At the LagosPhoto festival, pictures beamed realities

At the 2016 LagosPhoto festival, tens of photographs, of different shapes and sizes hung on the exhibition wall situated at the basement of the Escalator Section of the Eko Hotel and Suites. A light music played in the background while hordes of enthusiasts and fun lovers milled around the photographs with great admiration. In their […]

At the 2016 LagosPhoto festival, tens of photographs, of different shapes and sizes hung on the exhibition wall situated at the basement of the Escalator Section of the Eko Hotel and Suites. A light music played in the background while hordes of enthusiasts and fun lovers milled around the photographs with great admiration.
In their respective placements, each of the photographs beamed touches of creativity with artistic usage of ray of light that captured tone, reflections, patterns and effects, all of which combined to present realities through the camera lens.
The exhibition of such creativity perhaps became the nectar, drawing closer to each of the displayed pictures, numerous admirers and enthusiasts, who besieged the festival arena to celebrate, appraise and savour professional works of arts.
Tagged: “Rituals and Performance: Inherent Risk”, the festival’s glitz and glamour ýhad earlier been foretold at a press briefing heralding its hosting.
In all, the 2016 edition of LagosPhoto festival featured 30 photographers from 17 different countries, underscoring its international status. Each of these artists had their work(s) featured on the wall and they included: Fati Abubakar (Nigeria), Jenevieve Aken (Nigeria), Ishola Akpo (Nigeria), Mohamed Arejdal(Morocco), Karimah Ashadu (Britain and Nigeria) andý Jelili Atiku (Nigeria), ýMiia Autio (Finland),  Pep Bonet (Spain), Juno Calypso (United Kingdom) among others.
A Ghanaian artist and photographer, Ibrahim Mahama who said he was attending the festival for the first time, applauded the initiative even as he expressed hope of participating in future editions.
“We don’t usually have an event like this that often brings together photographers in Africa. I believe an event like this is no doubt an exposure and it also helps some of us understand the politics inherent in it.
“This is my first time of coming and we are three who came from Ghana as professional photographers attending this event at the moment. And I look forward participating with some of my works in the next edition,” Mahama said.
An art enthusiast and fashonista, Aike Akhigbe described the 2016 edition of the festival as a leap on subsequent editions, all of which she said conveyed vivid messages.
“I’m aware that what this platform has been in existence for a number of years and every year, it keeps getting better and better. As an art lover and a fashionista myself, I can see what a festival like this does is to showcase creativities as well as inherent potentials of many African photographers. To me, this is no doubt going a long way in projecting our people and their works as well as the many unique opportunities we have in abundance in this part of the world,” she said.
Yet, the glamour of the festival transcended the precinct of Eko Hotel and Suites. Prominent arts centres and galleries such as Centre for Contemporary Arts, African Artists’ Foundation, A White Space, Red Door Gallery, Omenka Gallery, Legacy 1995 (Railway Compound), Freedom Park, Goethe Institut, Dolphin Park, Falomo Roundabout, Temple Muse and Muri Okunola Park, all tapped from the glitz of the festival.
Speaking on behalf of the sponsor, Etisalat Nigeria, Modupe Thani said, “Whatever you witnessed at the festival is about the usage and power of digital media and mobile technology to engage and empower budding photographers to tell compelling stories about Nigeria and Africa.” Thani is the Head, Events and Sponsorship, Etisalat Nigeria.