Otobong Nkanga on episode #84 of 'Everything is Connected'

19 December 2024

On this episode of 'Everything is Connected', Otobong Nkanga discusses her latest commission, Cadence, on view at the MoMA now through summer 2025.

Otobong Nkanga, a multidisciplinary visual artist born in Nigeria and based in Antwerp, Belgium, explores themes of memory, identity, and the complex relationships between people and their environment. Nkanga’s art is deeply rooted in storytelling, using materials like minerals, textiles, and organic substances to narrate humanity's interaction with land and resources.

Nkanga's work has garnered international acclaim, including numerous exhibitions at prestigious institutions such as Tate Modern, Castello di Rivoli, and the Venice Biennale. In 2019, she received the Sharjah Biennial Prize and the prestigious Ultima Prize for Visual Arts in Belgium. Her ongoing project Carved to Flow, which merges art, community, and sustainability, exemplifies her commitment to creating dialogues around ethical consumption and interconnectedness. Nkanga's innovative work continues to influence contemporary art, prompting critical reflections on the ties between ecology, culture, and the global economy.

Light Work is a creative media platform rooted at the intersection of art, education, and culture highlighting the work of emerging, mid-career, and established artists from diverse communities and the art professionals who seek to amplify their achievements and contributions to society.

Listen to the podcast here.

Image: Portrait of Otobong Nkanga, 2024. Photo: Wim van Dongen, Courtesy Lisson Gallery