Atanda Adebayo: This water knows our story

We are pleased to announce the opening of 'This water knows our story' in Makoko, an informal settlement of Lagos (Nigeria). This is a VETA project by Nigerian artist Atanda Adebayo, curated by Fer Francés and the artist’s first solo show in Nigeria (Africa) which will continue at the gallery in Madrid. The event will took place in a secret location for the local community inside Makoko on November 26 at 11 am.

Makoko is the world's largest floating slum. The number of habitants is unknown, as there is no official register from the Nigerian goverment. The neighbourhood is the perfect summary of the challenges facing the country: the tension between the elite's aspirations for modernity and the miserable reality in which the majority survive. The area is very close to Adebayo, as his mother’s family is related to a white garment religious community there and it is a place where some friends and relatives live. The project was born in VETA during the first residency of this artist in Spain, when following a conversation about Makoko, the idea of portraying several of its inhabitants in a show there arose. These portraits represent proud people, vibrating with hope, despite the adversity inherent in their lives.