Tate Modern Opens First Major UK Exhibition on Nigerian Modernism.

Tate Modern has opened the first major UK exhibition dedicated to Nigerian modernism — a sweeping exploration of the country’s post-independence art movement and its influence on global modernism.

Titled Nigerian Modernism, the exhibition features more than 250 works by over 50 artists, including Uzo Egonu, El Anatsui, Ladi Kwali, Yusuf Grillo, Ben Enwonwu, and Demas Nwoko. Together, their work tells a story of artistic innovation, political consciousness, and cultural imagination that shaped Nigeria’s visual identity across the 20th century.

Curated by Osei Bonsu and Bilal Akkouche, the show spans painting, sculpture, textiles, and photography — offering an unprecedented look into how artists in Nigeria redefined modernity on their own terms.

“This exhibition is about more than aesthetics,” says curator Osei Bonsu. “It’s about how artists imagined freedom — and how their work continues to inspire new generations.”

Highlights include Ben Enwonwu’s The Dancer (Agbogho Mmuo – Maiden Spirit Mask) (1962), Aina Onabolu’s Portrait of an African Man (1955), and JD Okhai Ojeikere’s Untitled (Mkpuk Eba) (1974), alongside rare sculptures, architectural photography, and textile art that capture Nigeria’s evolving modernist identity.

By situating Nigeria’s modern artists within the global canon, Tate Modern reframes modernism as a shared conversation rather than a Western narrative — celebrating African creativity as both origin and influence.

Nigerian Modernism runs at Tate Modern, London, from 8 October 2025 to 10 May 2026.