Urban Decay & Rebirth

About the Exhibition

Urban Decay & Rebirth was the debut solo exhibition of Chinedu Ogbonna, an artist who spent two years collecting electronic waste from Lagos's informal recycling networks. The resulting works—intricate cityscapes constructed from circuit boards, phone screens, and computer components—offered a haunting vision of urban Nigeria.

Ogbonna's largest piece, 'Lagos 2050,' measured over three meters wide and incorporated components from an estimated 500 discarded devices. The work depicted a speculative future Lagos where technology and tradition merge in unexpected ways.

The exhibition sparked conversations about e-waste, urban development, and the hidden labor of Nigeria's informal recycling economy. A portion of proceeds supported the Alaba Market E-Waste Workers Association.

Exhibition Highlights