“Maid In Nigeria” Exhibition by Layo Bright & Ajibọla

May 4th to June 4th, 2019

Opening reception: May 4th at 6 pm

Untitled. 59 Raymond Njoku Street, Ikoyi, Lagos

Curators Note:

As we observe the concept of domestic labour in Nigeria, we examine its role in Nigerian society. We rely heavily upon these figures for the upkeep of our homes and the nurturing of our children, while they are often subject to maltreatment and insolence. Essentially, we strip them of their identities and replace them with monikers, often intended for respect, with disguised degradation. Despite the neglect and cruelty most domestic workers face, they are at the core and foundation of the family, as they allow us to lead dynamic lives, while they maintain our households. With the curation of various elements of art, we seek to provide our audience with an immersive perspective of these marginalized members in the Nigerian social structure, as this exhibition strives to uncover issues of human dignity and the polarizing viewpoints around employing domestic workers in Nigeria.

Chief Curator
Ami Sesay

Layo Bright (b. 1991, Lagos, Nigeria) is a multidisciplinary artist who works in sculpture and installation to build evocative visual compositions. In 2018 her installation, Must Go, received the International Sculpture Center’s 2018 Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award. Bright’s work has been exhibited in the U.S. and Nigeria, and she is the recipient of honors and awards including the Beyoncé Formation Finalist Scholarship (2017). She has lectured as a Professor (Department of Integrated Design) at The New School, and is currently based in New York.

Ajibọla is a multi-disciplinary artist who uses photography, creative writing and installations as devices to invoke introspection through a remembrance of our communal cultural identity. This approach leans on the premise that within deeper thought is the capacity for better societal decisions and choices.