MUSCLE by Karimah Ashadu
MUSCLE (2025) by Karimah Ashadu immerses viewers in the world of bodybuilders training in a makeshift gym in the slums of Lagos. Through intimate close-ups of muscles, skin and movement, the film explores how the Black male body is seen, performed and represented, while resisting fixed or stereotypical interpretations.
Accompanied by the rhythm of breath, exertion and the sounds of the surrounding streets, MUSCLE shows bodybuilding as both a physical practice and a way of shaping identity. Like graffiti writers who leave their mark on the city, these men craft their own image to claim visibility and define themselves on their own terms. The film makes visible the stories, aspirations and determination of people who are often overlooked.
The video installation MUSCLE (2025) by Karimah Ashadu can be viewed in the 'Annex' space in Centraal Museum, a contemporary response to the exhibition Graffiti. Centraal Museum is freely accessible for Le Guess Who? visitors upon presentation of your festival wristband (Day Passes & 4-Day Passes) from 5-8 November.
Photography by Karimah Ashadu. Courtesy the Artist, Camden Art Centre, Fondazione In Between Art Film, Sadie Coles HQ and The Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago.
