Seth Pimentel - Lagos, Nigeria

Silkscreen print, edition of 50, signed and numbered by the artist, unframed

Destination: Lagos, Nigeria

Date: 05 September - 11 September, 2022

Jaunt #087

approx. 27.5"h x 19.75"w, 70cm x 50cm

“I personally thrive and get a lot of inspiration from meeting new artists and surrounding myself with art, and this trip was a perfect example of that. Traveling around Lagos and interacting with different artists and art works was the most vital part of this trip for me. It was so refreshing to be around other amazing artists and gain inspiration from their work and techniques. Being able to work together with Bisco Smith was like a dream come true, as I’ve been following and admiring his work for years. It was a pleasure to find out that Bisco was a down to earth and genuine dude. I felt we connected really well as artists and as friends and I’m forever grateful for that encounter.

Ahead of this trip I set a few goals for myself. I wanted to grow as an artist and a person, and learn more about myself and my ability to create on the fly. I’m very happy to come away with being able to handle working on a large body of work in a limited amount of time. Really putting my head down, and focusing on the work. The result of that focus was a series of works on paper and this mural for which I created a Neo-afro-futuristic portrait.

This artwork is my ode to Nigeria, celebrating the Nigerian heritage while embracing the future at the same time. The portrait is mixed with my own recreation of an ancient Benin mask. I incorporate masks more often in my work, referring to the separation of self. I’ve been so accustomed to working from a Eurocentric narrative, that I realized now, being in Nigeria, that I forgot all about the African route. Having spent my time here now, I felt a certain pull to the Nigerian heritage and history of Benin masks. Hereby connecting the themes of my own work as a South African artist into a Nigerian context.”

-Seth Pimentel