Amanda Iheme, who emerged as one of the awardees of the G.A.S. Foundation's prestigious annual fellowship is undertaking a residency at G.A.S. Lagos, spanning from April 8 to May 31, 2024. During this residency, Amanda's ambitious agenda includes an exploration of African artists, particularly photographers, and the initiation of a comprehensive research study of vernacular and contemporary southwestern Nigerian architecture, as well as tropical modernism.
She is eager to tap into the rich resources of the library, benefiting from a conducive learning environment, and gaining access to invaluable connections within the organization. While currently engaged in ongoing personal projects, Amanda plans to kickstart the conceptualization process for new work during the residency. Collaborating with professionals across the building industry, she has expressed her desire to leverage their insights. Armed with her laptop, photography tools, iPad, and microphone, Amanda is well-prepared for this exciting new research.
As we eagerly anticipate the unfolding of Amanda Iheme's residency at G.A.S. Lagos, there is no doubt that her multidisciplinary approach and dedication to preserving cultural heritage will yield insightful outcomes. Stay tuned for updates on Amanda's journey, upcoming community event, and and the impact of her work on the cultural landscape.
Bower's House, Bower's Tower, Ibadan. Architectural History of Ibadan, (2018) . Photo courtesy of Amanda Iheme.
What is the current focus of your creative practice?
My creative practice is currently focused on documenting and preserving the architectural history of Nigeria through photography.
Bookshop, University of Ibadan, Ibadan. Architectural History of Ibadan, (2022). Photo courtesy of Amanda Iheme.
What drew you to apply for this residency and how do you think it will inform your wider practice?
What drew me to apply for the residency was a need to expand my practice. It will inform my wider practice because it will provide me with the space to extend my work beyond photography, to document these structures from a more informed place as a result of rigorous study, and to add written work to my art.
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri, Owerri (2022) . Photo courtesy of Amanda Iheme.
Can you give us an insight into how you hope to use the opportunity?
I hope to use it to study, which for me means reading books, research articles, watching videos and films about African artists - photographers specifically, ina addition to Southwestern vernacular and contemporary architecture and Tropical Modernism in Nigeria I will also spend time conducting interviews with practising architects, architecture students, engineering and construction companies, landlords, agents and tenants to understand why we build the way we build now. Finally, I plan to begin writing a monograph about my findings on contemporary southwestern Nigerian architecture.
RESIDENCY ARCHIVE
EVENT: Art and Research Workshop
Event Date: 2nd May 2024
G.A.S. Fellowship Award recipient, Amanda Iheme invited research-orientated practitioners to apply for a research workshop. Open to archivists, researchers, curators and creatives, the session provided participants with an opportunity to engage with select titles from the G.A.S. Library and Picton Archive in a supportive and collaborative environment.
A workshop attendee interacting with literature from the G.A.S. Library and Picton Archive.
EVENT: Focus on Four
Event Date: 17th May 2024
Focus on Four was curated by G.A.S. resident, Amanda Iheme, with the aim of sharing the Foundation's platform and audience with photographers practising in Lagos. It spotlighted the work of Alexander "Lex Ash" Ashimole, Laura Osare, Nengi Nelson, and Ọlájídé Ayẹni, and dived deep into their creative processes, articulating distinct narratives through the lenses of urban and personal identity. In this forum, the Lagos-based photographers introduced the audience to their respective photographic practices, which interrogate aesthetic explorations of form and space, urban environments, and personal and collective identities. In the leadup to the studio visit, the participating photographers, who were selected by Amanda via an open call, benefitted from virtual mentoring sessions to strengthen their vocabulary in discussing their practice, and develop their capacity to present their work.
L-R: Olajide Ayeni, Amanda Iheme, Nengi Nelson, Lex Ash, Laura Osare
EVENT: Ugwu-001
Event Date: 28th April 2023
In conclusion of her 8-week-long residency, 2023 G.A.S. Fellow, Amanda Iheme, hosted Ugwu-001, a residency retrospective lecture on her research and experiences throughout her time at G.A.S. Drawing from the Igbo word "Ugwu," meaning "Dignity," this event divulged the core of Amanda's study focus during this period, which is rooted in a rigorous examination of Nigeria's affordable housing crisis. The architecture photographer dedicated her residency to studying Nigerian tropical modernism based on the lived realities within contemporary "affordable" Nigerian housing. Her research confronts the paradox of architectural innovation amidst pervasive undignified living conditions, providing a critical analysis of the socio-economic factors contributing to this dichotomy. This presentation offered a scholarly exploration of Amanda's findings, encompassing her theoretical insights into the current state of Nigerian housing. By bridging visual art and architectural theory, Amanda's work on this project invites her audience to interrogate and challenge conventional perspectives, advocating systemic reform and dignified living environments for all Nigerians.
Amanda Iheme rounds up Ugwu-001 with a Q&A session.
ABOUT AMANDA IHEME
AMANDA IHEME is an architecture photographer living and working in Lagos, Nigeria. Her works are focused on documenting and preserving Nigeria’s architectural heritage and the celebration of its design, history, and culture. Amanda Iheme has been featured in articles for Aesthetica, ArtDaily and ARTnews. The most recent article is Lagos, Glimpsed from Seven Vantages written for The New Yorker in September 2023. Her work has been exhibited in group shows around the world including Museum of Modern Art - New Photography 2023; The Way of Life, SMO Contemporary - Dis Lagos Life; The Way of Life, ArtX Lagos Curated Projects (2019) - This is Lagos; Government House, Lagos Photo Festival - Time Has Gone; The Way of Life (2018), Tiwan Tiwa; Casa De Fernandez from The Way of Life (2018),
She has published writing in The Irin Journal - The Lagos Issue, in October 2019, and The World of Interiors, in April 2022.
This edition of the G.A.S. Fellowship Award is generously supported by Still Earth Holdings and our Residency Patrons.
