Abi Morocco Photos: Spirit of Lagos
Location
Autograph
Rivington Place
London
EC2A 3BA
Description
This exhibition runs from Thursday 31st October 2024 to Saturday 22nd March 2025.
Spirit of Lagos unearths the story of Abi Morocco Photos, one of the most vibrant photographic studios operating in Lagos. The studio’s remarkable black-and-white portraits celebrate the rich style and joyous spirit of a generation of Lagosians during a transformative period in Nigeria’s history.
Operated by husband-and-wife duo John Abe ?and Funmilayo Abe? the studio thrived from the 1970s to 2006. The exhibition ?Spirit of Lagos focuses on the studio’s formative decade — the 1970s. Unlike many African portrait studios of that era, the Abes carved out a unique photographic vocation: few female practitioners or collaborators in this context were named and worked so prolifically in a male-dominated field. Merging their professional and personal lives, the couple balanced raising a large family while running a successful commercial photographic studio.
Their oeuvre encompasses a variety of styles: from formal studio portraits to commissioned photos at home and moments of celebration. The studio was frequented by Lagosians of many walks of life including those who had attained economic prosperity during Nigeria's rapid transformation following the oil boom.
The Abes merged striking visual elements such as a chequerboard floor and hand-painted backdrops with the bustling Lagos metropolis. When viewed collectively these beguiling portraits brings the sitters and their world into a space of liberation and reimagination, vividly capturing the rhythm of everyday life.
In the 2000s many studios, including Abi Morocco Photos, transitioned towards digital photography. As a result, many negatives and physical records were at risk of being lost or destroyed in favour of new technologies. The works on display are the result of the ongoing efforts of the Lagos Studio Archives project, which aims to preserve and present the legacy of Nigerian studio photography. Through their research the contributions of studios like Abi Morocco Photos are now recognised in the cultural history and discourse of African studio portraiture.
Prices
Contact and Booking Details
More information at this website.
Reserve tickets at this website
Upcoming Dates
This exhibition runs from Thursday 31st October 2024 to Saturday 22nd March 2025.
Forthcoming dates:
Disclaimer
The information and prices in this listing are presumed to be correct at the time of publishing, but please always check with the venue before making a special trip.
All images are supplied by the exhibition organiser.
Autograph
Rivington Place
London
EC2A 3BA
This exhibition runs from Thursday 31st October 2024 to Saturday 22nd March 2025.
This event runs over several days/weeks. Dates include:
October 2024
- Thu 31st Oct 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm)
November 2024
- Fri 1st Nov 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sat 2nd Nov 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sun 3rd Nov 2024
Closed - Mon 4th Nov 2024
Closed - Tue 5th Nov 2024
Closed - Wed 6th Nov 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Thu 7th Nov 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Fri 8th Nov 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sat 9th Nov 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sun 10th Nov 2024
Closed - Mon 11th Nov 2024
Closed - Tue 12th Nov 2024
Closed - Wed 13th Nov 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Thu 14th Nov 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Fri 15th Nov 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sat 16th Nov 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sun 17th Nov 2024
Closed - Mon 18th Nov 2024
Closed - Tue 19th Nov 2024
Closed - Wed 20th Nov 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Thu 21st Nov 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Fri 22nd Nov 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sat 23rd Nov 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sun 24th Nov 2024
Closed - Mon 25th Nov 2024
Closed - Tue 26th Nov 2024
Closed - Wed 27th Nov 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Thu 28th Nov 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Fri 29th Nov 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sat 30th Nov 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm)
December 2024
- Sun 1st Dec 2024
Closed - Mon 2nd Dec 2024
Closed - Tue 3rd Dec 2024
Closed - Wed 4th Dec 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Thu 5th Dec 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Fri 6th Dec 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sat 7th Dec 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sun 8th Dec 2024
Closed - Mon 9th Dec 2024
Closed - Tue 10th Dec 2024
Closed - Wed 11th Dec 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Thu 12th Dec 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Fri 13th Dec 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sat 14th Dec 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sun 15th Dec 2024
Closed - Mon 16th Dec 2024
Closed - Tue 17th Dec 2024
Closed - Wed 18th Dec 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Thu 19th Dec 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Fri 20th Dec 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sat 21st Dec 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sun 22nd Dec 2024
Closed - Mon 23rd Dec 2024
Closed - Tue 24th Dec 2024
Closed - Wed 25th Dec 2024
Closed - Thu 26th Dec 2024
Closed - Fri 27th Dec 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sat 28th Dec 2024
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sun 29th Dec 2024
Closed - Mon 30th Dec 2024
Closed - Tue 31st Dec 2024
Closed
January 2025
- Wed 1st Jan 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Thu 2nd Jan 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Fri 3rd Jan 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sat 4th Jan 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sun 5th Jan 2025
Closed - Mon 6th Jan 2025
Closed - Tue 7th Jan 2025
Closed - Wed 8th Jan 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Thu 9th Jan 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Fri 10th Jan 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sat 11th Jan 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sun 12th Jan 2025
Closed - Mon 13th Jan 2025
Closed - Tue 14th Jan 2025
Closed - Wed 15th Jan 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Thu 16th Jan 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Fri 17th Jan 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sat 18th Jan 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sun 19th Jan 2025
Closed - Mon 20th Jan 2025
Closed - Tue 21st Jan 2025
Closed - Wed 22nd Jan 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Thu 23rd Jan 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Fri 24th Jan 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sat 25th Jan 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sun 26th Jan 2025
Closed - Mon 27th Jan 2025
Closed - Tue 28th Jan 2025
Closed - Wed 29th Jan 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Thu 30th Jan 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Fri 31st Jan 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm)
February 2025
- Sat 1st Feb 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sun 2nd Feb 2025
Closed - Mon 3rd Feb 2025
Closed - Tue 4th Feb 2025
Closed - Wed 5th Feb 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Thu 6th Feb 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Fri 7th Feb 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sat 8th Feb 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sun 9th Feb 2025
Closed - Mon 10th Feb 2025
Closed - Tue 11th Feb 2025
Closed - Wed 12th Feb 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Thu 13th Feb 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Fri 14th Feb 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sat 15th Feb 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sun 16th Feb 2025
Closed - Mon 17th Feb 2025
Closed - Tue 18th Feb 2025
Closed - Wed 19th Feb 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Thu 20th Feb 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Fri 21st Feb 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sat 22nd Feb 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sun 23rd Feb 2025
Closed - Mon 24th Feb 2025
Closed - Tue 25th Feb 2025
Closed - Wed 26th Feb 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Thu 27th Feb 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Fri 28th Feb 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm)
March 2025
- Sat 1st Mar 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sun 2nd Mar 2025
Closed - Mon 3rd Mar 2025
Closed - Tue 4th Mar 2025
Closed - Wed 5th Mar 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Thu 6th Mar 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Fri 7th Mar 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sat 8th Mar 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sun 9th Mar 2025
Closed - Mon 10th Mar 2025
Closed - Tue 11th Mar 2025
Closed - Wed 12th Mar 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Thu 13th Mar 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Fri 14th Mar 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sat 15th Mar 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sun 16th Mar 2025
Closed - Mon 17th Mar 2025
Closed - Tue 18th Mar 2025
Closed - Wed 19th Mar 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Thu 20th Mar 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Fri 21st Mar 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm) - Sat 22nd Mar 2025
(12:00pm to 5:00pm)