Pneumacity Lagos, a groundbreaking art exhibition, is set to captivate audiences globally as it unveils the extraordinary journey of second life-tyres within the heart of Lagos. This one-of-a-kind exhibition, curated by Inês Valle, is brought to life by the renowned Nigerian artist Andrew Esiebo and promises to revolutionize how we perceive urban sustainability and contemporary art.

Pneumacity Lagos extends its canvas beyond traditional gallery walls. It takes art to the streets, bringing it closer to the pulse of Lagosian communities and educational centers. The universe of tyres and waste tyres will be showcased across the city in multiple public sites, including vulcanizer workstations in Mushin, Victoria Island, Lagos Island, Ikeja, Sabo-Yaba, Surulere, Suru-Alaba, Agboju–Amuwu. This exhibition connects deeply with local communities. It’s the first time the project is presented in the public space across different zones of the megacity of Lagos, from its core to the mainland borders. Pneumaticity Lagos blends art with social science knowledge, bridging the gap for communities that need more access to museums or contemporary art.

Pneumacity Lagos is part of the 3-year project ‘Pneuma-city,’ a collaborative effort fusing engineering, social sciences, and contemporary art. It addresses the global environmental challenge posed by used and waste tires, specifically focusing on the mega-city of Lagos, Nigeria. This ambitious project, spearheaded by Dr David Garbin from the University of Kent, is funded by the British Academy and also counts on close collaboration with partner universities worldwide, including the University of Lagos (UniLag), the University of Toronto, University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (Morocco) among others.

In parallel with this public art exhibition, is also available an educational program:
● 15th November 2023 – A free workshop about recycling tires organized by YAAH (Young Artists Art Hub) led by Olaide Turner.
● 10th November 2023 – A seminar at UNILag organized by Prof. Taibat Lawanson.

Join in on this extraordinary artistic and intellectual journey as Pneumacity Lagos challenges preconceptions, inspires change, and raises awareness about the critical role of tyres in the life of a city.

Andrew Esiebo (visual artist) is a visual storyteller whose practices investigate themes such as sexuality, football, popular culture, urbanism, migration, religion, and spirituality. His interest in social issues has led to collaborations with several institutions, including King’s College London, the University of Padova in Italy, The Photographers Gallery in London, Action Aids, WHO, UNICEF, Women for Women, and others. His works have been published in books, magazines, and websites such as The New York Times, National Geographic, Washington Post, Courrier International, Le Point, Le Monde-M magazine, Financial Times, Time Out Nigeria, CNN African Voices, and Al Jazeera. His work has been widely exhibited, including at the São Paulo Biennial, Brazil; the Biennale Cuvee, Linz, Austria; the Photo Quai Biennials, France; the Dakar Biennale, Senegal; the Guangzhou Triennial, Beijing, China; the Chobi Mela V Photo Festival, Bangladesh; the Havana Biennial, Cuba; the Arles Photo Festival, France; the Kent University Museum, US; National Football Museum, UK; the Lagos Photo Festival and Tate Modern, UK. His works are part of several private and public collections, namely: Musée du Quai Branly, Arts in US Embassies, Museum for Fine Art, Huston, The Walther Collection, the Sina Jina Collection and the Harry David Art Collection.

The grand opening event will occur at the headquarters of the largest association of vulcanizers in Nigeria, LSVA, located in Mushin, on Friday, 17th November, from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. This event is free and open to all, embodying the spirit of inclusivity and community engagement.

LSVA Headquarters
25 Kobiti St, Mushin
102215 Lagos, Nigeria

pneuma-city.org