Two years ago, Dutch muralist Ottograph Amsterdam and I pulled off something truly special. What began as an idea by Sandra Alonge, conceived in a Berlin taxi and rooted in trust, curiosity, and a shared creative vision, evolved into a fusion of painting and photography, “6 Hours”—a collaborative exhibition at the Didi Museum, Lagos, that showcased the true power of artistic partnership.
The exhibition also marked Ottograph’s first visit to Nigeria, introducing his visual language to Lagos’ ever-evolving cultural rhythm. 6 Hours was a resounding success, blending Ottograph’s murals with Alonge’s photography to striking effect. And while the exhibition itself concluded, the impact of that collaboration never truly ended.
Today, Ottograph is back in Lagos—this time for the Lagos Street Art Festival—painting bold new murals across the city. One of the most prominent works, created alongside several other artists, sits along Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue, one of Lagos’ busiest and most visible corridors, injecting fresh colour and energy into the urban landscape. His return is a testament to what happens when creative exchanges are nurtured rather than treated as one-off moments.
This new chapter also introduced Andrey Adno into the story. A Russian artist based in Lithuania, technologist, and now a friend, Andrey is the inventor of Sketchar, an AR-powered app for precision drawing used by millions worldwide. His presence added a vital new dimension to the collaboration—where art meets technology, and innovation meets public space.
Andrey’s work now lives prominently on the 1004 Estate wall, transforming a high-traffic stretch of the city into a living canvas that engages commuters, residents, and passersby in real time.
From there, the journey led us to my base, Freedom Park Lagos—a space rich with history and reinvention. Alongside the artists, we met with the Chief Warder, Theo Lawson, whose openness and vision proved pivotal. He agreed that the joint works of these international muralists should have a permanent home within the park.
The obelisk by the pond was the perfect choice.
On Saturday, December 13, the artists got to work. What unfolded was more than a mural project. On one face, Adno’s flowing purple forms ripple upward like sculpted fabric or liquid thought. Running alongside it, Ottograph’s graphic language offers a sharp contrast—dense black-and-white patterns punctuated with red symbols, stars, and coded markings. Created within six hours, the work became a visual dialogue between cultures, histories, and creative minds.
By the following day, Ottograph had completed another standout intervention at Bature Brewery on Etim Inyang Street, Victoria Island, further extending the conversation into everyday spaces.
Moments like this reaffirm the true power of creative collaboration. When artists come together with shared purpose, the results extend far beyond exhibitions or festivals. They create ripples—through the city, through culture, and into the future.
Lagos is alive with art again.
And I’m proud to be part of the journey.
The post From Exhibition to Streetscape: The lasting impact of creative collaboration appeared first on Eyes of a Lagos Boy.
