Discover contemporary African art at New York’s Museum of Modern Art with the exhibition “New Photography 2023 – Group Show“. Running until September 16, 2023, this event features the work of seven talented artists: Kelani Abass, Akinbode Akinbiyi, Yagazie Emezi, Amanda Iheme, Abraham Oghobase, Karl Ohiri and Logo Oluwamuyiwa. Together, they explore the spatial, social and historical currents of Lagos, Nigeria’s port city.
New Photography 2023 is the latest edition of the acclaimed series curated by MoMA, and marks its return as a gallery presentation after five years. It is also the first time one of these photographers has presented his or her work at MoMA, and the first group exhibition in the museum’s history to feature living photographers from West Africa. The exhibition was organized by Oluremi C. Onabanjo, Associate Curator in the Department of Photography, with the help of Kaitlin Booher, Beaumont and Nancy Newhall Curatorial Fellow in the same department.
Since its launch in 1985, the New Photography program has introduced MoMA audiences to the work of over 150 artists from around the world. New Photography 2023 inaugurates a new phase in this series, highlighting specific art scenes around the world. Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city, is the starting point for this exhibition. The seven international artists featured in the exhibition challenge the idea of photography as a mere document, exploring different forms of visual representation.
Some of them capture scenes of everyday life in Lagos, creating new visual expressions of the city through formal experimentation and poetic composition. Others tell personal stories at the heart of political action, while some use archival photographs to reveal psychological trauma and the possibilities offered by physical structures, spatial sites and historical figures.
According to Mr. Onabanjo, Associate Curator of Photography, “in a world where systems of global relationships are a given, photographic images occupy a crucial position. Photography is no longer simply a means of recording our environment, it has become a central prism through which lived experience is made and shared“. With New Photography 2023, the artists explore the depths of the photographic medium to open up new perspectives of perception and encounter.
In addition to the exhibition presentation, Onabanjo is organizing a photographic portfolio review and critical workshop in collaboration with The Nlele Institute (TNI), an autonomous pan-African non-profit organization focusing on lens-based media. This event will take place from October 31 to November 2, 2022 at Angels and Muse, Lagos, during Art X Lagos, and is supported by the MoMA International Council.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to immerse yourself in contemporary African art at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. The exhibition “New Photography 2023 – Group Show” invites you to discover the captivating works of seven artists who are pushing the boundaries of photography and contributing to a global conversation about the medium’s role in societal narratives. Immerse yourself in this exhibition rich in perspective and creativity, offering a unique vision of Lagos and contemporary African art.
