Archives and Memories exhibition honours the legacy of Bisi Silva at CCA, Lagos

By Godwin Okondo

“I‘ve lived my dream; I’ve lived my passion, and I continue to dream.” These profound words by the late Bisi Silva capture the inspiring spirit of a curator, as reflected in Toyin Akinosho’s documentary, Bisi Silva: A Whirlwind Tour Through Art. Her transformative influence on art in Nigeria, Africa, and the African diaspora is undeniable.

And so from today Wednesday, February 12 through May 31, 2025, tthe Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA), Lagos, will present ‘Archives and Memories’, an exhibition that pays tribute to the late pioneering curator and founder of the CCA, Lagos, Bisi Silva. The exhibition, curated by Favour Ritaron, features works by six Nigerian artists: Ndidi Dike, Ngozi-Omeje Ezema, Odun Orimolade, Taiye Idahor, Temitayo Ogunbiyi and Wura-Natasha Ogunji.

Silva’s legacy is profound, and her impact on the art world has continued to resonate years after she passed away on February 12, 2019. As a curator, she was committed to promoting contemporary African art and providing a platform for artists to showcase their work. Her curatorial practice was characterized by a deep understanding of the complexities of African art and culture, and she was instrumental in shaping the contemporary art scene in Nigeria.

Archives and Memories exhibition is a testament to Silva’s enduring legacy. The show features a selection of works that reflect the artists’ personal and collective memories, as well as their engagement with Silva’s curatorial practice. The exhibition is divided into six sections, each featuring the work of one artist.

Bisi Silva (left) at work

Dike’s ‘Residues of Past Encounters’ is a powerful installation that explores the themes of migration, memory and identity. The work features a partially capsized canoe, a symbol of the transatlantic slave trade, as well as a distressed suitcase filled with ephemera and personal items. The installation is a poignant reflection on the past and its ongoing impact on the present.

For Dike, “‘Residues and Past Encounters’ is an assemblage of time and materiality, tangible and intangible, and speaks to many issues of hos life has reflectedd and evolved over teh decades… Archiving and documenting have alsways been an integral part of Bisi’s legacy at CAA, a space where artists are empowered to embrace intellectual rigour and research. Bisi created a safe space where artists and curators were given the freedom to fail and learn while indulging in radical experimental processes that confronted western canons and went against a commercial norm and instant gratification.”

Ezema’s ceramic installation is a tribute to Silva, who curated her solo exhibition ‘Connecting Deep’ in 2018, a year before she died. The work explores the theme of loss and mourning, using the metaphor of the elephant to convey the depth of human emotion. “With her characterisitic wisdom,” recalled Ezema, “she (Bisi Silva) urged us ot pour everything we have into our work, to keep shouting and pushing until the whole world hears us. The light she ignited that day remains unquenchable, continuing to spread and inspire.”

Orimolade’s ‘Spirits at the Ball’ is a satirical fantasy that reimagines the 1884-85 Berlin Conference, where European colonial powers partitioned Africa. The work features a series of photographs and videos that capture the elegance and refinement of European colonialism, as well as the presence of African spirits who disrupt the proceedings. “We find ourselves reminiscining in a new space of an old place with every intention of embracing the yet unknown future it holds,” Orimolade reminisces. “This engagement of archives and memories as a creative exercise is an adventure into teh complex relationship between past, present and future… This collective intersection of archives and memories through connections and events with Bisis Silva and CCA Lagos allows for an overlapping of ecperiences and interactions as well as affirms the trajectory and connections of the developmental process in creative production and research.”

Idahor’s ‘Studio of Small Things’ is a self-curated chronicle of her practice from 2009 to the present. The installation features a series of sketches, collages, and experiments that reflect her ongoing exploration of the theme of hair. Idahor says her title pieces directly stems from a workshop Silva launched while she was there as a project coordinator and curator, noting, “In 2017 Bisi Silva launched the inaugural edition of ‘gallery of Small Things’, one of her personal projects. This specially curated exhibition featured many ‘small’ artworks, measuring no larger than 50cm x 50cm and created by artists around the world.

“As a tribute to Bisi Silva, this installation adopts a similar playful format, highlighting visual differences and adhering to the same size specifications… These works that I present form the foundation of my practice; the consistent use and repetition of forms, particularly hair, demonstrate my commitment to research and experimentations, as i continue to explore artistic growth.”

Ogunbiyi’s installation is a diverse body of work that includes drawings, paintings, installations, publications, and archival materials. The work reflects her ongoing engagement with themes of identity, culture and history.

Ogunji’s video performances and mixed media installations explore the themes of migration, memory and feminine labour. Her work is a powerful reflection on the experiences of women and the ways in which they navigate the complexities of identity and culture. “It’s funny how loss activates the neural pathways of memory…” enthuses Ogunji. ‘I can see hundreds of people playing their own memories of her on repeat. We are all thinking about the presence of Bisi Silva in the world and in our lives. We are time-travelling to those specific places and textures and sounds. There are thousands of pathways criss-crossing and overlapping. May our life’s paths stay lit forever and always because of the people who are thinking our stories. That our weight in the world expands and and amplifies through every other human being. Molecules rearrange or relocate but you can never disappear; you can never not exist…

“Still, I feel unbearably sad!”

“Bisi was a phenomenal curator,” enthuses Executive and Artistic Director, CCA Lagos, Oyindamola Faithful. “But in these past four years, I have come to truly understand the pioneering leader she was. I never imagined that one day I would have to walk in her shoes as director. Had I known then, I would have absorbed even more of what she was teaching me. This renovation project has been deeply personal. It has given me space to mourn, to heal. It is a memorial to the woman whose impact on my career was immeasurable. I hope she would have been proud of the woman and leader I have become. Thank you, Bisi Silva. Thank you.”

According to the show’s curator Ritaro, “As we reflect on the legacy of Bisi Silva, we are reminded of the importance of preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of Africa. The exhibition Archives and Memories is a testament to the enduring legacy of Bisi Silva and her commitment to promoting contemporary African art.”

Ndidi Dike’s ‘Residues of Past Encounters’ at the Archives and Memories show at CCA Lagos

Although six powerful Nigerian female artists are represented in this show, there is curatorial caveat provided indicating that “Archives and Memories does not aim to represent all Nigeria women artists or encompass the entirety of Bisi Silva’s curatorial engagements. Instead, it offers a fragmentary glimpse into personal and collective memories shaped by the artists’ works and Silva’s archives. It acknowledges that archives are not memories themselves, but serve as touchstones for retrieving, preserving and articulating them.”

The exhibition Archives and Memories is on view at the Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos, from February 12 to May 31, 2025.