To celebrate the 50-year Sister Cities partnership between Lagos and Atlanta, the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos, in partnership with the Rele Arts Foundation, has initiated the LagosAtlanta Artist Exchange.
This program aims to enhance artistic collaboration between these vibrant cities.
Earlier this month, two Atlanta artists, Myra Greene and Artemus Jenkins, arrived in Lagos for their residency as part of the exchange.
They have been actively researching, collaborating with local artists, and creating works that embody the cultural connections between Lagos and Atlanta.
Myra Greene, an acclaimed photographer and textile artist, is set to unveil her exhibition titled New Myths during the Afropolis Festival.
The show will open on October 28 at the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History in Onikan.
Similarly, Artemus Jenkins, a filmmaker and photographer who explores the interplay between West African and African American cultures, will present his solo exhibition GITYUSUMPROTECTION at Angels and Muse Art Studio in Ikoyi, with an opening scheduled for October 31.
U.S. Consul General Will Stevens emphasized the commitment of the U.S. government to support initiatives that promote artistic expression and cultural exchange, highlighting the importance of the LagosAtlanta Artist Exchange in strengthening the creative ties between the two cities.
U.S. Consul General Will Stevens said, “We are excited to support the LagosAtlanta Artist Exchange as it showcases the power of art to connect people and communities across the world.
“This artist exchange deepens the cultural ties between our two cities, fostering creative innovation and collaboration.”
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu also voiced his endorsement for the initiative, stating, “The Lagos-Atlanta Sister Cities partnership exemplifies the enduring bond between our two cities, symbolizing a commitment to cultural enrichment and mutual growth.
“This 50-year collaboration has allowed us to share our stories, celebrate our artistic heritage, and foster creative synergies that transcend borders. As we mark this significant milestone, Lagos State reaffirms its dedication to strengthening these cultural ties, which enrich both our communities and create lasting pathways for artistic innovation and connection.”
Earlier this year, the Atlanta BeltLine—a pedestrian trail linking Atlanta’s neighborhoods—celebrated the Sister Cities partnership with the U.S. iteration of the LagosAtlanta Artist Residency.
This 10-week program brought Lagos artists Taiye Idahor and Kainebi Osahenye to Atlanta, where they immersed themselves in the local culture and produced new artworks featured in the ongoing 2024 Art on the Atlanta BeltLine exhibition season.
The LagosAtlanta Artist Exchange and Residencies are the result of collaboration among Lauren Tate Baeza, Curator of African Art at the High Museum of Art; the Rele Arts Foundation; and the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos, with support from Delta Airlines.
Lauren Tate-Baeza, Curator of African Art
ph: E. M. Pio Roda
Through public exhibitions and community engagement, the artistic bond between Lagos and Atlanta continues to flourish, benefiting both cities for years to come.
In addition to the LagosAtlanta Artist Exchange, the U.S. Consulate General Lagos has highlighted the historic Sister Cities connection by supporting exchanges between Lagos’ Africa Creative Market and Atlanta’s Creative Juneteenth, as well as facilitating a partnership framework between Atlanta’s Spelman College and three universities in Lagos—University of Lagos, Lagos State University, and Pan-Atlantic University.
These initiatives are set to further enrich cultural and academic exchanges between the two cities.
Mary Gbobaniyi, Delta Airlines’ Manager for Sales in West Africa, expressed enthusiasm for the initiative, stating, “We are thrilled to support the LagosAtlanta Artist Exchange, fostering diversity, cultural exchange and artistic innovation between two vibrant cities. This partnership underscores our commitment to connecting people and cultures worldwide.
“By serving our customers with a non-stop service from Lagos to Atlanta, we offer an efficient and convenient option of travel. This aligns with our mission of connecting people and communities to each other and to their own potential.”
Established in 1974, the Lagos-Atlanta Sister Cities partnership has become a vital pillar of cross-cultural exchange.
Atlanta is home to the fifth-largest Nigerian diaspora population in the U.S., and this shared history continues to strengthen the bilateral ties between the two cities. From education to the arts, the Sister Cities partnership plays a crucial role in fostering collaboration and promoting mutual prosperity.
About the Atlanta Artists Visiting Lagos
Myra Greene is a contemporary photographer and textile artist interrogating the performance of identity. Her most recent work examines African textiles to explore cultural narratives imbued in fiber materials and textile processes.
The Atlanta-based artist has exhibited domestically and abroad and has artworks in the permanent collections of institutions such as the Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago and The National Gallery of Art in Washington DC. Greene is Chair of Art & Visual Culture and Photography Program Director at Spelman College.
Artemus Jenkins is a filmmaker and photographer exploring connections between West African and African American cultures through assemblage and lens-based media.
The multimedia ethnographer researches parallels found in the everyday lives of people throughout the African diaspora.
Jenkins directed the documentary films Heart of the City, Black Joy Manifesto, and Color Outside the Lines; and has lectured at academic institutions such as Morehouse College, the University of Illinois, Kent State University, and the Georgia Institute of Technology.
