barthouse culture concepts and C/O Berlin present: THE MEGAPOLIS TOUR #3 Lagos by Thomas Dworzak

And there is yet another new part to the exhibition series of urban photography, that is spanning the globe. Following New York and Bombay, its now Lagos’ turn – by MAGNUM photographer Thomas Dworzak.

His images translate the dynamics, which distinguish megacities today, the speed, the intransigence, the craziness. In the midst of the overkill, it is the people that try to survive in them, that have hope and visions and overwhelming energy.

Lagos already has 9 million inhabitants today; in the year 2020, this will reach over 14 million. Satellite suburbs keep springing up and are changing the face of Lagos mainland and its swampy islands, they are transforming the island into a strong kraken, which seems to be coming from the depths of the sea, consuming everything in its midst.

Lagos is one of 19 current megacities the world over, in ten years this number will increase to 30. What can we expect from these cities, what are the trends, which can be identified, what is their mood, what is the influence of the (city) architecture on the individuals, is there a significant youth culture, an urban existence, which enables us to draw conclusions for the future?

The Megapolis Tour and its picture series wish to answer these questions. Each exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue – and even better: all prints are available as limited editions. Find out more on: www.megapolistour.com

Thomas Dworzak, born in Koetzing, 1972, travelled across Europe and the Middle East at the end of his school time and began realising photo work. The civil war in former Yugoslavia took him to Tiblis, Georgia, where he lived from 1993 to 1998. Today Dworzak resides in New York: his focus now lies on American politics and its influence on the Iraq war – see his publication ‘M*A*S*H I*R*A*Q’ (Prestel 2007). ‘Kavkas/Kaukasus’ is due to be published in spring 2010, it is a long-term study of the residents of the Caucasus (Benteli).


The Megapolis Tour #3: Lagos by Thomas Dworzak
+ Highlights from The Megapolis Tour #1+2
06.02. until 28.02.2010
C/O Berlin, Postfuhramt
Oranienburger Str./Tucholskystr.
www.co-berlin.com