An Exhibition of Photographs & AI Generated Images of selected Nigerian Pre 20th Century traditional Sculpture
University of Basel, 26-28 August 2026
Traditional African sculpture is a vital capsule for preserving communal identity and visual history. The “Nigerian Images Reimagined” exhibition breathes new life into spectacular 14th to 17th-century Nigerian masterpieces. The recreated images invite us to witness a vivid and lucid revival of centuries-old fashion, intricate coiffures, and majestic ornamentation as it centres Nigerian traditional sculptures as rich cultural portraiture.
The exhibition is free and open to the public.
About the exhibition
For many West African traditional societies, sculpture is the major thread through which the fabric of communal and individual identity are preserved. Sculpture serves as mnemonic objects that remind us of the past, speaks to the present, and ensures our proper alignment with the future. Because sculpture is the primary codex for the record of cultural visuality, the act of reading pre 20th century sculpture as a cipher to the past becomes an important methodology in the investigation and recovery of self and collective identity.
This exhibition explores an analytical interrogation of selected pre 20th century sculptures from Nigeria. Using Nigeria as a casing point, researcher and artist Adeyemi Akande argues that whether naturalistic, neo-naturalistic or abstracted, sculptural pieces from early West Africa are a form of portraiture which embodies and relay cultural data that represent the people.
Through the innovative power of photography, and AI image recreation software, the Nigeria Images project attempts a detailed reconstruction of critical cultural and ethnographical data gathered from the works. The project pays great attention to the interpretation of materials, demeanour and cultural undercurrents encoded in the works whether they be factual or symbolic.
By visually reconstructing these works, the project seeks to revive and present a lucid imagery of 14th – 17th century fashion, coiffure, ornamentation, and physical beauty from different traditional societies that make up modern Nigeria. We do this so as to engage public interest on the one hand, and to elicit critical discussions around authentic Afro-identity on the other.
The exhibition features twenty four images from the project corpus.
Venue
The exibition will be on display during the SGAS-VAD Conference from 26 to 28 August 2026 (8:00 to 20:00) at the main building of the University of Basel:
Universität Basel, Kollegienhaus, Petersplatz 1, Basel, Room 035 (ground floor)