Art and Culture | Photography Portfolio
By Chris Udoh
It is such a pleasure to meet you !
What would the world be without People, Art and Culture? I would say – bare and stripped all its beauty. This is why I take every opportunity to partner with amazing art institutions like yours to preserve art and culture, thereby preserving beauty in my little way.
My name is Chris Udoh, I am an Arts and Culture photographer based in Lagos, Nigeria. I love preserving arts and culture while traveling; meeting new and exciting people along the way.
I believe in documenting what makes us thick as a people, for the sake of posterity. It will be lovely to partner with your organization to preserve and promote the art and culture of your people!
Love and Light, Chris
Documentary projects
Raffia City
Ikot Ekpene, also called “Raffia City” sits as one of the prominent regions of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. It is known for its mastery in raffia and craft making.
The locals have tapped into raffia making to significantly boost their economy. Raffia is sourced from the fronds of the palm wine tree also known as raffia tree. Raffia is called “Ndam” In Ibibio language.
Man returns home with harvested raffia palm fronds
Once received, the raffia fibre is obtained from the membrane of the backs of each palm frond through a special method.
Woman peels off raffia fibre from palm frond
After the extraction, the fibre is rolled into straws. The straws can be left at their natural state or be soaked in natural colouring. An example is “Onio” also called “Yellow” colouring which is extracted from heating a local herbal root in water.
A major limitation of this work is that the people of raffia city guard this craft of raffia making with their lives , hence the unwillingness to allow the visual representation of the dying, looming and matting process.
The coloured raffia straws are then dried on the backs of heated clay pots. From this stage the raffia straws are ready for use. The producers decide if they want to stitch a mat out of the coloured straws on a wooden loom or hand-weave them to create wristbands, belts or earrings.
The raffia mats are gathered and sent to the general market, where craft makers can purchase them.
Two women hand-weaving raffia fibres
Craft makers purchase the finished mats to create shoes, bags, earrings, table mats, fans and other home and industrial decoration materials
Raffia Shoemaker at his workstation
Raffia shoemaker arranging coloured raffia mat and other materials
Raffia shoemaker assembling raffia mat with leather
Raffia shoemaker gluing raffia material to leather
Raffia material left to dry
Wrapping the assembled raffia material around shoe last
Shoemaker wrapping the assembled raffia material around shoe last
Shoemaker fitting the assembled raffia material around shoe last
Shoemaker gluing the assembled raffia material on leather
Shoemaker assembling raffia material around shoe last
Shoemaker finalizes wrapping the assembled raffia material around shoe last
The raffia of Ikot Ekpene is uniquely detailed and artistic in its very nature.
A finished raffia sandal ready for sale
•
EpeTown: Livelihoods by the Lagos Lagoon
https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/OgISKPiw5mENIg
• Adire: TheArt of Tie and Dye
https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/NQJysVP8AxQtIw
• Nigerian Bracelets and Bangles
https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/yQICrlCqTk52Iw
• Twist and Turn: Mastering the skill of making Ponmo
https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/9AISoXiVj5i4IQ
• FiveMeaty Treatsin Nigeria
https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/five-meaty-treats-innigeria/vgJCYCE_Wsi8Kw
• Roastedstreetfooddelights: fivetasty meals
https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/roasted-street-food-delights-fivetasty-meals/FwJSrRc__uMqIA
• Of SkinsandSnacks: ThePeppered PonmoDelicacy
https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/of-skins-and-snacks-the-pepperedponmo-delicacy/hAJy6boFI1gTKQ
• Poundedyam: a meal of a traditionalpastime
https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/pounded-yam-a-meal-of-atraditional-pastime/DgLyHSmtKRfzLQ
• Themagicof making OgogorofromPalmWine
https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/the-magic-of-making-ogogorofrom-palm-wine/4wKSE5EMQ7sTKw
• Zobo: TheToastof theNorth
https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/zobo-the-toast-of-thenorth/jwLy5SqM6ABELg
