Lagos Calling
Not too long ago Harlo, via BoingBoing.net, led me to some absolutely beautiful photos that I just had to share with you. They’re by a photographer named Clayton James Cubitt and the series is entitled Lagos Calling which is of course a reference to The Clash’s London Calling. I have a strong interest in the skinhead look to begin with, and the incorportion of African aesthetics, and the historical tint and scratch of the photos makes these shots breathtaking. I emailed Cubitt to get more background info because some online references to the shots indicate they were a fashion shoot (for what publication I don’t know) and some say they may in fact be historical??? I haven’t heard back yet, and don’t know if I will, be regardless, I’m a fan.
Note-there is some debate on the web over his use of dogs in the shots as a reference to dog fighting. However, to me and many of the other viewers, it does not seem that the shots embrace or encourage dog fighting, which of course is an abhorent thing that I would never endorse.
bukky said,
April 27th, 2008 at 11:48 am
hello there,
i just saw your posting on “Lagos Calling” and the images look fantastic! I’m an art history grad student and happen to be doing my dissertation on photography in Nigeria. I’d love to know if you ever got a response back from the photographer, Cubitt. Also, where did you find the images?
thanks for posting!
best,
bukky
Monica Sklar said,
April 28th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
He never did get back to me so I don’t know any more details which is really too bad. I did sort of gather online that it might have all been a staged fashion shoot-but that’s ok, as they are so beautiful. Although of course it’d be much more interesting if they turned out to be people who did in fact blend these styles in their lives and if the shots were historical. I was tipped to the images from the blog Boing Boing, but Cubitt has his own site. Good luck with your studies.
Worn Through » Gnarls Barkley rips off Lagos Calling said,
May 28th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
[...] about how the group Gnarls Barkley’s latest video pretty much ripped off the photo shoot Lagos Calling, which is a shoot WT posted about a while back and many of you wrote and spoke of your interest [...]