VICTOR EHIKHAMENOR: MERGING CULTURES.

Hi guys, Steph here. I don't know if you've heard of Victor Ehikhamenor before but between his powerful and diverse art and his carefully captioned Instagram posts, this writer and artist is another person to keep an eye on in Nigeria's exciting and ever-growing art scene.

Following his installation at the 57th Venice Biennale this year, 'A Biography of the Forgotten', which featured numerous bronze heads that hang over mirrors to signify the exchange of a human life for mirrors during the slave trade, against the backdrop of a canvas painted using symbols from Benin iconography, which Mr Ehikhamenor grew up around, he is holding an exhibition in London's Tyburn Gallery in line with the themes of his Biennale installation, titled 'In the Kingdom of This World'.

Venice Biennale. 'A Biography of the Forgotten', Victor Ehikhamenore, 2017.

Quick side note, this year's Venice Biennale featured the first ever Nigerian Pavillion featuring 2 other artists alongside Mr Ehikhamenor, Peju Alatise and Qudus Onikeku and curated by Emmanuel Iduma and Rele gallery's Adenrele Sonariwo. More on this here.

The title of the exhibition is the same as the title of Cuban novelist, Alejo Carpentier, whose work also draws on history and the pre-colonial and post-colonial worlds of his country to tell his story. Leading up to the private view of his exhibition at Tyburn gallery on the 23rd of November, Mr Ehikhamenor held a talk at SOAS University in London where he extensively discussed his thought process, themes in his work and his roots in Benin City, Edo state.

It was fascinating to listen to him explain how he came to be the artist he is and why he does what he does. A key turning for him in his art, he explained, was going to study in America. It was there where he discovered artists like the acclaimed abstract expressionist, Rothko and thought that the paintings looked similar to those in his hometown, Uwessa, saying 'this is like my grandfather's wall'. This is when it occurred to him that what he had simply grown up around and had passively observed was art. The murals on the walls of his home, the paintings and sculptures in the shrines, the patterns by his grandparents, was all in fact art. Coinciding with this realisation was another one that the same art he had grown up around and the cultures and traditions surrounding it had begun to dwindle and disappear. That way of life and surrounding he had grown up knowing was being swept under the rug by a force very aggressively championed not only in his hometown but all over Nigeria; Christianity, and this seems to be the basis of his work in Tyburn.

Throughout his oeuvre, symbols and iconography present in the murals in the Benin homes and shrines can be found. He has used his work as a time capsule, preserving the memory of his hometown and transferring it on to new media with his own narrative attached. That feeling of passing on stories and tradition is very strong in this exhibition. While he has frequently recreated historical and biblical moments in his work, this one feels more like a folktale. Walking through the white-walled space of Tyburn, I felt like I was a little girl again, being sat down by my grandmother to tell me the history and tradition of my land. The way each piece is titled heavily contributes to the passing of knowledge, they all serve different purposes and establish the world we are presented with. For example, 'I am a Saboteur, waiting for Britain to make me king of Benin', we immediately understand the setting, character, situation and place, its rapid-fire story-telling that brilliantly aids the image.

'I am a saboteur, waiting for Britain to make me king of Benin', 2017. Perforated paper. 

Another example, 'My last dance as King before Sir Harry Rawson's army arrived',  again all the basic story-telling elements are present but it also works to give emotional context to the image, without knowing the title we may not read it the same way.

'My last dance as King before Sir Harry Rawson's army arrived', 2017. Rosary beads on lace textile. 

At this point, it's a bit ludicrous that I haven't fully addressed how Mr Ehikhamenor executes the telling of Benin history as he juxtaposes icons from both Benin tradition and western tradition in the form of Christianity. The bigger pieces, the ones of the Benin Kings and other important figures are made with rosaries and lace textile. We quickly understand the symbolism between the two; the religious connotations of the rosaries and tradition attached to lace. If you don't know much about the relationship between Nigerian clothing and lace, it's one of the primary materials used to make traditional attire.

So is it then religion (christianity) vs tradition? On one level yes, the introduction of Christianity in many communities across the world has rendered the way of life of those people as taboo, devilish and fetish, denouncing their icons, gods and modes of worship as unchristian therefore leading to the obliteration of them. But on the other hand, Mr Ehikhamenor in his talk explained that he is essentially trying to draw similarities between the two cultures. It is apparent in one piece especially, 'I am Ogiso, the King from Heaven'. When you realise how similar it is to the idea of God and Jesus Christ, you begin to see how the Benin tradition is encapsulated within Christianity, which especially rings true with this piece.

'I am Ogiso, the King from Heaven', 2017. Rosary Beads on lace textile. 

Essentially every story and narrative is a permutation of itself, it is human beings that decide which one they believe to be true but it all exists "In the Kingdom of This World", at least that's what I've taken from this body of work.

I thoroughly enjoyed both the talk and exhibition and recommend whoever is in London to visit Tyburn Gallery while the exhibition is still on, it runs till the 20th of January. Until next time guys :*.