Antoinette Oni's G.A.S. Art for the Environment Residency Report

I’ve always thought my architectural education embedded resilience and perseverance into my practice; however, nothing could have prepared me for the tests of patience awaiting me at the Guest Artist Space. I learned to lean into the creative process as a way of navigating this difficult terrain. I had to stubbornly commit my efforts to the execution of the film project, even when confronted with difficult challenges in its early stages. However, this experience taught me that a refined outcome is a result of iterative work, diligent preparation, and an unhinged optimism to overcome the obstacles and climb the steep learning curves that life throws at creative practitioners.

During my time in Ijebu, I produced a short film, Gbeborun (2023), which is part of a larger body of research on the water hyacinth plant Eichhornia crassipes, a tropical aquatic species spreading at an alarming rate on South-West Nigerian waterways. The water hyacinth, also known as gbeborun or 'the gossiping plant', depletes biodiversity, causing a negative impact on the local fishing trade in the Lagos Lagoon. The eco film hints at the material potential of the aquatic plant, as its abundant biomass could be used for renewable energy and a variety of commercial, agricultural, and artisanal uses by the local community grappling with the infestation. One of the locations where the film was shot was a tiny fishing village outside of Epe called Ejinrin. It held a community of ageing fishers who were kind enough to share their experiences with the water hyacinth plant. They detailed how the plant matter grows dense, choking the waters and halting fishing activity for weeks, sometimes months, at a time. Some elders compared it to a mischievous spirit; many even described it as poison, but everyone agreed that the plant is a nuisance that needs to go. Speaking of nuisances, under the leadership of the arboricidal governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Lagos State Authority confirmed plans to build a film and media city on the village of Ejinrin. The development is spearheaded by Storyland Studios, a US-based theme park and branding company that will transform the fishing village into a “Nollywood Studio City'' complete with luxury waterfront apartments and a 280-space parking lot.