Outside The Box: The Inaugural Nigerian Pavilion at the 56th Venice Biennial

Installation shot

Opening Speech – On behalf
Performance/Installation
2015/2016
Dimension Variable

Having been invited amongst 4 Nigerian artists to participate in the 56th Venice biennial for the Nigerian pavilion. Last minute, the pavilion was cancelled. This incident became an opportunity to reflect on the meaning of a Nigerian national pavilion at Venice for its various constituents: myself, other Nigerian artists, the Nigerian government and people, and perhaps Africa at large. The result was my development of the “Nigerian Pavilion.” This installation encompasses an entire exhibition of artworks by four “Nigerian” artists, the artist has created sculptural installations, conceptual print media, paintings and photographic series that comment upon postcolonial networks of trade, power and communication. Presented as the official Nigerian pavilion, the entire exhibition and the works within it are my fictionalized imagining of the pavilion presented as the real thing.

This video is a performance of the welcome address as presented during the opening of the biennial exhibition in New York by Mr Amenoff on behalf of the minister of arts and culture of Nigeria with the highlight from the exhibition