Germany backs ‘ICONIC ABUJA’ to boost capital’s creative economy

The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Abuja has partnered with Thought Pyramid Art Centre to stage ICONIC ABUJA, a major contemporary art exhibition set to run from April 18 to 26 in Nigeria’s capital.

Speaking at a press conference held at the German Embassy on Tuesday, Dorothea Wenzel, Deputy Spokesperson, said the exhibition would present a fresh interpretation of Abuja, one that goes beyond its physical layout to capture the deeper realities shaping the city.

“A new visual narrative of Nigeria’s capital is about to unfold, one that moves beyond the familiar surfaces of architecture and planning to reveal the more complex realities of the city and the people who shape it,” she said.

The exhibition, which will open at Thought Pyramid Art Centre, is led by Bolaji Alonge, a Nigerian photographer and visual storyteller in collaboration with Katharina Sasse, German photographer.

It brings together 13 Nigerian artists working across photography, painting, and mixed media, creating a diverse blend of visual perspectives.

Wenzel noted that Sasse’s involvement introduces a strong international dimension, reinforcing a cross-cultural dialogue that mirrors Abuja’s own global outlook.

The project builds on the success of ICONIC LAGOS, first staged at Didi Museum in 2022, but shifts its lens to a markedly different urban story.

Originally conceived in 1976 as a purpose-built capital designed to symbolise unity and neutrality, Abuja has often been understood through its master plan, its wide boulevards, structured layout, and monumental architecture.

However, organisers say the exhibition challenges this perception by foregrounding lived experience over physical design.

“ICONIC ABUJA approaches the city not as a fixed identity, but as an evolving condition.

“It reveals a place where ambition and uncertainty coexist, where power and precarity intersect, and where everyday life quietly reshapes the meaning of the capital”, Wenzel explained.

She disclosed that the exhibition features works by artists including John Ali, Ahmad Michael, Aisha Mbaya, Mustapha Musa, Dan Ogbogu, Yemi Olapo, Olaosun Oluwapelumi, Babajide Olusanya, Oluwaseun Otokiti, Austin Orakwelu, Olanrewaju Shittu, Moses Sodipo, and Christabel Uchechi, alongside Alonge and Sasse.

“At the heart of the project is Alonge’s evolving body of work, which continues to redefine how Nigerian cities are visually documented.

“Known for his platform Eyes of a Lagos Boy, his photography blends documentary precision with narrative depth, positioning urban spaces as lived, dynamic environments rather than static constructs.

“This perspective is echoed in the work of photographer Christabel Uchechi, who offers a human-centred interpretation of the capital.

“Abuja is not the structures. It is the people,” she said, emphasising the role of often-unseen individuals whose daily lives give meaning to the city.

Similarly, Sasse’s work focuses on subtle, fleeting moments that define urban life. Reflecting on her experience, she described Abuja as a city that reveals itself gradually.

“It lives in moments, in gestures, in encounters, in the rhythm of everyday life. My work is about holding on to those fleeting fragments, because that’s where the true character of a city exists”, she said.