This year’s Lagos Biennial debuted on February 3rd at Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos, a famous location that had hosted celebrations for Nigerian independence in 1960. As the art festival enters its fourth edition, its goal of repurposing historic sites that have lost value to the people who live in the former capital city – either via functional usage or symbolic meaning – continues.

The city’s architecture, its symbolic meaning, political ramifications, sovereignty, ownership, concepts of belonging, and its interaction with the public have all been examined in prior Biennial editions. This year’s Tafawa Balewa Square subject of “Refuge” expands on this investigation even further.

The theme of the square encourages the curators, Kathryn Weir and Folakunle Oshun, to discuss the idea of a nation-state. Additionally, it unites architects and artists from many fields to investigate diverse strategies for building sustainable communities and advancing climate justice.

Eighty participants from thirty different countries have their works on display at the Biennial. They used architectural pavilions, art installations, artist talks, film screenings, projections, and performances to explore the theme. The renowned artist Demas Nwoko’s work of closed wooden doors greets you as soon as you walk in.

By acting as an interface, these doors allow people to engage with enclosures as a haven. They also call into question the venue’s democratic nature and its accessibility for citizens of the city. Numerous attendees conveyed their gratitude for the Lagos Biennial providing a chance to visit the plaza and appreciate its architectural design. The works at the Biennial were arranged around the building’s raked seating and concrete floor square, allowing guests to freely explore and think about the underlying ideas.