“We are thrilled to announce Victor Ekpuk (@victorekpuk) as our forthcoming artist-in-residence, in a partnership with the New York University Abu Dhabi (@nyuabudhabi). Upon concluding the residency, Ekpuk will showcase his inaugural solo exhibition in the Middle East at the Efie Gallery, as part of the premier Dubai’s Calligraphy Biennale (@dubaiculture). The exhibit will open on September 28, 2023, with the Biennale officially starting on October 1, 2023”
In Ekpuk’s work, viewers are immersed in a sea of symbolic forms that blanket the walls. Resembling an intersection of calligraphy and an as-yet-undeciphered script, these symbols are positioned in close conjunction, hinting at a newly unveiled narrative from an ancient text. The symbols ripple and fluctuate in a colorful wave, embodying the artist’s interpretation of the ancient Nigerian Nsibidi communication system. This unique artistic language, pioneered by Nigerian-born and Washington DC-based Ekpuk, explores the Nsibidi “traditional” graphics and writing systems of Nigeria.
With a career spanning over three decades, Ekpuk’s work can be found in the collections of prestigious institutions worldwide. These include the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of African Art (NMAFA), Smithsonian Institution National Museum of African American Culture & History (NMAACH), The Phillips Collection (Washington DC), the Bank ABC International Headquarter in Manama (Kingdom of Bahrain), and The World Bank, among others. His work has also been displayed in major exhibitions and biennials such as the Institut du Monde Arabe (Paris), Museum of Arts and Design (NYC), Smithsonian National Museum of African Art (Washington, D.C.), Somerset House (London), New Museum of Contemporary Art (New York), and the 12th Havana Biennial (Havana, Cuba).
( The above is An extract from preview statement written by Rebecca Anne Proctor (@rebeccaanneproctor)
SOURCE: Naija Times
IMAGE: Native Mag
