Tate Modern's exhibition "Nigerian Modernism" showcases over 300 works by 59 Nigerian modernist artists, curated by Osei Bonsu and Bilal Akkouche. The show follows the 2018 record sale of Ben Enwonwu's portrait "Tutu" at Bonham's for £1.2 million, which highlighted the neglect of modern African artists in art history. It features pioneers like Aina Onabolu, the first African student at an English art school, and Uche Okeke of the Zaria Art Society, whose work blends Western techniques with Nigerian traditions, Islamic aesthetics, and uli mural painting.
The exhibition matters because it directly addresses the historical oversight of Nigerian modernism, which has often been framed through a Eurocentric lens as derivative or behind the times. By presenting a comprehensive survey of artists who developed distinct modernist practices rooted in anti-colonial thought, nation-building, and cultural synthesis, the show challenges colonial prejudice and repositions Nigerian art within the global modernist narrative. It also underscores the broader art world's failure to recognize and preserve the legacy of major figures like Enwonwu, whose sculptures were found discarded in a London garage.