The First Street Art Art Festival in Lagos turns the city into an ‘Open-Air Gallery’

Toyin Adedokun / AFP via Getty Images Two men walking pastel a brightly colored mural with a woman in sunglasses. There can be a bus on either side

Parts of Nigeria’s largest city, Lagos have become an “open air gallery”, in the words of organizations in the first streets of Streudad.

One of the included artists, Ashaolu Oluwafemi, told the BBC that the festival brings art “to the people and to the community”.

“People don’t always have a chance to go to shows, so they don’t have a chance to see the art,” he said.

Sodiq Adelakun / Reuters Drive and a Motorbike Drive past a man a man and a woman wearing green headgear and sunglasses looking between them.

The artwork displayed on Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue, a busy street on Victoria Island in the city centre.

Toyin Adedokun / AFP via Getty Images Many colorful murals can be seen on a wall next to a busy street full of cars. A crane and a tower block can be seen in the distance. Behind the wall are trees and a block of flats.

Oluwafemi, who was born and raised in Lagos, said he and other artists tell the story of the city and its rise.

“You have to be smart and strong and good to make it from Lagos.”

Sodiq Adelakun / Reuters A man stands in front of a pair of binoculars outlined in yellow against a black background, along with the slogan: We are alive

Although Lagos is known for its vibrant art scene, nightlife and creativity, street art is not unknown.

“The outlook is not very strong compared to other African countries,” Ernest IBE told AFP News Agency.

“So, it’s a challenge, but the country is progressing. We’re starting to understand the impact of social murals and how they affect our social and our environment in general.”

Sodiq Adelakun/Reuters A man in a car looks at cars at a brightly colored mural of a woman and a peacock.

This painting was done by Balabola Oluwafemi, a Nigerian artist who flew from the British City of Manchester.

“I’m just saying how people in Lagos love to party, love to go to parties, love to eat food. And they just love color,” he told AFP.

The Peacock is often used to symbolize beauty and pride in Nigerian art, AFP reports.

“Everything in Lagos is different. A whole lot of cars, a whole lot of traffic – a whole lot of comments from people passing by (saying) ‘good job’,” the 32-year-old said.