Ehikhamenor, 23 other artists feature in Tales for a Stranger exhibition

Victor Ehikhamenor, whose work has been extensively exhibited around 

Europe, United States and Africa for well over two decades, is, together with 23 other artists featuring in the exhibition, Tales for a Stranger.

Curated by Nigerian, Azu Nwabogu, the exhibition opened at The Warehouse by Maruani Mercier Lambroekstraat 51930 Zaventem in Belgium on May 27 and is to run till July 1.

Ehikhamenor, a visual artist and writer known for his vibrant and incisive works that engage with African cultural heritage, its resonance within the global African diaspora, and the postcolonial politics of his native Nigeria, has The Holy King from the Sky, 2021 on display. Made with rosary beads and thread on lace textile, the work is 393.7 x 223.5 cm

(155 x 88 in).

The other participating artists are: Ayọ̀ Akínwándé, Anas Albraehe, Joël Andrianomearisoa, Ojo Ayotunde, Ofunne Azinge, Jaclyn Conley, Cristina de Middel, Omar Victor Diop and Esiri Erheriene-Essi.

Others are:Johnson Eziefula, Jeanne Gaigher, Kate Gottgens, Miles Greenberg, Ryan Hewett, Kudzanai-Violet Hwami, Dozie Kanu, Nate Lewis, Neo Matloga, Odili Donald Odita, Emeka Ogboh, Yinka Shonibare, Kasper Sonne and Alberta Whittle.

Tales for a Stranger: On Decay and Hope is, according to the statement, an exhibition that brings together a diverse group of artists, each with their own unique perspective on this evolving moment in our history. 

“The works on display offer stories, vignettes, and metaphors that are at once familiar and yet comforted by the paradox of sharing with strangers. They reflect on the false familiarity of our recent engagements in the virtual, the imaginary, and the disembodied, and invite us to connect with one another in a deeper, more meaningful way. Whereas we felt safer in confinement and were wary in numbers; now we feel we need them for the full confluence of human experience. 

“This exhibition is timely because it sprouts from the decay and deterioration of outmoded systems towards the conscious and subconscious awareness of art as media, as the message, and as the last line of defence for the hope of humanity towards a regenerative society with a sense of purpose. It is the disintegration of art as hierarchies of identities, geographies, demographies, that is embraced in Tales for a Stranger towards the realisation of the common humanity which we share.

“As you move through the exhibition, you’ll encounter works that speak to the anti-synaesthetic experience of the past few years, as well as the various upheavals in the world that have touched the individual and collective consciousness of society. Yet despite the challenges we’ve faced, the works on display also convey a sense of optimism and renewal.

“Through the power of art, we can find hope and connection in a world that can often feel overwhelming and fragmented”.

Nwagbogu is a curator championing African contemporary arts and artists. Known for his projects at private and public institutions worldwide, he is the 

founder and director of the African Artists’ Foundation (AAF), the Lagos Photo Festival, and Art Base Africa. Recently, Nwagbogu has been named a National Geographic Explorer-at-Large and became one of the co-founders of Buro Stedelijk at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, an initiative that bridges the museum with studio practice, academic training, and galleries. In 2024, he will curate the Benin pavilion for its first participation at the Venice Biennale.