“I believe that if black-and-white photography is done correctly, it can convey much more emotion and a deeper meaning than colour ever could. It’s as if by subtracting colour, the viewer is forced to add his own emotion to the images. Colour photography is like a novel that spells everything out in detail, whereas black-and-white photography is like poetry—its strength isn’t in what’s said; it’s in what’s left out.” – Heinrich van den Berg, Award-winning Photographer
Bolaji Alonge is an artist, photographer and actor from Lagos, Nigeria with more than a decade of experience in documenting history, looking for beauty where it is least expected. “Eyes of a Lagos Boy” for Quintessence is an exclusively black and white collection of images, expressing culture with a twist.
Bolaji Alonge’s visual language speaks of the wonders of nature and human exchange and searches for historical continuity in a world that is fractured. He is also a globetrotter who has travelled around the world during the last decade documenting culture. This exclusive mix of black and white, carefully selected images shows Lagos from another angle, a city that inspires and captivates imagination, pulling people into a vortex of energy and constant challenges.
Images of everyday life in Nigeria carry deep social messages that expose fragility, audacity but also squalor. Bolaji makes the viewer reconsider what we have seen with our own eyes, through the Eyes of a Lagos Boy, meandering from one story to the next exotic destination.
Opening Sunday 23 June, 3-6PM*
Quintessence Ikoyi, Parkview Estate main gate, Off Gerrard Road, Ikoyi. Lagos
*Exhibition runs until 7th July.
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