City Dialogues

Habeeb Andu

Born in Lagos Nigeria, Habeeb Andu graduated with a degree in painting from Auchi Polytechnic, Edo State, Nigeria. His work is greatly influenced by the late Nigerian artist Ben Osaghae, under whose tutelage he gained significant experience in his practice

Inspired by the abstract expressionist movement, he infuses vibrant colours, large brush strokes and intricate discarded materials to produce mid to large size textured pieces that explore socio-political themes.

With his series of medium and large-scale abstract paintings, Habeeb Andu explores and runs commentary on the housing situation and evident class struggle present in metropolitan cities in Nigeria with a particular focus on Lagos. His work speaks to the inaccessibility of low-income earners in the society to decent housing facilities in a rapidly developing city like Lagos.

Andrew Esiebo

Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Andrew Esiebo is a visual storyteller who started out in photography by chronicling the rapid development of urban Nigeria as well as the country’s rich culture and heritage. His work aims to explore the human condition and the spaces where it can be found.
The series presented here titled 'Love of It' investigates the various manifestation of soccer in daily African life while also raising question of urban spaces planning in Africa.

Drawing from the love and passion Africans have for the game of football, Esiebo's photographs serve as an entry point into a larger conversation about where and how this love manifests: in chaotic urban planning, in unequal economic and social systems and in resilience against and despite both.

Originally conceived as an exploratory project while he undertook other assignments around Africa, the body of work present a series of images Esiebo took over the course of 12 years in and across Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal.
He witnessed how intensely and similarly the football faithful followed and played the game under bridges, along narrow corridors, in low-income neighborhoods, inside water bodies, and even on dangerous construction sites, in these countries.

Patrick Akpojotor

Patrick Akpojotor is an award winning multidisciplinary artist working across painting, drawing, printmaking and sculpture. He studied fine art at the School of Art and Industrial design, Federal Polytechnic, Auchi and also at the Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu. He currently lives and works as a full time artist in Lagos.

His installation titled Developing Cities comprising of vertical abstract sculptures and metallic embellishments such as pipes, discarded automobile parts, and other electronic waste deals with development, urbanization and the complexities of a developing city. His work surveys newly formed chaotic architectural landscape against former unique built identities.

Ayoola Gbolahan

Ayoola Gbolahan is contemporary Nigerian visual artist based in Lagos, Nigeria. He received his education in Fine Art from Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria. Following his education, Ayoola completed a residency with renowned Nigerian painter, Tola Wewe.
He decribes his work as portraits of his encounters, relationships and experiences with the rest of creation- both the tangible and intangible. A way of documenting experiences with people and environments.

Ayoola's series titled 'Abstract Landscapes' serve as direct renditions of a collection of observed landscapes. Working primarily in a decidedly abstract expressionistic style, the artist experiments with colours, lines, shape and form which aim to represent not only the physical landscape but also a mental one.

Ayoola approaches his paintings as an onlooker navigating though the dynamic and textured spaces of contemporary society - both physical and imagined.