Xippi, Heritage, and Metamorphosis: Voice in West African Art


The August Wilson African American Cultural Center


Installation 

On View: April 26, 2024 – July 14, 2024


The Xippi, Heritage, and Metamorphosis: Voices in West African Art exhibition brought together a collection of works from artists across Western Africa, including pieces from Dakar, Nigeria, Ghana, and more. The diverse use of colors, textures, and forms formed a rich tapestry of visual narratives, each reflecting the storytelling, creativity, and cultural significance of the artists involved. By decentralizing traditional Western-centric interpretations of African art, the exhibition offered a refreshing perspective that embraced both the past and the future, firmly rooted in the continent’s dynamic visual languages and traditions of futurism.


Mikael Owunna's Infinite Essence series was featured, offering a deeply immersive exploration of African cosmologies. Owunna’s work, which envisions Blackness as a cosmic source of creation, aligned with the exhibition’s theme, reimagining African art as a powerful force that transcends stereotypes and limitations.