Nigerian-born artist Otobong Nkanga, now in her early fifties, has opened her first retrospective exhibition in France at the Museum of Modern Art of Paris, featuring nearly 130 works that celebrate her lifelong fascination with stones and minerals. The internationally acclaimed artist, who has been crowned with prestigious awards and invited to numerous biennials from Venice to Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates and Lyon, recently completed a solo exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.
Nkanga's artistic journey began in childhood in Nigeria, where she developed an early connection to natural materials that would later define her career. "As a child, I was very attracted to these shiny stones," she recalls about playing with mica during her youth. "Since we had nothing, we would make nail polish by grinding them and then sticking them on our nails with frangipani flower juice." This childhood experience with mica laid the foundation for her current artistic practice, which prominently features various minerals and stones.
The Paris exhibition showcases Nkanga's diverse use of materials, with mica taking center stage alongside copper, malachite, and lazurite. These minerals serve as the primary protagonists in her artistic narrative, reflecting her deep understanding of the earth's resources and their cultural significance. Her work has gained international recognition, leading to invitations to major art events across continents and establishing her as a significant voice in contemporary art.
The retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art of Paris represents a milestone in Nkanga's career, offering French audiences their first comprehensive look at her evolution as an artist. The exhibition demonstrates how her childhood experiences in Nigeria continue to influence her mature artistic practice, creating a bridge between her personal history and her current status as an internationally celebrated contemporary artist.
