It’s a wrap: 6 storey high taking over Abuja skyline

An art installation created by British artist Laura Aldridge and 35 women working from a textile workshop in Abuja is commanding attention in the city’s central business district. The building wrap displayed on the headquarters of the Women Affairs and Social Development, currently under construction, dominates the city’s skyline, rivaled only the minaret on the […]

An art installation created by British artist Laura Aldridge and 35 women working from a textile workshop in Abuja is commanding attention in the city’s central business district.

The building wrap displayed on the headquarters of the Women Affairs and Social Development, currently under construction, dominates the city’s skyline, rivaled only the minaret on the premises of the proposed National Museum.

A long view shows a humongous tie-and-dye cloth draped over six floors of the building.

Aldridge called the installation a brilliant use of the city’s open space to stimulate awareness about how public art provides new ways to experience the city.

“I am hopeful this could be the start of something new,” she said.

The British Council unveiled the building wrap as part of its Go Women Go project, working with Nigerian women to showcase Nigerian “making” techniques.

Go Woman Go has spurred 30 projects and some 340 events in art, fashion, design, theatre, dance, music, literature and film in Nigeria, alongside events showcasing Nigerian creativity in Britain, according to Connie Price, country director of the British Council.

“I hope it has brought us closer together, forged new links and that we can build on what we have learnt in the future,” Price said.

Women affairs and social development minister Aisha Alhassan said cultural collaboration between Nigeria and Britain needed full participation of women for national development.

The tie-and-dye technique that produced the six-storey-wide wrap is part of traditional textile and printmaking historically considered the preserve of women and girls.

Alhassan spoke of re-engineering the culture of tie-and-dye to produce new techniques and face up to competition, insisting it would require women and girls to be “much more innovative in their products and ingredients.”

Go Woman Go is also seeing Aldridge working with pottery makers in Abuja suburb of Giri to produce ceramic vessels, which will be on display shortly, accompanied by a film and a limited-edition artist’s publication.