THE COALESCE EXHIBITION SHOWED HOW LAGOS IS REDEFINING SUSTAINABLE CREATIVITY

In September, Lagos played host to The Coalesce Exhibition, a month-long showcase that blurred the lines between art, fashion, and design, and in the process, offered a glimpse into the future of African creativity. The project, spearheaded by Anderson Edewor and Hue by Idera, wasn’t just another exhibition; it was an experiment in collaboration, sustainability, and storytelling.

At its core, Coalesce was about transformation. Discarded materials were reborn as bold installations, traditional techniques found new life in contemporary contexts, and clothing became more than garments, they became statements of resilience and renewal. Edewor described it best: the pieces were “not just individual vision, but collective possibility,” a reminder that the most exciting things happen when creativity is tethered to community.

Hue by Idera brought a different texture to the mix, folding duality into the exhibition’s dialogue. The brand’s fluid identity, moving easily between minimal, structured design and raw, chaotic expression, mirrored the contradictions of Lagos itself: restless, multifaceted, and endlessly inventive. Panel discussions stretched the exhibition’s impact further, turning the space into a forum where designers, artists, and audiences debated sustainability, upcycling, and the place of collaboration in shaping Africa’s creative future.

By the time the exhibition wrapped at the Federal Palace, it was clear Coalesce was more than a visual experience. It had positioned Lagos as a hub where creativity isn’t only about aesthetics, but also about consciousness, proof that African design can be simultaneously beautiful, sustainable, and community-driven.