In a cultural field long defined by Western narratives, Nigerian Modernism arrives as a necessary act of reclamation. Published to accompany a landmark exhibition, this weighty hardback traces the rise of modern art in Nigeria from the aftermath of the Second World War to the close of the twentieth century, a period of artistic self-determination that challenged both colonial perceptions and the boundaries of Modernism itself.
Edited by Osei Bonsu, Curator of International Art at Tate Modern, the volume situates Nigerian Modernism not as a local response to European art but as a distinct and globally resonant movement. Through essays by Bilal Akkouche, délé jégédé, Will Rea, Molara Wood, and others, the book unfolds a complex dialogue between tradition and innovation, faith and form, material and meaning. Each contributor lends a scholarly precision balanced by an evident respect for the artists’ own intellectual and spiritual frameworks.
The dateline sets the stage for a backdrop of post-war optimism and political upheaval, when Pan-African ideals were taking root and artists were redefining cultural identity through paint, clay, and bronze. Figures such as Ben Enwonwu, Ladi Kwali, Clara Ugbodaga-Ngu, Uche Okeke, and Bruce Onobrakpeya emerge not as isolated pioneers but as collaborators in an ongoing cultural transformation. Their work absorbs influences from indigenous aesthetics, Christian and Islamic art, and the philosophical currents of independence-era Nigeria, creating a uniquely hybrid modernism that defies simple categorisation.
Over 300 artworks are reproduced here, many of which are unfamiliar to Western readers. The colour plates alone make this book worthwhile; they capture both the tactile intensity of the paintings and the sculptural rhythm of Kwali’s ceramics. The cover image, drawn from Okeke’s Primaeval Beast (1961), encapsulates the volume’s purpose: to confront modernity not as an imported idea but as a lived Nigerian reality.
What distinguishes Nigerian Modernism from earlier surveys is its refusal to treat African art as derivative of the West. Instead, it asserts that the artists who came of age during independence were theorists of their own condition—bridging indigenous knowledge systems and global avant-gardes with startling originality.
Bonsu’s editorial direction gives coherence to this plural vision. His introduction alone would serve as a primer on how to rethink Modernism’s geography. In doing so, Nigerian Modernism restores Nigeria’s artists to their rightful place: not as footnotes to Western art history, but as its challengers and co-authors. – PCR 2025
Nigerian Modernism – Art And Independence (hardback) by Osei Bonsu