This Photo Series Captures Children's Excitement During The Holiday Season

Christmas is a popular, prominent and highly celebrated season in Nigeria, where familial unity is emphasised as Nigerians return to their villages from within the country and even from locations abroad.

For Neec Nonso, this festive season bore the most exciting moments of his childhood. He relives these memories through his portrait series, Christmas and Clothes, capturing children in their Christmas outfits, brandishing their Christmas gifts as props. 

(Photo: Neec Nonso/Christmas and Clothes)

(Photo: Neec Nonso/Christmas and Clothes)

Nonso grew up in South East Nigeria, however, he embarks upon extensive journeys through the country for his wide-ranging documentary photography. For this particular series, however, Nonso moved closer to home, photographing subjects from Omor, Anambra State.

For the retrospective photo-series, Nonso illustrates his childhood memories through the medium of expression he has developed as an adult. He explains his motivations for the series, in an artist statement, saying:

“I am reflecting on childhood memories by examining what is popular amongst youngsters celebrating Christmas, and interrogating on a deeper scale — the universality of celebration which cuts across social classes.”

(Photo: Neec Nonso/Christmas and Clothes)

(Photo: Neec Nonso/Christmas and Clothes)

(Photo: Neec Nonso/Christmas and Clothes)

Over the years, Nonso has received critical acclaim for his emotive images, winning multiple awards. Challenging the stereotypical narratives told about Nigeria, Nonso also co-founded #NorthIsNot — a collective of artists who share the multifaceted reality of Northern Nigeria. 

It is with this same anti-stereotypical mind that Nonso envisioned a portrayal of Christmas in Nigeria that is so unique yet so telling of the way the festive season is celebrated here. You can see more of the Christmas and Clothes series below:

(Photo: Neec Nonso/Christmas and Clothes)

(Photo: Neec Nonso/Christmas and Clothes)

(Photo: Neec Nonso/Christmas and Clothes)

(Photo: Neec Nonso/Christmas and Clothes)