Sanjo Lawal

"Sanjo Lawal’s practice blends documentation and imagination, weaving together bold colours, layered textures, and spiritual symbolism. He creates visually striking compositions that challenge conventional notions of portraiture and space. By integrating recycled materials and paint into photographic work, he pushes the boundaries between medium and message.

For Lawal, every colour holds meaning, and every image carries emotion. His portraits do not simply represent people — they evoke presence, energy, and inner life. His use of contrast and light reflects a deep engagement with both traditional aesthetics and contemporary urban realities.

Through his work, Lawal invites viewers into a world where form and spirit coexist, and where visual storytelling becomes a powerful tool for self-definition and cultural affirmation."

MEET

Sanjo Lawal

Sanjo Lawal is a multidisciplinary artist and photographer based in Lagos, Nigeria. With a background in Fine Art from Yaba College of Technology, his work is shaped by the cultural richness and complexity of Nigerian urban life. Influenced by his mother’s deep sensitivity to colour — reflected in the fabrics she wore and the flowers she cultivated — Lawal developed a vibrant visual language that merges photography with painting, collage, and installation.

Starting with drawings and scribbles as a child, he later embraced photography as a way to document his environment, often using his phone to capture spontaneous moments of daily life. His work explores themes of identity, community, spirituality, and urban transformation, always rooted in a strong sense of place.

FROM OUR BLOGUE

Global Media: The World is Watching Afrikanizm

Afrikanizm Art, the Luso‑Angolan platform for contemporary African and Afro‑diasporic art, has formalised partnerships with galleries in the United States, Europe, Africa, and Asia. These alliances will integrate gallery networks with Afrikanizm’s digital platform, amplify artists’ reach, and support collaborative exhibitions. It's a bold step in positioning Black art not on the margins, but at the centre of the global art market.

From Collector to Investor! – Your Collection Could Be Worth Much More Than You Think

Afrikanizm Art launches a resale feature for collectors, enabling artworks previously acquired on the platform to be resold with curatorial support. This move opens a new chapter in the African contemporary art ecosystem — connecting collecting with long-term value creation.

Bridging Cultures Through Paint: Amadeo Carvalho at King’s College

Cape Verdean artist Amadeo Carvalho has been invited to lead a painting workshop at King’s College London, highlighting the global resonance of Lusophone African visual storytelling.

Visions of Resistance: African Women Artists as Agents of Identity and Change

Across Africa and the diaspora, women artists are redefining contemporary art with purpose and power. Using muralism, performance, digital media, and sculpture, they reclaim visibility, challenge colonial narratives, and shape new spaces for identity and resistance. These five rising artists are not just voices to watch — they are rewriting art history from the inside out.

Abidjan’s New Wave: Young Artists Shaping Ivory Coast’s Creative Future

Abidjan is experiencing a vibrant artistic renaissance, fuelled by new galleries, residencies and state funding. A “new wave” of artists — from Carl-Edouard Keïta’s revival of Goumbé traditions to Mimi Brignon’s urban collages, Adjoba Marie’s surrealist self-portraits, Massa-Chula’s powerful mask reinterpretations, and Angelo N’Guessan’s street murals — is reshaping Ivory Coast’s cultural identity. Together, they place Abidjan at the forefront of Contemporary African Art and the global conversation on Black Art.

Rethinking a Colonial Legacy: Dr El Hadji Malick Ndiaye’s Mission to Decolonise Dakar’s Museum

At the heart of Dakar, a quiet but radical transformation is underway. Dr El Hadji Malick Ndiaye, curator of the Théodore Monod Museum of African Art, is leading a profound effort to decolonise an institution built for colonisers. Through critical reinterpretation, artistic collaboration, and cultural activism, he is reframing the museum not as a place of frozen pasts, but as a living, breathing space of African knowledge, pride, and imagination.

Forbes África Lusófona Highlights Afrikanizm’s Model for Building the African Art Economy

In an op-ed for Forbes África Lusófona, João Boavida, founder of Afrikanizm Art, lays out a bold new vision for African art. He argues that the future lies not in charity, but in structure, visibility, and fair opportunity. Through a model grounded in equity, mentorship, and sustainable growth, Afrikanizm Art is helping transform African artists from overlooked talents into central players in the global market.

Black Spaces of the Great Depression South at MoA+L

Crafting Sanctuaries spotlights rarely seen FSA photos of Black Southern life during the Great Depression—homes, churches, barbershops become sanctuaries.

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