LagosPhoto: Ground State – Fellowship Within the Uncanny

The African Artists’ Foundation, a non-profit organisation and art space based in Lagos inaugurates the 14^th edition of international photography festival LagosPhoto, on October 27, 2023, at the Fondation Zinsou Museum in Ouidah, Benin, marking the festival’s largest expansion to date. The opening’s programme includes a walkthrough of the exhibition conducted by curators Azu Nwagbogu, Maria Pia Bernardoni and Peggy Sue Amison, showcasing works by artists Carlos Idun-Taiwah, Eliane Aïsso, Gloria Oyarzabal, Louis Oke-Agbo, Sophie Négrier and Tobi Onabolu. This year’s theme, ‘Ground State – Fellowship Within the Uncanny’ brings together photographic works exploring the present moment and envisioning repair, syncopation, putrefaction, restitution, and restoration. On view until December 31, 2023, the festival’s programming is held in cultural venues and public spaces across Ouidah, Cotonou and Porto-Novo in Benin, and Lagos, Nigeria.

Bringing together 38 national and international artists, this year’s edition welcomes talents from all over the world including Nigeria, Republic of Benin, United States of America, Ireland, and Australia, showcasing a myriad of artistic visions for hopeful change. In addition to the exhibited works, the festival’s programming includes photography workshops, artists’ talks, concerts, networking events and panel discussions, supporting the festival’s mission to establish a community for contemporary photography, and present the artistic medium as the embodiment of exploration of historical and contemporary issues and the sharing of cultural practices.

The artists participating in the 14th edition of LagosPhoto Festival are: Adrian L. Burrell, Aïsso Eliane, Ailbhe Ní Bhriain, Amina Kadous, Arko Datto, Candela Paniagua, Carlos Idun, Chris Iduma, Eugenia Lim, Federico Estol, Fikayo Adebajo, Georges Adeagbo, Gloria Oyarzabal, Gohar Dashti and Hamed Noor, Isadora Romero, Ishola Akpo, Jon Henry, Laeila Adjovi, Louis Oke-Agbo, Maheder Haileselassie, Maija Tammi, Matthew Thorne & Derik Lynch, M’hammed Kilito, Minne Atairu, Mo Laudi, Phil Toledano, Poulomi Basu, Prince Charles Uhunoma, Raquel Van Haver, Raul Jorge Gourgel, Rehab Eldalil, Roman Butym & Pavlo Kyryk, Sophie Négrier, Tobi Onabolu, Trent H. Bozeman, Wesaam Al Badry, Zanele Muholi and Zora J Murff.