Kurating

In the latest essay #PublishedinKurating, Ebri Kowaki cuts clean through select artworks by Nigerian artist Darlington Tochukwu Raymond. He notes especially Darlington's departure from "ethnographic accuracy" in his depiction of ethnic markers in his paintings. Kowaki presents Darlington's Afro-realist works as explorations of the artist's inner states and personal myths. Through his lens, Darlington's acrylic paintings are seen as transforming darkness and ambiguity into a profound light-seeking vision of the human condition. Read the entire article via the link in the first comment.

The Osun shrine, refurbished by an Austrian devotee. A Benin bronze taken in 1897, still sitting in London. A Catholic church built on the ruins of an Igbo shrine in 2005. What do these have in common? In her latest essay for Kurating, Sapphire Mclaniyi-Agbley explores the transcendental role our art once played, and the disruptions that severed it. She makes one long argument about what happens when objects made for ritual are pulled out of the conditions that gave them meaning. A mask in a glass case is not the same mask that danced. A bronze head behind museum lighting is not the same head that sat in a shrine. The object survives. The world around it does not. Link to the essay in the comments.

In 2026, Kurating is recommitting to simplifying knowledge for artists looking to enter the Nigerian art scene. Enter #TheKuratingPodcast, a monthly segment featuring established & mid-career multidisciplinary Nigerian artists and their valuable stories and lesssons on building an art career in these times. In Episode 1, we speak with Seighdougha Linus Eyimeigha (Mr Danfo) about about breaking into the Lagos art scene, developing a sustainable practice and brand as well as learning to price his artworks for sale. In the latest episode, Osaru Obaseki joins Kurating’s Wole Olayinka in a conversation about the idea of being "self-taught" as an artist and the weight of community over credentials in building an art career. She also speaks about navigating a traditionally male space in bronze casting —all from nine years of professional practice. The Kurating Podcast promises a wealth of practical tips on administration, mentorship, branding and growing relationships in the Nigerian art ecosystem. Listen to the podcast: 🎙️YouTube: https://lnkd.in/edbdbXJG 🎧 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/ewSwj4Yn • Illustrated Covers by Ugo Anna Ude

In 1966, Nigerian sculptor and printmaker Bruce Onobrakpeya produced a 14-part mural series titled Fourteen Stations of the Cross upon the request of Father Kevin Caroll, an Irish priest stationed in Nigeria. The body of work captured the Catholic devotion to Jesus Christ's Passion, Death, and Burial. Linocut prints of the same artworks were originally showcased by the High Museum of Art (Atlanta, GA) under the name The Mask and the Cross. Between June 21 2024 and January 21, 2025, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art presented the same rare pieces. 59 years after Bruce Onobrakpeya created the ‘Fourteen Stations of the Cross’, Deborah Ajilore writes about the artwork. She discusses their significance to the Nigerian audience, particularly the Nigerian Catholic flock, and the controversies surrounding the creation of the artwork series. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dhC-avFZ Writer: Deborah Ajilore Editor: Wole Olayinka Illustration: Ugo Anna Ude

Anita Abada once said, “I used to be a creative before, without too much consideration for business, because I always thought the business part would add up by itself…Now, I’m a businesswoman, a full-time businesswoman in film.” The award-winning filmmaker and film entrepreneur, who produced Ba Ni (Mud Clan) and directed Efun (Flesh), once imagined that passion was all it took to thrive as a filmmaker in Nigeria. In the latest art news #PublishedinKurating, she seems to have grown and gained a lot of experience. She reflects on how ambition as a filmmaker must be merged with financial considerations, partnerships, careful strategies for people management and a global vision for film distribution. Link to article in the comments.

In the latest essay #PublishedinKurating, Karima Ndanusa highlights the complex identity and ongoing struggles of Northern Nigerian women in the Nigerian creative space. She avers that despite their novel perspectives and depth, the creative enterprises Arewa women are constantly misrepresented or ignored in the mainstream media. Still, Arewa women artists are unshaken in their practice. Beginning with Zaynab Musa and Aisha Kabiru's exhibition, “Yar Arewa?: Demystifying the Northern Nigerian Woman", Karima defends the role of Northern Nigerian women in executing art projects that challenge the gap in representation and serve as counter-narratives. Read the essay here: https://kurating.com/ CREDITS: Writer: Karima Ndanusa Illustration by Shalom Ikemba. Mayowa Fagbure, Ed. Synopsis & design by Ugo Anna Ude Photo Sources: IBRAHIM TOURE; AMOOD OYINDAMOLA/ PINTEREST