Otobong Nkanga is a critically acclaimed visual and performance artist whose expansive practice engages deeply with issues of environment, identity, history, and the sociopolitical dimensions of global resource exploitation. Employing diverse mediums – including drawing, installa- tion, sculpture, performance, and notably, woven tapestry – Nkanga examines the intricate relationships between people and landscapes, interrogating the complex dynamics of extraction, trade, migration, and memory. Her thoughtful, multidisciplinary approach continues to position her as an essential voice in contemporary art, resonating profoundly with diverse audiences around the world.
Nkanga’s career trajectory reflects an international scope enriched by cross-cultural experiences and exchanges. Educated initially at Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria and subsequently at École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, she further honed her artistic vision through postgraduate study at DasArts in Amsterdam. Her professional journey has included prestigious residencies at institutions such as Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten in Amsterdam and the DAAD in Berlin, which significantly
informed her globally conscious approach.
Her woven tapestry works, integral to her practice, represent layered narratives, combining visual poetry with poignant critiques of ecological and social exploitation. These intricate textiles not only embody her technical skill and aesthetic sophistication but also serve as visual metaphors for the interconnected threads of human experiences and environmental realities. She inserts bodies into the landscape and indicates them as parts of the soup of wreckage left behind in the wake of environmental exploitation. Nkanga’s tapestries often depict abstracted landscapes and organic forms intertwined with symbolic references, inviting viewers to contemplate the interconnectedness of global histories, economies, and ecologies.
At the upcoming 36th Bienal de São Paulo, Nkanga presents works in her Unearthed (2021) series, which encapsulates her ongoing exploration of humanity’s relationship to natural elements and the environment. This work will offer a critical reflection on contemporary ecological and geopolitical tensions, manifesting Nkanga’s commitment to highlighting environmental vulnerabilities and the shared responsibilities of stewardship and sustainability.
