Nigerian photographer Stephen Tayo is turning the familiar sight of white-robed worshippers on Lagos streets into a study of faith, identity and everyday life, challenging some of the assumptions attached to Nigeria’s white-garment churches.

His exhibition, “What Comes to Mind When You See the Garment?”, opened on Aug. 1 at Alára in Lagos and runs until Sept. 20. Presented by FF Projects, it is Tayo’s first solo exhibition with the gallery and forms part of its year-long residency at Alára.

The project focuses on followers of Aladura churches, Christian movements that developed among Yoruba communities in south-western Nigeria in the early 20th century. Aladura is an umbrella term covering several church traditions, with prayer and healing among important features of their historical development.

White robes — known in different contexts as sutana, aso-funfun, or simply “the garment” — are among the most recognisable visual markers associated with the communities.

Rather than concentrating on formal ceremonies or religious leaders, Tayo photographs worshippers in everyday settings: walking along streets, accompanying children, gathering after services and moving through the city.

Tayo has been developing the project since 2022. According to Wallpaper, the work has taken him across five cities in Nigeria, Benin Republic and the United States, extending the series beyond the movement’s Nigerian roots.

Shot in black and white, the series marks a departure from the vivid colour associated with much of Tayo’s earlier fashion and cultural photography.

Tayo has said the project grew from a desire to reconsider ideas about white-garment churches that he encountered while growing up. The exhibition’s title reflects that approach, asking viewers to examine the assumptions they may attach to the clothing.

White-garment churches have at times been portrayed in Nigerian popular culture through stories involving supernatural practices, prophecy and religious spectacle. Tayo instead focuses on the people behind the garments, placing parents, children, preachers and other worshippers within recognisable streets, buildings and public spaces.

The exhibition also moves beyond conventional framed photography, incorporating film and sound and presenting some images on materials including textiles and metal. Some display elements draw on objects and visual forms found in church environments.

Clothing has long featured prominently in Tayo’s work on fashion and contemporary African identity. In this project, the garment becomes a way of examining how appearance shapes perceptions of religious identity and belonging.