4 h. ago ‘A palette unlike anything in the west’: Ben Okri, Yinka Shonibare and more on how Nigerian art revived Britain’s cultural landscape

To mark a new exhibition at Tate Modern, leading British-Nigerian cultural figures trace the impact of their heritage on their work, and consider its growing influence on the world stageSome primal energy was unleashed among Nigerian artists in the years leading up to independence. The century-long reign of colonialism was nearing its end and the people of Nigeria, with its over 300 tribes, its ebullient energy, were poised for a new future in which they would determine the shape and context of their lives.And the people who most articulated that double position, that paradox of modernity and tradition, were artists in all their stripes. Artists across the country, in constant dialogue with one another, created works that evoked their traditions but in a contemporary context. Artists such as Yusuf Grillo in the north, Bruce Onobrakpeya from the midwest, Ben Enwonwu from the east and Twins Seven Seven from the west were remaking the dream of art in a rigorously Nigerian context. The ...

Politics

4 d. ago ‘This is a west African story’: how modern art tackled Nigeria’s identity crisis

As the landmark Nigerian Modernism exhibition opens at the Tate, curator Osei Bonsu talks about the art in dialogue with ideas of nation-making• Don’t get The Long Wave delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereWhat distinguishes modern Nigerian art from its traditional form? I had this question in mind when I attended a private viewing of Tate Modern’s new exhibition, Nigerian Modernism, which traces artwork from the period of indirect colonial rule to post-independence.Walking through the gallery with the curator Osei Bonsu, learning about the incredible ways in which modern Nigerian artists sought to define, shape and rebel against the beautiful but contested state, I found answers. Continue reading...

Events

7 d. ago Seeing double: the wooden carvings that celebrate the Yorùbá’s unique connection to twins

The Ìbejì Project is resurrecting interest in the traditional art of the Yorùbá people, who have one of the highest rates of twin births in the worldWhen the Nigerian art collector, curator and dealer Kayode Adegbola was given a pair of Yorùbá twin statuettes – ère ìbejì – in 2022 as a reward for a successful art deal, it was the start of a new passion. While he had seen a few ìbejì carvings in his uncle’s collection of African traditional art, the gift resonated with Adegbola, a twin himself.“I have always been conscious of ìbejì but I will say my passionate research was definitely a 2022 moment. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago What is ‘Pride in Place’? Inside Starmer’s plan to revive Britain’s ailing high streets and see off Reform threat

At the centre of the programme is an attempt to address a sense of isolation in deprived areas which Labour believes is contributing to Reform UK’s growing popularity

Events

2 w. ago Hidden gem holidays: An insider guide to the Dominican Republic

Escape to a land of pristine beaches, dramatic landscapes and vibrant culture in the Dominican Republic

Politics

3 w. ago Broadcasters seek Government protection from ‘profit, not purpose’ streamers

They warned that global online platforms, rather than distinctly British broadcasters, will come to ‘dominate our cultural landscape’.

Politics