In memory of the Founder and Artistic Director, The Centre for Contemporary Art, (CCA), Lagos the late renowned curator Bisi Silva, a group exhibition tagged: Archives and Memories will open today at the CCA, Yaba Lagos featuring works by six prominent Nigerian female artists.
They are Ndidi Dike, Ngozi-Omeje, Ezema, Odun Orimolade, Taiye Idahor, Temitayo Ogunbiyi, and Wura-Natasha Ogunji. The exhibition marks the 6th anniversary of the passing of its founder Bisi Silva. It will run till May ending.
“The 12th of February will be a significant moment in our institution’s history. We will be coming together to celebrate Bisi Silva’s pioneering contributions to contemporary art in Africa and her unwavering commitment to amplifying under-represented voices, particularly women artists while continuing her legacy of critical dialogue and artistic innovation,” the Executive and Artistic Director of CCA, Lagos, Oyindamola Faithful said.
According to exhibition curator Favour Ritaro, ‘this exhibition holds deep personal significance for me, as I directly benefitted from Bisi Silva’s mentorship, which began in in 2017 and became foundational to my curatorial practice.’ Reflecting on Silva’s visionary approach, she added: “Bisi saw archives not as static repositories but as living, dynamic spaces capable of challenging historical omissions and empowering communities. This exhibition not only celebrates her incredible legacybut also invites audiences to explore how archives can inspire new narratives and transform collective memory.”
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The exhibition features artists whose practices intersect Bisi Silva’s curatorial archive. Drawing from her curatorial projects between 2008 and 2018, Archives and Memories reactivates works that explore themes of migration, identity, colonialism, patriarchy, and cultural preservation, offering fresh perspectives on their relevance today. Through archival materials, personal histories, and artworks, Archives and Memories interrogates the interplay of personal and collective memory, examining how memory is revisited, reconstructed, and transformed over time.
“Archives are not just repositories of the past; they are active participants in shaping how we understand our history and envision our future,” Ritaro added, noting that the exhibition invites viewers to ‘engage with the temporal layers embedded in the works, prompting reflection on how time alters the credibility of what we preserve, how we remember, and ultimately, how we make sense of our past in relation to the present and future.’
Ndidi Dike reimagines historical trauma and displacement, while Odun Orimolade critiques colonial histories through theatrical interventions. Taiye Idahor explores personal and artistic growth, and Wura-Natasha Ogunji’s performances explore the presence of women in public space; these often include investigations of labour, leisure, freedom, and frivolity. Temitayo Ogunbiyi reinterprets local histories and materials for civic engagement, and Ngozi-Omeje Ezema delves into mourning and remembrance using the elephant as a metaphor for loss.