On Reuben Ugbine's Life; Orry Shenjobi's Immersive Solo Show at the 60th Venice Biennale; Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung is Chief Curator for Bienal de São Paulo;
Following the second posthumous solo exhibition of Reuben Ugbine’s works at O’DA Gallery, we decided to spotlight the life and sculptural practice of Reuben Ugbine.
With over two decades of carving and sculpting, the late contemporary sculptor Reuben Ugbine (1956–2021) explored the human body using wood, terracotta, and metal railings. He was as dexterous in his manifestation and translation of human experiences in his sculptures as he was a master storyteller. Throughout his studio practice, Ugbine mastered the art of exploring spirituality, movement, and fluidity, reminiscent of African folktales and folklore.
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Nigerian multidisciplinary artist Orry Shenjobi, in collaboration with the European Cultural Centre for its “Personal Structures” presentation, will be presenting “A wà ńbẹ̀: A Celebration of Community and Culture”, her upcoming solo show at the much-awaited 60th edition of Venice Biennale.
Passionate about history, and documentation, Orry Shenjobi is using a diverse range of materials and intricately layered techniques to weave personal narratives from the stories of people from communities she has experienced. Her multi-layered exploration of the importance of community is immersive as she delves into the stories of people from diverse communities.
In a conversation with Omenai, Shenjobi talks about her artistic processes, “A wà ńbẹ̀”, her upcoming solo show at the Venice Biennale – which opens to the public on the 20th of April, 2024 –, and the importance of collaborations.
On the upcoming solo show, “A wà ńbẹ̀: A Celebration of Community and Culture”, she says:
“I want this to be an immersive experience where people can step into the room and feel like they’ve left Venice and have been transported to Lagos.”
Read the rest of the conversation here.
Passengers in Transit: CCA Lagos Presents Group Show at the 2024 Venice Biennale
CCA Lagos Presents “Passengers in Transit” at the 60th International Art Exhibition in Venice. From April 18th to November 24th, 2024. Showing works of April Bey, Christa David, Thandiwe Muriu, Joana Choumali, and Euredice Zaituna Kala, five Afro-descent female artists exploring themes of identity, gender, memory, and place.
Following the Biennale’s theme of “Foreigners Everywhere,” the exhibition takes a deeper look into the rich tapestry of foreignness, identity, and belonging in a global society, encouraging contemplation on human subjectivity, cultural variances, and the essence of being a foreigner.
To keep up with other national pavilions and their perspectives, you should check this out.
Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung Appointed Chief Curator of the 36th Bienal de São Paulo
Fundação Bienal de São Paulo has announced Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung as the Chief Curator of the 36th Bienal de São Paulo, scheduled for the second half of 2025.
Born in 1977 in Yaoundé, Cameroon, Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung is a contemporary curator and writer. His unique, interdisciplinary trajectory combines institution building as a practice, curatorial praxis emphasizing performativity, sonic, and visual arts, critical theory, and discourse with an academic background in medical biotechnology and biophysics.
“The Bienal de São Paulo seems to me to be a seismograph that not only records the different tremblements the world is experiencing socioeconomically, geopolitically, and environmentally, but these records also give us the possibilities of shaping a more just, humanitarian future for all animate and inanimate beings on this planet. I am not only looking forward to continuing my long-term research in Abya Yala at large and Brazil in particular, but also to connecting my current practices as director, pedagogue, and curator across geographies,”
– says Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung in a statement.
In other news:
Artist Spotlight: Kwaku Osei Owusu Achim
Kwaku Osei Owusu Achim (b. 1991) is an emerging conceptual contemporary artist based in Accra, Ghana. His work focuses on the intersection between how we see ourselves in the world and how our surroundings see us. During his one year of volunteering experience as an assistant in the medical field at St. John of God Hospital and New Horizon, he taught art to children with autism. He was inspired by how they communicated with their hands. He is inspired by artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Egon Schiele, and Salvador Dali.
On view:
New Directions: A group exhibition presented by Ko Gallery. Featuring works from emerging artists: Chinedu Chidebe, Emmanuel Chineye Ifoegbouike, Nduka Ikechukwu, Ibekwe Joseph Obochi, Samuel Nnorom, Odinakachi Okoroafor, Sabastine Uguwoke. (March 30 - April 27, 2024).
Atunwa: Atunwa: Seven Possible Biographies of an Artist, a solo show by Nigerian-born, London-based artist Babajide Olatunji. (March 30 - May 19, 2024).
Elastic Visions: Curated by Faridah Folawiyo, the group show is showing works from Kesewa Aboah, Kevin Claiborne, Larry W. Cook, Hugh Findletar, Enam Gbewonyo, Amina Kadous, Gifted Mold Archive, Daëna Ladéesse, and Fadekemi Ogunsanya at Efie Gallery, Dubai. (February 27, 2023 - May 27, 2024).
Many congrats to the Nigerian artists exhibiting locally and internationally in the coming weeks. On Reuben Ugbine, I was opportune to come across his works on day-one of the O’DA exhibition. He’s versatility even within the same medium like wood is as admirable as one can imagine, Iyanuoluwa. A great man was he