Photos: This Is What the Melanin Unscripted x Native House Pop-Up Looked Like
"The Futurist Exhibition" amplified young African photographers you should know who are challenging stereotypical narratives of Africa, showcasing the work of Nwosu, Manny Jefferson, Stephen Tayo, Lawrence Agyei, Jerusa Nyakundi, Flo Ngala, Wami Aluko, Josef Adamu (Sunday School), Nwaka Okparaeke and TSE.
While attendees perused through the photo exhibition, three panels were held, focusing on West African music being today's newest cultural currency to African youth shifting their continent's narrative through imagery.
Journalist Ivie Ani moderated "The New Scramble for Africa" panel featuring Teezee of The NATIVE, Chin Okeke of GidiFest, Olive Uche, Wale Davies of Show Dem Camp and Dipo Faloyin, managing editor of VICE UK. Ani and the panelists touched on the history leading up to the "scramble," how to maintain authenticity in West African music during this moment and more. Nwosu then gathered Lawrence Burney of The FADER, record exec Tunji Balogun, as well as Nigerian artists Tems and WurlD in conversation for the "Music in Migration" panel for a talk on the importance of online platforms have in the ever-growing music industry on the continent, risk-taking, giving credit to the past while paving a way forward and the industry's future.
To close, journalist Stephanie Smith-Strickland led a panel discussion entitled "The Futurist," where she was in conversation with the featured photographers in the exhibition, touching on African youth culture and the role visual arts' play in shaping the creative landscape on the continent.
Take a look at select images from Native House below, with all photographed by Fifo Adebakin.
