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Introducing the context and key figures behind Autograph’s new exhibition
Here we introduce Spirit of Lagos, Autograph’s new exhibition unearthing the story of Abi Morocco Photos, one of the most vibrant photographic studios operating in Nigeria. The four quick questions below present the context and key figures behind the exhibition.
Abi Morocco Photos: The Spirit of Lagos is free to visit at Autograph until 22 March 2025.
Spirit of Lagos is the first exhibition of a series of remarkable archival portraits from Abi Morocco Photos in Lagos, which capture the rich style and joyous spirit of Nigeria. The exhibition focuses on the first decade of the studio’s practice, which is all black and white medium format photography from the 1970s.
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Aina Street, Shogunle, Lagos, 1979
Abiodun Street, Shogunle, Lagos, 1979
Ikeja, Lagos, c.1970s
The 1960s and ‘70s was a transformative period in Nigeria’s history, with the country gaining independence from the UK, then falling under military rule. Between 1967 and 1970, the Nigerian Civil War – also referred to as the Biafran War - raged in the south-east of the country, leading to one of the worst humanitarian disasters in history, with more than 2 million Biafran civilians dying as a result of a military blockade on food and aid. This period of instability was followed by one of economic prosperity, with Nigeria becoming an exporter of crude oil in the early ‘70s.
Abi Morocco Photos was run by husband-and-wife duo John Abe (b.1956, d.2024) and Funmilayo Abe (b.1953 - ). The studio was active in Lagos from the 1970s through to 2006. Unlike many African portrait studios of that era, the Abes carved out a unique photographic vocation: few female practitioners or collaborators in this context were named and worked so prolifically in a male-dominated field. Merging their professional and personal lives, the couple balanced raising a large family while running a successful commercial photographic studio.
Funmilayo Abe is a photographer, specialising in various forms of commercial portraiture, including studio portraits, documentary, and street photography.
She chose not to pursue formal schooling after primary school and instead followed her passion for photography. Between 1967 and 1970, she apprenticed with a local female photographer known as "Nike Photo" in Shogunle, where she honed her skills in photography and enjoyed the solitude of the darkroom.
Funmilayo is well respected amongst her community as a talented photographer, and she established several studios between 1969 and 2021 when she retired. She continues to live in Alagbado, Lagos State.
John Abe became interested in photography at the age of 12 when a photographer was commissioned to take portraits of his mother and grandmother at their home. This event became a defining moment in his life. He recalls that seeing the photographer at work was like watching a magician perform magic. After moving to Lagos in 1969, Abe was able to purchase his first camera and a bicycle, which he used to travel around, advertising his services with a bag labelled "Abi Morocco".
In 1974 John opened his first studio shop at Aina Street. That is also when he and Funmilayo first met. She would often come to his studio to use his enlarger, as she then operated independently under the name Funmilayo Photo. John continued his photography career and ran the studio until his retirement in 2006. Abe passed away in June 2024 at the age of 77, and this exhibition is dedicated to his memory.
The exhibition features more than 50 images, encompassing a variety of styles: from formal studio portraits to commissioned photos at home and moments of celebration. Some of the earliest works in the show depict domestic scenes from John and Funmilayo’s first years of working and living together. Other images were taken in and around the city, and depict everyday (or ‘vernacular’) scenes and street photography.
A large number of the images on display were taken at the Abe’s Aina Street Studio based in the Shogunle suburb of Lagos State which was frequented by Lagosians from many different walks of life over the years.
Three of the works portray ‘freedom ceremonies’, a traditional celebration marking the successful completion of an apprenticeship or skilled trade training, particularly prevalent in Yoruba culture. The event honours the apprentice’s dedication, perseverance, and mastery of their craft. Family members, local community members, and mentors typically attend to offer support and celebrate their achievement. During the ceremony, the apprentice receives symbolic objects related to their profession alongside other ceremonial offerings, to mark the apprentice’s transition into professional independence.
Lagos Studio Archives are another husband-and-wife duo: Karl Ohiri and Riikka Kassinen, who are collaborating on this cultural preservation project. The project started in 2015 when Ohiri discovered that many of Nigeria’s archival records were being destroyed, discarded and stored away in humid conditions by a generation of photographers who were part of a shift from analogue to digital photography.
Working with local photographers Ohiri started acquiring the endangered negatives in an attempt to ensure that this precious cultural heritage was not lost over time.
The Lagos Studio Archives aims to preserve and present the imagery of a generation of photographers that captured the style, humour and aspirations of everyday Lagosians, whose works would have gone unnoticed to the art world without intervention.
You can read more about photographic archiving practices in Nigeria in this newly commissioned text from Amaize Ojeikere.
31 Oct 2024 - 22 Mar 2025
Free exhibition
Banner image: Abi Morocco Photos: Spirit of Lagos exhibition at Autograph. 31 October 2024 - 22 March 2025. Curated by Lagos Studio Archives and Bindi Vora. Photograph by Kate Elliott.
Images on page: 1) Abi Morocco Photos: Aina Street, Shogunle, Lagos, 1979. Courtesy Lagos Studio Archives. © Abi Morocco Photos. 2) Abi Morocco Photos: Abiodun Street, Shogunle, Lagos, 1979. Courtesy Lagos Studio Archives. © Abi Morocco Photos. 3) Abi Morocco Photos: Ikeja, Lagos, c.1970s. Courtesy Lagos Studio Archives. © Abi Morocco Photos. 4) Abi Morocco Photos, Aina Street, Shogunle, Lagos [detail], c.1970s. Courtesy Lagos Studio Archives. © Abi Morocco Photos. 5) Courtesy Lagos Studio Archives. © Abi Morocco Photos. 6) Abi Morocco Photos, A tailor’s freedom ceremony, Shogunle, Lagos, 1974. Courtesy Lagos Studio Archives and © Abi Morocco Photos. 7) Courtesy Lagos Studios Archives. 8) Abi Morocco Photos, Aina Street, Shogunle, Lagos [detail], 1979. Courtesy Lagos Studio Archives. © Abi Morocco Photos.
Autograph is a place to see things differently. Since 1988, we have championed photography that explores issues of race, identity, representation, human rights and social justice, sharing how photographs reflect lived experiences and shape our understanding of ourselves and others.
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