Over 100 previously unseen photographs by acclaimed Nigerian photographer J.D. Okhai Ojeikere have been unveiled for the first time at Art X Lagos, one of Africa's premier art fairs. The exhibition, titled "An Exacting Eye," showcases rare images from the extensive archive of the late photography master, who spent over six decades documenting Nigerian culture, architecture, and society. The November exhibition marks a significant moment in bringing Ojeikere's work back to his homeland, where he once lamented that his art was not properly celebrated despite international acclaim.
Ojeikere, who passed away in 2014, is best known worldwide for his extraordinary "Hairstyles" series, which captured the elaborate and sculptural traditional hairstyles of Nigerian women starting in the 1950s. However, the Art X Lagos exhibition revealed a much broader scope of his artistic vision. The 150 photographs on display included early career works, festival photography, diverse portraits, images of Lagos architecture and coastline from the 1950s to 1970s, and previously unknown images from his celebrated Hairstyles collection. These works document life both before and after Nigeria's independence from British colonial rule.
The exhibition's curator, Missla Libsekal, described the process of investigating Ojeikere's largely analog archive as requiring tremendous time and commitment. She and the team reviewed nearly 8,000 images over several months, representing just a fraction of the photographer's massive collection. "The way he saw the world and how he transformed that perception into an image is quite remarkable," Libsekal explained. "He understood visual space, whether it was an outdoor or indoor setting, and how forms hold space. He translated this into images that enhanced and depicted a particular idea of beauty."
Amaize Ojeikere, the photographer's son and current archivist of his father's work, revealed that the family archive contains "thousands and thousands of negatives." The younger Ojeikere, who is also a photographer, conducted a masterclass for young photographers during the exhibition to examine and learn from his father's legacy. He emphasized the importance of preserving historical work for future generations, stating, "It's very important that different generations are able to preserve what existed in their time for others to see, because there's so much to learn from the past so that the present and the future can be better."
The exhibition featured remarkable diversity in Ojeikere's photographic subjects and techniques. Among the displayed works were studio portraits from 1971, documentation of traditional Nigerian hairstyles from 1967, street scenes of Lagos including the historically significant Broad Street photographed in 1965, and intimate portraits of everyday Nigerians. One particularly striking aspect was his documentation of Lagos as it evolved during the post-independence period, capturing the transformation of what was then Nigeria's capital city. Broad Street, which Ojeikere photographed in 1965, was developed by the British colonial government and continues to serve as a central business district today.
Regarding his approach to documenting hairstyles, Ojeikere once said, "I always wanted to record moments of beauty, moments of knowledge. Art is life. Without art, life would be frozen." This philosophy permeated all aspects of his work, from his detailed documentation of architectural changes to his sensitive portraits of Nigerian society during a period of significant transformation. His photographs serve as both artistic expressions and historical documents, preserving cultural practices and urban development that might otherwise have been lost to time.
Tokini Peterside-Schwebig, founder of Art X Lagos, explained that highlighting Ojeikere's work was about "tribute and reconnection" as the fair celebrated its tenth anniversary. "It is about ensuring our young people know the artists and teachers who shaped our visual language," she said. "The masterclass ensures that younger artists not only engage with his techniques and visual language but also understand the cultural lineage they inherit." Peterside-Schwebig expressed hope that the exhibition would "reawaken cultural memory" and "spark pride, reflection and recognition" among Nigerian audiences.
The timing of this exhibition addresses a long-standing concern expressed by Ojeikere himself. In a 2014 documentary about his life, he noted with sadness that while his work was celebrated internationally and exhibited at prestigious institutions like the Tate and Getty Museums, it was not properly valued in his home country of Nigeria. Curator Libsekal acknowledged this disparity, explaining that the exhibition was "bringing his work home and taking one of many steps to remediate that" situation.
Looking toward the future, Amaize Ojeikere revealed ambitious plans for his father's archive. With hundreds of thousands of photographs and negatives still preserved, there are plans to build institutions that will allow the work to be viewed by wider audiences for years to come. While not all works may ever be publicly released, the family is committed to "creating a situation where people can truly research the style and works of J.D. Ojeikere." A selection of photographs from the Art X Lagos exhibition will remain on display at the Federal Palace Hotel lobby through the end of November, providing continued access to this remarkable body of work that bridges art, history, and cultural preservation.
