An exhibition of Nigerian modernism to open at Tate Modern in October 2025

Tate Modern will unveil Nigerian Modernism, the first major UK exhibition to chart the evolution of modern art in Nigeria. Running from 9 October 2025 to 11 May 2026, the show will present more than 250 works by over 50 artists, exploring a rich period from colonial rule through independence and into the global present. Artists such as Ben Enwonwu and El Anatsui will be featured alongside a wider network who redefined the relationship between African and European traditions. Spanning painting, sculpture, textiles, ceramics, and works on paper, the exhibition will highlight how these creatives forged a powerful new visual language in response to shifting political and cultural landscapes.

Ben Enwonwu, The Dancer (Agbogho Mmuo - Maiden Spirit Mask) 1962 © Ben Enwonwu Foundation, courtesy Ben Uri Gallery & Museum.

The journey begins in the 1940s, a decade marked by rising calls for decolonisation across Africa. With many Nigerian artists training in Britain, a dialogue emerged between Western modernist techniques and Indigenous Nigerian aesthetics. Aina Onabolu and Akinola Lasekan were pivotal in articulating local narratives, while figures like Ben Enwonwu drew on Igbo traditions to challenge Western ideals of beauty. Ladi Kwali, trained under British potter Michael Cardew, merged traditional Gwari pottery with studio ceramics, pioneering a distinctly Nigerian approach to ceramic art. These artists not only developed unique styles but also laid the groundwork for art education and reform within the country.

Following Nigeria’s independence in 1960, the art scene flourished with a renewed sense of national identity. Groups such as the Zaria Arts Society promoted the concept of ‘Natural Synthesis’, blending Indigenous motifs with contemporary expression. Artists like Yusuf Grillo, Bruce Onobrakpeya and Uche Okeke used this approach to help define a modern Nigerian aesthetic. During the same period, the Mbari Artists’ and Writers’ Club in Ibadan became a vital cultural space, drawing together creatives like Wole Soyinka and Chinua Achebe, and serving as a nexus for pan-African modernist ideas. The journal Black Orpheus, which emerged from this circle, will be among the highlights on display.

Uzo Egonu, Stateless People an artist with beret 1981. © The estate of Uzo Egonu. Private Collection.

The exhibition also considers how artists navigated the trauma of the Nigerian Civil War and the complexities of post-independence identity. From Susanne Wenger’s spiritual restorations in Osogbo to the expressive works of the Oshogbo Art School, the era was marked by a revival of ancestral forms and mythologies. Later artists such as Uche Okeke and members of the Nsukka Art School reinterpreted traditional Igbo uli motifs to reflect personal and national histories. The exhibition will culminate with a focus on Uzo Egonu, whose Stateless People series captures the diasporic Nigerian experience with poignant clarity. By tracing this dynamic lineage, Nigerian Modernism offers a powerful reappraisal of a movement that reshaped global understandings of modern art.

Date: 8 October 2025 – 10 May 2026. Location: Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG. Price: from £18. Concessions available. Book now