A new exhibition at the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art shifts attention from the finished artwork to the materials, techniques, and knowledge that shape contemporary Nigerian artistic practice.
6 July 2026
What if the most compelling story behind an artwork lies not in its image, but in the process of its making? ‘Tracing Forms: The Art of Making’, on view at the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art at Pan-Atlantic University, invites audiences to engage with contemporary Nigerian art through the lens of technique, material, and experimentation. Rather than organising works by chronology or subject, the exhibition foregrounds the creative decisions and skilled processes that transform raw materials into powerful visual languages.
Curated by Charles Udeh, the exhibition unfolds across four interconnected sections, spanning painting, sculpture, ceramics, environmental installation, photography, and digital media. From the tactile richness of impasto painting and bronze casting to assemblage, ecological practices, and post-digital image making, the exhibition reveals the diversity of artistic production in Nigeria today. By bringing together artists working across generations and disciplines, ‘Tracing Forms’ demonstrates how ancestral techniques continue to inform contemporary innovation while new technologies expand the possibilities of artistic expression.
As a university museum dedicated to research and public engagement, the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art positions itself as a form of knowledge. ‘Tracing Forms’ encourages visitors to slow down, look closely, and appreciate the labour, experimentation, and cultural memory embedded within every artwork, offering a timely reflection on the enduring vitality of Nigerian contemporary art.
This exhibition is on view at the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art at Pan-Atlantic University, Lekki, Nigeria, until 15 July 2026.
