lagos photo art and fashion fair

illustrator karo akpokiere exhibited work @ lagos photo art and fashion fair
i've really been enjoying my time in lagos. spent way more money than i should have at the art and fashion fair at the civic centre on victoria island. the event, sponsored by the african artists foundation, showcased the best of local artists and artisans, and was all about reclaiming the african gaze and public spaces. i bought a lot of handcrafted jewelry, my all time weakness after sweets (there was a cupcake stand too, baked by cupyd patisserie).

in many ways, lagos is like new york or london--except for the power outages--teeming with talented entrepreneurs, illustrators, fashion designers, photographers, and everything under the sun. it seemed like most folks were trained abroad in the u.s. or the u.k., and brought a worldly, cosmopolitan edge to their work.

i'm keeping my eye out for the upcoming lagos photo exhibit, also sponsored by the aaf, commemorated in a magazine with a feature story by orange prize winner chimamanda ngozi adichie. i wish i bought the (very pricey) mag to quote her, waxing poetic about the power of photography to reveal the truth, as in writing and film. looking forward to more exhibits in the weeks to come. --AL.