About the Book:

The end of the Second World War witnessed the rise of Pan-African solidarity movements and the increased migration of African artists to European cosmopolitan centres. During Nigeria’s struggle for national independence in particular, artists drew upon diverse cultural traditions to navigate the country’s evolving social and political landscape, resulting in a rich and diverse body of work. This richly illustrated publication explores the multi-directional development of modern art in Nigeria from the period of British indirect rule to the years of national independence and post-independence, considering Nigerian art in relation to themes and ideas of Christian and Islamic art, traditional African sculpture, indigenous knowledge systems and Nigerian poetry and literature.

About the Author:

Osei Bonsu is a British-Ghanaian curator and writer based in London and Paris. In 2020, Bonsu was named one of Apollo magazine's "40 under 40" leading African voices. He is a curator of international art at Tate Modern and lives in London.