Support Peter's travel to PhotoVogue Festival in March 2025

Dear friends and loved ones!

I am Peter D. Abayomi, also known as Peter Bàtá, a dynamic force in Lagos’ artistic and cultural landscape. My work manifests through community-engaged practice, sound design, performance, research, curatorial, and educational activities. I am driven by the passion to deepen concern for societal inequality and a desire to shed light on the struggles faced by disadvantaged communities.

This is achieved by raising awareness and giving visibility to public art, collective memory, and the impact of power dynamics on individual and collective identities within African indigenous culture and contemporary contexts.

I am seeking assistance to raise funds to support my travels to Europe. The purpose of my trip is to finalize my project in Switzerland and attend the 9th edition of the PhotoVogue Festival 2025 in Milan, Italy.

The project, CIRCULAR HEROES, is a collaboration between Rafael Kouto and the Eran Jije Project by Peter D. Abayomi. The idea is to portray local Nigerian teenagers from the seaside of the Isale Akoka area in Bariga, Lagos, as key players in closing the loop of the circular economy.

Following our selection for PhotoVogue 2024 Global Open Call: Tree of Life: A Love Letter to Nature, with over 44,000 images submitted from every corner of the world, the Circular Heroes project was among the 45 artists selected as finalists. Our project showcases unique perspectives and profound insights into the intricate relationship between humans and nature.

I am thrilled that my collaborative project will be featured in the main exhibition of the PhotoVogue Festival 2025. This seems to be one of my dreams coming to reality, and I will be happy to receive support to attend the festival from March 6th to 9th, 2025.

As an artist, I have struggled to get the right support to take my career to the next level and showcase my work around the world. Practically, it has been hard to bring some of my projects and works to reality.

My goal is to project my community and Africa to a global audience. My selection for the Global Open Call for PhotoVogue Festival 2025 will be a great opportunity to share my story with the world and inspire other young people from my hometown to push beyond their current reality.

The Circular Heroes Project was supported by Pro Helvetia Johannesburg from February to March 2024 in Lagos and developed at the G.A.S / Yinka Shonibare Foundation. The project aimed to raise awareness about upcycling and recycling culture, address waste management, environmental sustainability, and foster pride, recognition, and visibility for the valuable contributions of the Bariga community to the circular economy.

I find this opportunity crucial to my career, and attending the prestigious festival in Milan will be a pleasure. It will introduce my work to global artists, art directors, curators, funders, collectors, and many more. I am sure it will lead to potential collaborations, partnerships, and relationships that will be helpful for me in the future.

At the PhotoVogue Festival 2025, I will give a talk and presentation, conduct a workshop, and network with other attendees. I am determined to make the best out of this opportunity.

To achieve all this, I need help to raise $3,000 for my travel and accommodations to finalize my project in Switzerland. I will be happy to receive your support to attend the PhotoVogue Festival 2025 and present my work.

All donations are welcome on this GoFundMe. Every contribution helps and is greatly appreciated. No amount is too small! Thank you for your support and for investing in me and my future.