We are all too familiar with domestic labour in Nigeria; the women, men, and sometimes young girls and boys that pass through our households in roles of servitude. Catering to our needs for ease of comfort with busy schedules, daily chores, upkeep of the home and even child rearing.  Although many are formally employed and paid wages, we are aware of stories of underaged children forced into domestic labour, unfair wages, abuse, prejudice and a host of issues that domestic workers contend with.

Beginning 4^th May, 2018, Layo Bright and Ajibola will jointly present an expository exhibition devoted to starting conversations around the labour, dignity of the human person, cultural norms and practices as well as the controversy around hiring helps in Nigeria.

On view at the gallery that has played host to the incubation of both the creative and developmental processes of many young contemporary artists in Nigeria, Maid in Nigeria will present works ranging from text and assemblages to textiles and immersive installation of seemingly everyday objects; that serve as physical proof of the skewed power dynamics between domestic helps and their employers.

Layo Bright works in sculpture and installations to form visual compositions that address African narratives. In drawing from collective memory, she explores the effects of past political occurrence and their present day effects in African society. This often takes the form of exploring African narratives through tactility of materials, and the power inherent in the symbolism of forms.

Ajibola is a multi-disciplinary artist that uses photography, creative writing and installations as devices to invoke introspection through a remembrance of our communal cultural identity. This approach leans on the premise that within deeper thought, is the capacity for better societal decisions and choices.

The Maid In Nigeria Exhibition will engender conversations around the milieu of domestic employment from cultural norms and practices, to abuse in all its forms, to the mismatch between the nature of the labor to its wages, or lack thereof; and the controversy around hiring domestic help in Nigeria.

Maid In Nigeria

4 May – 4 June, 2019

Opening Reception: Saturday, 4^th May, 6-8pm

59, Raymond Njoku, Ikoyi SW

Lagos, Nigeria

Editor