Projects Grants 2024/2025

Where is Tropical Modernism?, by Omi collective

Where is Tropical Modernism?, by Omi collective is a memory archiving project, is a research project by Omi collective (@omi.cv_) documenting and investigating the stories of tropical modernist buildings, especially but not limited to the collaborations across architecture and art at the time, and also underrepresented African voices lost in history. This is pertinent because of the dire state of these buildings dotted across Nigerian cities, with many facing demolition threats. Furthermore, their omission in the architectural education curriculum makes a compelling case for preservation. Follow this project here

An Amaka Igwe Retrospective by Dike Ofoma

 

An Amaka Igwe Retrospective by Dike Ofoma is an archival documentary on the eponymous filmmaker’s filmography. Amaka Igwe is a pioneer filmmaker of Nigeria’s film industry and the first known and documented Nigerian female director. The origins of the Nigerian film industry, popularly known as Nollywood, is traced to the 1992 commercial hit Living in Bondage. However, those early years of Nigerian filmmaking were led and dominated by male storytellers and filmmakers whose portrayals of women were glimpsed from a patriarchal lens. Igwe’s presence in the scene is remarkable for how her films challenged such storytelling.
An Amaka Igwe Retrospective is an analysis of some of Amaka Igwe’s foremost works, titles such as Rattlesnake, Violated, Forgiveness, and To Live Again. Follow this project here

1-98 Art Studio by Taiwo Aiyedogbon

1-98 Art Studio by Taiwo Aiyedogbon is dedicated to the narrative of art making process, focusing on the dialogue around the Idea of accessibility and sustainability of art studio practice of young and emerging creatives. The ongoing construction of 1-98 Art Studio is currently taking its form to contribute to the discourse of art studio practice in Lagos and its environment, with keen interest in young creatives and art graduates. The studio is designed to be a shared space for guest artists with the aim of enabling a collective and supportive art community with the intent for opportunities to maintain a basic studio lifestyle. Follow this project here

Ripples and the in-betweens by Prince "Uhunoma" Charles

Ripples and the in-betweens by Prince "Uhunoma" Charles is a project that seeks to explore and engage with ancient knowledge and experiences that might have been trivialized into style over time, hence losing the true interpretation of events. It interrogates the adaptation of experiences of colonialism and slavery in development of unique hairstyles across various west African coastal towns and communities. Using Dance, poetry, hair styling, photography, sound art and virtual reality Ripples and the In-Betweens builds a form of ancestral remembrance of the history that now defines African hairstyles and fashion. Follow this project here

Beyond the Headlines: The Personal Toll of the Boko Haram Insurgency by Yahuza Rabiu Garba.

Beyond the Headlines: The Personal Toll of the Boko Haram Insurgency by Yahuza Rabiu Garba. Since 2013, the northeastern region of Nigeria, particularly the BAY states (Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe), has been ravaged by the Boko Haram insurgency. This conflict has left countless individuals traumatized, displaced, and struggling to rebuild their lives. Hundreds have written stories and accounts, but mostly from those far away from the region.
This project is set to collect, edit, curate and publish a collection of creative short stories written by those who have directly experienced the insurgency. These stories will offer a unique and powerful perspective on the human cost of the conflict, shedding light on the resilience, strength, and suffering of survivors. Follow this project here

Ayetoro: Fields Of Gold, Rivers Of Black by Olufela Omokeko

Ayetoro: Fields Of Gold, Rivers Of Black by Olufela Omokeko The Ayetoro village environmental advocacy project represents a ground-breaking intersection of environmental justice, indigenous knowledge systems, and artistic practice in coastal Nigeria. Situated in Ondo State's rapidly disappearing coastline, this initiative transforms urgent environmental advocacy into a cultural narrative through collaboration with Jeun Soke Collective, Haneefah Adam and Biologists. The project emerges from a critical context where persistent oil spills and aggressive ocean surges threaten not only the physical existence of a historic community but also the preservation of invaluable traditional ecological knowledge held primarily by women, who serve as the community's cultural and environmental stewards. At its core, the exhibition functions as a living laboratory where site-specific installations, performance art, and documentary evidence converge to illuminate the complex relationships between environmental degradation, community resilience, and indigenous wisdom. Follow this projct here