The Rele Arts Foundation proudly celebrates a decade of nurturing young African artists with the 10th edition of the Young Contemporaries program. This exhibition showcases the work of six artists who emerged from the Foundation's residency in Ekiti, Nigeria.
Informed by the region's rich history of resistance, the works presented here explore ontological queries of identity, migration, and the preservation of culture. Chinecherem Ifedilichukwu investigates transgenerational cultural transmission through the use of traditional textile techniques, while Shariff Bakare critiques globalised economies of extraction, employing sculptural installations that juxtapose traditional and contemporary materials. David Oba-Fidelis blends the mundane and magical in semi-autobiographical works, utilising Ankara fabric as a backdrop for his narratives.
Also working in textile, Progress Nyandoro's works integrate her Shona heritage with influences from Ekiti, creating evocative narratives. Tshepo Sizwe Phokojoe maps the impact of migration on African history through jute sackcloth installations, while Nzubechukwu Ozoemena's layered abstract compositions, with titles such as ‘Fellowship with the Downtrodden’ use religious iconography to speak of universal themes such grief and solidarity in harsh yet hush tones.