Ruby Okoro, the Lagos-based visual artist renowned for his evocative photography, is set to showcase his work in Zürich, Switzerland, and Milan, Italy this March. These highly anticipated exhibitions mark a major milestone in his career, following his groundbreaking Coke Studio campaign, where he captured some of Nigeria’s biggest music icons—Asake, Ayra Starr, and Rema—in a striking visual series that blended fine art with commercial storytelling.
Ruby will first present “Circular Heroes” at Maison Shift in Zürich on March 5th, 2025. The project, developed in collaboration with Rafael Kouto and Eran Jije Project by Peter D. Abayomi, originated from Rafael’s residency at the G.A.S. Foundation in Lagos, funded by Pro Helvetia Johannesburg. Ruby’s artistic contribution to Circular Heroes brings his unique perspective on sustainability, identity, and circular fashion, capturing narratives that merge culture with innovation. The exhibition will also feature a talk and workshop, allowing audiences to engage directly with his creative process.
Following Zürich, Ruby will travel to Milan for the prestigious PhotoVogue Festival, where he has been selected as one of the exhibiting artists at BASE Milano from March 6–9, 2025. Chosen from over 5,000 international applicants, his work will be showcased alongside some of the world’s most compelling contemporary photographers, cementing his place as a leading voice in African visual storytelling.
This European tour comes on the heels of Ruby’s highly acclaimed Coke Studio campaign, where he served as the lead photographer and creative director for a visual series featuring Asake, Ayra Starr, and Rema. His striking portraits of the three artists captured the essence of their musical energy, blending fine art with the bold vibrancy of contemporary African music culture. Beyond photography, Ruby was instrumental in the set design, creative direction, and visual identity of the campaign, which pushed the boundaries of music-driven brand storytelling. The campaign not only underscored his ability to merge commercial and fine art aesthetics but also set a new standard for the visual representation of African music on the global stage.
“I see this journey as an expansion of storytelling—moving from commercial collaborations into deeply personal narratives that still engage a global audience,” says Ruby Okoro. “The Coke Studio campaign reinforced my belief that music and photography share a rhythm. Now, through these exhibitions, I get to explore the visual echoes of that rhythm in new cultural spaces.”
With these upcoming exhibitions in Switzerland and Italy, Ruby Okoro continues to push the boundaries of African contemporary art, redefining how African narratives are presented on the international stage.
