A Celebration of Igbo Worldview and the Broader Cultural Matrix of Nigeria and Africa
Art Bridge Project is pleased to present Anyanwu: The New Light, a multisensory experience and
intergenerational group exhibition centered around the intersection of human destiny, cosmic forces and
the metaphysical philosophies embedded in Igbo cosmology. The exhibition raises awareness about new
understandings of humanity and connecting with ancestral roots as a process of healing, and restoring
collective and personal equilibriums.
Anyanwu: The New Light brings together a diverse range of artists working across multiple mediums
and reclaiming marginalised narratives surrounding Africa’s ancestral legacy and history. In the exhibition,
Emmah Mbanefo presents a sculpture rooted in Onitsha ethnography and functions as a treasure box for
invoking the spirit of ancestors. Chinwe Uwatse draws from her affinity with the traditional uli designs to
offer a social commentary on the Nigerian Civil War and the ethos of womanhood. Obi Okigbo stages an
artistic intervention for African artefacts frozen in the collection of Western museums, while reflecting on
the ancestral legacy and knowledge systems embedded in these objects. JC Bright presents a new body
of work from his Erigwara series, which explores the Igbo tradition of food-sharing as a gesture of
communion, memory, and kinship. Mobolaji Otuyelu engages with the notion of sankofa to create a
life-size claypot as a vessel of remembrance and connecting with Mother Earth, alluding to women’s role
as nourishers and the healing energy of nature. Chiagoziem Orji channels the electrical charge and
rhythmic force of Igbo dance and masquerades to create digital paintings where each dancer embodies
their Chi (guardian angel) as their spiritual force.
To transcend the physical exhibition, Anyanwu: The New Light culminates in the creation of archival
resources, including a book-catalogue, compiling the artistic works, research findings, and reflections
from artists, scholars, curators and historians. The publication is complemented with a short-film
documentary about Igbo cosmology and the importance of cultural presentation in today’s world. The
entire project is a celebration of the Igbo worldview, while reflecting the broader cultural matrix of Nigeria
and Africa.
Curated by Tony Agbapuonwu, this landmark cultural project is made possible with the
institutional support of Ime-Obi Onitsha, National Commission for Museums and Monuments
Nigeria, ADEGBOLA Art Projects, National Council for Art and Culture.
The exhibition opens from September 6th to 28th, at the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos.
