“If my work projects a certain beauty, I don’t strive for it. Perhaps it comes simply from the pleasure I gain by doing it.”

– J. D. ‘Okhai Ojeikere

Johnson Donatus Aihumekeokhai Ojeikere, known as J. D. ‘Okhai Ojeikere, passed away in 2014, yet his catalogue of over 10,000 photographs remains a gift to the discourse around contemporary African art. Ojeikere was one of the first photojournalists in Nigeria and gradually became best known for his black and white photographs of elaborate, gravity-defying Nigerian hairstyles for his 'Hairstyle’ and ‘Headgear’ series, which he started in the 1950s and grew into an artistic and authentic reflection of Nigeria's aesthetic traditions. His work now spans six decades and captures his country’s everyday identity with tremendous depth and dedication. It is no wonder then that his work, which offers a unique view into African postcolonial modernity, is widely regarded as an irreplaceable contribution to the nation's cultural archive.

Having exhibited and joined the collections of institutions across the globe, from Cartier Foundation in Pars to The Met Museum in New York, from the Venice Biennale to The Tate Modern in London – where he’s currently on show as part of ‘Nigerian Modernism’ – Ojeikere’s legacy is established in the global art scene. And now, many of his never-seen-before works form the ART X Icon exhibition – a fittingly celebratory addition to this tenth anniversary edition of ART X Lagos 2025.

Titled ‘An Exacting Eye’ and curated by Missla Libsekal, it supported by photographer Amaize Ojeikere, the son of J.D. ‘Okhai Ojeikere, who has done remarkable work preserving his father's extensive body of work. In Libsekal’s words, the exhibition and Ojeikere’s work at large “expands our understanding of art, and exemplifies both art's power and the artist's role in bearing witness to their time.” This is an offering that Amaize Ojeikere believes is critical. “It is really important that we look into our past to see how we can move into the future,” he reflects. “So, this exhibition was a good time to go into an archive like this in so many ways.”

Starting from the fair’s Balmoral Marquee, the exhibition spreads into the Waterfront Garden, and then into the Federal Palace Lobby, where it will remain on view until 30 November 2025. But that’s not all. Alongside this special presentation, there is The Masterclass, led by Amaize Ojeikere, featuring 10 young photographers whose practices are influenced by and honour the artist’s legacy. Meanwhile ‘Portraits of Modernity’, curated by Fikayo Adebajoy and led by artist Rachel Seidu, invites visitors to co-create new cultural artefacts inspired by him.

All of this sits alongside several other commissioned special projects and performances responding to this year’s over-arching theme, ‘Imagining Otherwise, No Matter the Tide’. Audiences are invited to imagine the future of Lagos, and by extension, the world more broadly. Ojeikere’s oeuvre, his photographic vocabulary and his tender understanding of Nigeria’s physical and human geography, serve as a springboard for intergenerational dialogue and a prompt to act, imagine and ease towards a standard quality of life, no matter the tide.

When asked how he hopes the show will be received, Amaize Ojeikere reflects: “I believe the exhibition will be met with feelings of nostalgia for some people. For others, especially for people who weren’t around at the time, it will give them an insight into our history. You will get a new vista, a new understanding of the time. Artists, stylists, cultural practitioners, architects and the general public will benefit from this experience as it will help us embellish our knowledge and make us look inward to do things better for ourselves.”