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 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, Nigerian Modernism acknowledges the work beyond 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 shows respect for the artists’ own intellectual and spiritual practices.

The book is set against 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. Artists such as Ben Enwonwu, Ladi Kwali, Clara Ugbodaga-Ngu, Uche Okeke, and Bruce Onobrakpeya emerge as collaborators in an ongoing cultural transformation. Their work draws on indigenous aesthetics, Christian and Islamic art, and the philosophical currents of independence-era Nigeria, creating a hybrid modernism that is beyond categorisation.

The book contains over 300 artworks, many unfamiliar to Western readers. The illustrations 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 book’s purpose, to confront modernity not as an imported idea but as a lived Nigerian reality.

Bonsu’s editorial direction gives coherence to this book. His introduction will serve as a future benchmark on reimagining Nigerian 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. 

 
Nigerian Modernism – Art And Independence  (hardback) by Osei Bonsu