Art, party meet at the Desperados Collectives Playground in Lagos

Destination was the architectural masterpiece – the Jewel Aedia – in the heart of Eti-Osa, Lekki. Youthful art connoisseurs were present to witness the vibrant display of creative energy through music, arts, fashion and dance.

The event was the Desperados’ Collectives Playground, where the Nigerian multidisciplinary artist, Mayowa Alabi aka Shuta Bug, had opportunity to showcase his work for the 2022 Desperados Design Collectives.

Hosted by Kemismallz and ilowitdflo, the playground was an engaging blend of art and party vibes as pockets of live graffiti paintings ran across the walls and hot mixes from the Disc Jockeys filled the air.

The Collectives is a unique initiative by Desperados, the tequila flavoured beer from Heineken, to give a platform for a new breed of vibrant and energetic artists and content creators in different countries.

For the 2022 edition, Nigeria was selected alongside France, Germany, Spain and Cote d’Ivoire for the global campaign.

A graduate of the University of Lagos, Shuta Bug, who expresses himself in varied art forms like illustration, photography, animation and augmented reality, has since unveiled his first illustration of the Desperados bottle on social media as part of his contribution to the Desperados Collectives campaign. His piece resonates with the theme of inclusivity using vibrant energy and colour that the Desperados brand is known for.

At the event in Lagos, the artist, who works as a visual artist with the BBC, revealed how the campaign has impacted his artistry.

“I’m ecstatic. This is the first time this is happening to me. Most artists like their works to speak for themselves but this is really huge for me and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be here. I was given artistic freedom to play around the bottle. I also got to collaborate with an amazing international artist, Ivorien American fashion designer, Loza Maléombho. My work is travelling around the world as part of this campaign. It is all surreal for me.”

The Brand Manager, Desperados, NB Plc, Aboyowa Ikpobe, also spoke on how the campaign gives a voice to the growing community of young experimental artists.

“We’re excited to partner with Shuta Bug and other young artists to fire up the spirit of playful experimentation for the Collectives. We have given every artist the freedom to be creative, daring and expressive in this multicultural campaign by Desperados.”

Sold in over 68 countries across the world, the brand was introduced to the Nigerian market a year ago and has since become the beer of choice for a young vibrant audience.