Exhibition and Live Concert Hotspot Lagos Launch + FOTOPARTY
Goethe-Institut Lagos invites the public to the launch of its Hotspot Lagos project taking place on Saturday, April 1, 2017. The launch takes place as part of FOTOPARTY, a creative cocktail organised quarterly by the Nlele Institute and Video Art Network Lagos.
Hotspot Lagos features a group of Nigerian, German and Brazilian artists who have selected specific sites in Lagos, which they consider iconic and deserving of visits by the general public.
The locations range from a distinctive neighbourhood, for example the Brazilian quarter, a factory, a picture in a museum, a record shop, a monument, a highly personal memory to an artist's studio. The whole city becomes an open studio in this way and each object is literally site-specific.
These ready-made images are not altered, nor are they transported from A to B. They themselves are the exhibit and must be experienced in situ. There is no dictate from institutions, no constraints of exhibition architecture, no insurmountable transport logistics; even the budget is quite modest.
Images of various hotspots will be projected on the rooftop of City Hall during the Fotoparty.
About FOTOPARTY
Photography has long been recognized as a visual language in modern times with the power to communicate reality and perceptions about human conditions that cannot be communicated in any other way. It has informed, influenced and educated us about humanity through its power to report vividly the way we live and also by challenging the way society is run.
The Nlele Institute and VAN Lagos explore these highpoints towards instilling community cohesion through a ‘visual-leisure’ event titled FOTOPARTY.
The event will use visual imagery (photography and video art), music and entertainment and fun to rally the public, lovers of photography/video art, visitors and other fun seekers to the City Hall Rooftop in Lagos.
Expectedly, the event will add to the growing cultural sensibility of the Marina district presently undergoing regeneration and evolving as the city’s main art and culture hotspot.
Already, Lagos has been predicted to be culturally avant-garde in the next few years. This forecast places Lagos as one of the cities of the 21st century that will create “cultural/artistic” buzz worldwide. FOTOPARTY will be one of the reasons to re-engage the city of Lagos, providing a relaxed ambience of visual cocktail, lounging and music with a mixed community and guests.
More About Hotspot Lagos
“Paradise is locked and bolted and the cherubim stands behind us; we have to go on and make the journey round the world to see if it is perhaps open somewhere at the back.” Heinrich von Kleist, On the Marionette Theatre, (1810)
In the Middle Ages, Paradise was always placed at the top of the maps, next to the Lord, a position that guaranteed that no journey was impossible. It was generally believed at that time that a person who was not well-travelled should not talk about the world.
With the beginning of Modernity, artists stopped believing in Paradise: too long and dark were the sinister shadows being cast by the impending 20th century.
This project is undertaking a great journey with artists, not so much to find a hidden entrance to Paradise as to uncover the images that constitute the world of today.
The Hotspot Lagos website and app are currently under construction.
Featured artists:
Abdulrazaq Awofeso
Abraham Oghobase
Adeola Olagunju
Aderemi Adegbite
Akinbode Akinbiyi
Allyn Gaestel
Andréas Lang
Daniel Kötter
Emeka Udemba
George Osodi
Jelili Atiku
Jenevieve Aken
Karo Akpokiere
Mario Pfeifer
Ndidi Dike
Qudus Onikeku
Tatewaki Nio
Temitayo Ogunbiyi
Willy Sengewald and Moritz Fehr
Uche James-Iroha
Uche Okpa-Iroha
Victor Ehikhamenor
Yacoub Adeleke