Nigerian Artists & the Nation-State
Fri, Sep 25, 2026
5:00 PM–6:30 PM
Art History Department, Room 3421, CUNY Graduate Center. RSVP is required, as space is limited.
The Modern Africa Working Group is excited to present “Nigerian Artists & the Nation-State” by Prof. Okechukwu Nwafor (Art History, Wesleyan University). The talk will begin with a brief introduction to Prof. Nwafor’s recently published book, Exit of a Hero: Photography and the Visual Culture of Commemoration in Southern Nigeria (University of Michigan Press, 2026), before turning to his forthcoming book project, tentatively titled Nigerian Artists and the Nation-State. The project examines the relationships between Nigerian artists, artistic practices, and the formation and negotiation of the nation-state. Drawing on selected artists as case studies—including a dedicated chapter on Ndidi Dike—the talk will explore how artists have engaged with questions of nationhood, politics, and social change in postcolonial Nigeria.
RSVP is required, as space is limited. Please email [email protected] if any questions.
This event is hosted by The Modern Africa Working Group, supported by the Center for the Humanities at the CUNY Graduate Center.
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