For those who did not know her, Bisi Silva had a major impact on the the Art Sector in Africa. Some would say she was years ahead of her time. She opened the Center for Contemporary Art Lagos, in Lagos Nigeria and gave the public a view of all the possibilities that contemporary art has to offer.
At the start of her career, Silva was critiqued! She was ridiculed about collecting installation art? People asked whether performance art was really "art" or just a form of dance or body movement? The good news is we are finally catching up!
It's sad that she left this earth before seeing some of the impact from just chasing down the thing she loved the most–art in it's most authentic form.
Her influence on contemporary African art is undeniable. A visionary curator, cultural advocate, and relentless innovator, Silva’s work transcended borders, reshaping narratives around African artistic expression. Her impact remains deeply felt six years after her passing, a testament to her pioneering spirit.
From February 12 through May 31, 2025, the Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA), Lagos, will honour its late founder with Archives and Memories, a landmark exhibition curated by Favour Ritaro. Featuring six Nigerian artists—Ndidi Dike, Ngozi-Omeje Ezema, Odun Orimolade, Taiye Idahor, Temitayo Ogunbiyi, and Wura-Natasha Ogunji—the exhibition is not merely a retrospective; it is a dialogue between past and present, reflecting Silva’s radical approach to curatorial practice and artistic experimentation.
A Legacy Etched in Innovation
Bisi Silva was not just a curator; she was an architect of opportunity, constructing platforms for artists to engage in critical discourse beyond commercial imperatives. Through CCA Lagos, she nurtured artistic voices, championing contemporary African art with intellectual rigor and an unapologetic defiance of Western canons.
The Archives and Memories exhibition is structured around six sections, each dedicated to one artist’s response to Silva’s enduring influence. The works presented are deeply personal yet universally resonant, exploring memory, loss, and identity in ways that echo Silva’s own curatorial ethos.
Art as a Vessel for Memory and Inquiry
Ndidi Dike’s Residues of Past Encounters is a striking meditation on migration and historical trauma. A partially capsized canoe—evocative of the transatlantic slave trade—stands alongside a distressed suitcase filled with personal artifacts. This assemblage underscores the entanglement of history, displacement, and identity. Dike reflects, "Bisi Silva created a space where artists were encouraged to embrace intellectual rigor, to fail, to experiment, and to challenge dominant narratives."
Ngozi-Omeje Ezema’s ceramic installation revisits the themes of grief and remembrance. Her work is a homage to Silva, who curated her 2018 solo exhibition Connecting Deep, urging her to push artistic boundaries. "She ignited a light in us," Ezema said. "A light that continues to burn, compelling us to create and be heard."
Odun Orimolade’s Spirits at the Ball takes a satirical approach, reimagining the 1884–85 Berlin Conference through surreal photographic and video compositions. In her exploration of archives and memory, she notes, "This exhibition affirms the continuum of artistic and historical discourse, linking past, present, and future in unexpected ways."
A Continuum of Experimentation and Inquiry
Taiye Idahor’s Studio of Small Things reconstructs her artistic journey from 2009 to the present, rooted in her ongoing exploration of hair as a symbol of identity and transformation. The work is a direct nod to Silva’s Gallery of Small Things, a 2017 exhibition that championed intimate, small-scale works. "Bisi’s emphasis on research and process profoundly shaped my practice," Idahor states.
Temitayo Ogunbiyi’s installation presents a multifaceted body of work, incorporating drawings, paintings, installations, and archival material. Through this diverse practice, she extends Silva’s vision of art as a means of cultural interrogation and historical reflection.
Wura-Natasha Ogunji’s mixed-media installations and video performances delve into themes of migration, memory, and feminine labour. Reflecting on Silva’s legacy, Ogunji notes, "Loss activates memory. We are all time-traveling, replaying moments with Bisi, rediscovering her impact in new ways."
The Director’s Reflection
For Oyindamola Faithful, the Executive and Artistic Director of CCA Lagos, Archives and Memories is both a professional undertaking and a deeply personal tribute. "Bisi was more than a curator—she was a mentor, a force of nature. The weight of carrying forward her vision is immense, but it is also a privilege. This exhibition is as much a memorial as it is a celebration."
Curator Favour Ritaro underscores the significance of preserving Silva’s legacy: "This exhibition is a reminder that archives are not memories themselves, but touchstones for preserving and articulating them. Bisi Silva’s work remains an essential reference point in the ongoing evolution of contemporary African art."
While Archives and Memories predominantly features six female Nigerian artists, the exhibition does not claim to encapsulate the full spectrum of Silva’s curatorial impact. Instead, it offers an intimate, fragmented glimpse into the personal and collective memories shaped by her work, reinforcing the notion that artistic legacies are not static—they are living, breathing continuums.
Archives and Memories is on view at the Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos, from February 12 to May 31, 2025.
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