Although the tradition of Mbari houses can never be revived, their rich history and broader influence on modernism in Africa is profound.
Nigeria
Posted inNews
The Met Will Repatriate Two Benin Bronzes to Nigeria
Critics note that the Met has failed to address the hundreds of other works from Benin that remain in its collection.
Posted inOpinion
How a New Nigerian Museum Can Help Repatriate the Benin Bronzes
Nigeria’s business leaders will have to give generously; politicians will have to put rivalries aside; and contemporary artists will have to embrace the project.
Posted inNews
Path Toward Restitution of Benin Bronzes Advances in Germany and UK
Thousands of objects were looted from present-day Nigeria by British troops in a punitive mission in 1897.
Posted inNews
A Sculptor and Former Special Effects Artist Is Paving the Way in Prosthetics for Darker Skin Tones
John Amanam began crafting impressive replicas of human body parts after his brother lost part of his hand, and has served nearly 200 customers in two years.
Posted inComics
“Time, My Old Friend, She Has Changed”: An Artist’s Reflections on Quarantine
A comic artist speaks to artists across the world to see how they — and their practices — have been holding up.
Posted inNews
ART X Lagos Fair Postponed in Solidarity With #EndSARS Protesters
Thousands of Nigerians have protested against a federal police unit called the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), which is accused of brutality and abuse of power.
Posted inIn Brief
Nigeria’s First Oscar Contender Disqualified for Mostly English Dialogue
Social media has come to the defense of Genevieve Nnaji’s Lionheart, which was disqualified from competing in the newly renamed category of Best International Feature Film, formerly known as the Best Foreign Language Film.
Posted inNews
French President Wants to Return Benin’s Artifacts, But Will French Law Allow Him?
Emmanuel Macron’s decision is a gesture of goodwill, but these objects comprise just 0.5 percent of the objects requested for restitution by the West African country.
Posted inArt
Hearing a Symphony in the Cacophony of a Lagos Market
Every city has its own sounds, its distinct murmur and roar of voices and traffic.
Posted inArt
Landmark African Art Exhibit Is Reassembled, but Mystery of Its Origin Remains
When a dozen weather-worn wood sculptures from southeastern Nigeria debuted in a Paris gallery in 1974, they were radically different from any African art that had been exhibited in the West.
Posted inArt
Sitting at the Thrones of Nigerian Kings
In January, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi caused a stir when he stepped out in a pin-striped suit emblazoned with his own name.