henrique Oliveira, and many others, challenge traditional narratives and invite viewers to imagine alternative ways of understanding their cultural and political position. By interrogating the Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos, the biennial reflects the relationship between the city's residents and the nation-state, providing a contemporary mirror that reflects the social, cultural, and political dynamics of Nigeria. Through its exploration of art, architecture, and diverse perspectives, the Lagos Biennial creates a space for critical dialogue and invites visitors to engage with pressing issues of our time.
