THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE presents “Heavy Is The Head”, the first solo exhibition — and international debut — of Nigerian photographer Sanjo Lawal. Featuring 17 unseen works (2022–2025), the exhibition highlights a pivotal moment in contemporary African photography, where the mobile phone becomes a tool of artistic, political, and democratic expression. Drawing on the legacy of West African studio photography, Lawal redefines the portrait through saturated backgrounds, Afrofuturist digital manipulation, and the symbolic use of fila and gele as contemporary crowns. Each image asserts identity, memory, and sovereignty, revealing a practice that merges fashion, ritual, and visual heritage. Heavy Is The Head positions Sanjo Lawal as a leading voice in a new generation of creators reshaping African visual narratives on the global stage.
HEAVY IS THE HEAD
First solo show by Sanjo Lawal in Lisbon
4 November 2025
