13 May 2026
High Bridge Works is please to present Lagos in Pictures, an exhibition of paintings depicting artist Oladimeji Olasupo’s hometown of Nigeria.
These beautiful works blend realistic scene-building with expressive, vibrant colour palettes to capture the bustle of city life.
The exhibition runs from May 13th to May 27th in the High Bridge Works Reception.
You can see photographs from the exhibition and read Oladimeji’s artist statement below.
Oladimeji Olasupo: Lagos In Pictures
Artist Statement
I am a contemporary painter based in Nigeria whose works centre on capturing the dual essence of my homeland: the vibrant hustle of urban life and the profound depth of traditional spiritual culture. My brushwork blends realistic scene-building with expressive, vivid colour palettes — using bold hues and dynamic lines to breathe life into everyday moments and sacred traditions, making the familiar feel extraordinary.
I have been making art for over three years, refining my style from early realistic sketches to the textured, expressive works presented here. Over the past two years I have exhibited in both solo and group shows, exploring human interaction with nature, coastal life, and — most recently — the rich cultural landscape of Nigeria.
My work explores emotion, identity, and the human experience through painting. I use colour, texture, and layered compositions to express moments that are often difficult to put into words. Each piece reflects an inner dialogue — capturing feelings of tension, calm, and transformation. Through my practice, I aim to create visual spaces where viewers can connect their own experiences to the work, encouraging reflection and personal interpretation.
Subject Matter
This exhibition is a love letter to Nigeria — to the land and the people that shaped me. The works depict the frantic scramble for Lagos danfo buses, where strangers become brief companions; sun-soaked megacity streets buzzing with market chatter and honking horns; the ethereal Yoruba Egungun masquerades whose flowing robes dance at ancestral festivals; and the quiet resolve of rural hunters whose footsteps trace paths through savanna grass.
Central Tension
The body of work grapples with the push and pull between modernity and tradition — how a grandfather’s reverence for ancestors coexists with the rush to catch a bus; how rural resilience holds firm as skyscrapers climb. These works explore how heritage grounds us amid change, and how daily struggles become acts of courage defining our collective spirit.
Purpose & Audience
To fellow Nigerians, near and far, these scenes are intended to feel like coming home. To international viewers, the work extends an invitation to sit with us, to grasp Nigeria’s heartbeat beyond headlines, and to find common ground in our shared humanity.