There are two ways of understanding a city: one can choose to grasp it through its history and materiality, or opt for an approach that focuses on the identity of its inhabitants; this second option, off the beaten track, opens a window on the lives of those who make the city. The exhibition aims to combine these two approaches by offering an original and authentic snapshot of Lomé through the ages and as it is captured by the socio-economic changes that occur over time and the strategies and social practices that the inhabitants continue to deploy in response to these changes.
Following this methodological approach, it is the Lomeans themselves who are at the origin of the stories that mark out the course of this exhibition. It is from the photos that the families have kindly made available that their «slices of life» fit together to forge the framework of this exhibition whose common thread and denominator remains Lomé. It is truly the identity of the city that is revealed through their testimonies.
The heart of the city also beat to the rhythm of music or sports, with personalities such as Bella Bellow, Kaolo, Benjamin Boukpeti, Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor… The exhibition will highlight the work of photographic studios such as Alex Acolatse, Clément Fumey, or Stéphane Nuvi, aka Degbava.
Curator: Hervé Pana / Scenographer: Aissa Dione