Arts and Vibes, a platform that promotes the potential of Northern Nigeria through art and culture, was held in Lagos on Saturday to help address stereotypes and change people's perception of the North.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two-day event will be held at the British Council in Lagos, with the theme “Mindscapes of the North”.
The event hosts 22 artists and exhibits around 41 pieces that focus on portraying the culture, lifestyle and religion of northerners through works of art.
The idea, founded in 2021, was inspired by Kaduna State, known for marketing its budding arts and literature scene.
The Festival's Arts and Vibes Director Suchet Baba said the exhibition aimed to break stereotypes and the usual narrative, telling stories of the north through art, regardless of what is happening there.
“There is a lot of potential in the North; there are many unheard stories; There are many unheard arts.
“People haven't seen enough art in the North because everything else happens in the East, West, especially the southwest, but there is very little light in the North.
Article page with financial support promotion Arts and Vibes Exhibitions in Lagos to promote Northern Nigeria
“There is always the stereotype that it is a very unsafe region,” he told NAN.
Baba urged the media to reduce the negative perception people have about the North by properly reporting the incidents.
“If an attack happens in a small village, they would say that Kaduna was attacked, but if it was in the United States, they would not say that the United States or New York was attacked,” he said.
Baba said the exhibition would provide Northern artists from several states, including Kano, Kaduna and Plateau, with potential places to store their works.
He said Arts and Vibes had had more than 1,000 attendees and showcased around 80 artists in its four years of existence.
He urged Nigerians to change their mindset and perception on how they viewed northerners.
Additionally, Abraham Seriki, director of operations, said the theme was to draw attention to the mental perspective of how an average northerner approaches life.
“We are creating a platform where popular norms can be deconstructed, where people can have constructive conversations about stereotypes and the extent of what they hear about the North.
“Part of the misconception of northerners is complacency, which is often interpreted as mediocrity, lack of education and exposure.
“For me, my friends and the people I interact with in the north, we choose quality of life over standard of living.
READ ALSO: VIDEO: How I killed a student and collected her body parts – Suspect
“If the world standard is to work nine to five, work and live for a business or company just to achieve those standards, we are more concerned about the quality of life that we have,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to have an open and curious mind and increase their receptivity to ideas and thought processes.
One of the artists, Williams Chechet, a visual artist and illustrator, said he got satisfaction from educating people through his works.
Chechet, who is from Kaduna, said: “When people see me, they say 'Hausa boy', but there are many tribes in the north besides the Hausas.”
Another artist, textile designer Khadija Dikko, said she sought to protect her cultural heritage through her works.
Dikko said her passion was to use traditional textiles and media in this art form to create something new that reflects current realities.
(YAYA)