SCOPE OF THE AWARD
As an international centre for contemporary art a key component of our remit is to bring international artists to Arnolfini, providing a platform for their work and an opportunity to share their practice with our audiences. We believe that showing the work of artists from across the globe helps to broaden audiences understanding of contemporary art practice and the cultural, political, and social context within which these artists work, whilst creating opportunities to further an artist’s research and practice.
We also recognise the value in going beyond simply exhibiting the work of international artists. We want to create opportunities for artists to spend time within our organisation and to meaningfully engage with our communities, including Bristol’s artistic community, our student population, and the many community groups and organisations across Bristol with which we have built strong sustainable relationships.
By creating opportunities for artists to spend time physically in residence at Arnolfini and within Bristol we can transform both our audiences and artists engagement with our exhibitions from one of cultural experience to mutual exchange, generating conversations, sharing practice, and deepening our understanding of other cultures.
MEET THE ARTIST
Our third International Artist Award recipient is Nigerian Artist Nengi Omuku, whose exhibition The Dance of People and the Natural World (originated at Hastings Contemporary), is one of our two summer shows at Arnolfini in 2024.
Nengi spent a week installing the exhibition with the team in Bristol, contributing to the interpretation of the exhibition sharing her own stories about individual works to create new audio content, as well as delivering a tour for our visitor services team helping them to interpret the show for visitors, and taking part in our opening celebrations with an artist lunch and memorable evening event with audiences from across the city.
Building upon Nengi’s own commitment to mental health and wellbeing – having founded her own charity in Lagos The Art of Healing, inspired by a previous commission from London-based charity Hospital Rooms – she worked with one of our long-term community partners creativeShift to deliver a creative wellbeing workshop. The session created an opportunity for participants experiencing social isolation and mental or physical health challenges to respond to Nengi’s work and to learn more about her practice through conversation and creative activities.
ARTIST FEEDBACK
“Installing my exhibition at the Arnolfini in Bristol was an incredible experience I will not forget. From the moment I arrived, I was received with so much warmth by the team who worked collaboratively to install the work. I felt supported throughout the installation process and the team were very attentive to my feedback as well.
I want to express special gratitude to the brilliant installers, and Gemma, who coordinated everything with such grace and efficiency. Her enthusiasm about the show was contagious, and her insights helped elevate the overall presentation of the work.
I also want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Kiara, whose support was invaluable throughout the installation process. Additionally, I thoroughly enjoyed working with the incredible organization Creative Shift, expertly coordinated by Keiko. Their presence added a thoughtful and sensitive touch to the opening experience.”
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Nengi Omuku (born 1987, Nigeria) lives and works in Lagos, Nigeria. She received her BA (2010) and MA (2012) from the Slade School of Art, University College London. Omuku is currently included Exchanges, a collection presentation at the Whitworth, Manchester (until 24 November) and her work featured in Soulscapes at Dulwich Picture Gallery, London (2023 to 2024).
In 2022, Pippy Houldsworth Gallery, London, presented Parables of Joy, the artist’s first solo exhibition with the gallery. Other recent exhibitions include The Dance of People and the Natural World, the artist’s first institutional solo exhibition at Hastings Contemporary (2023); Aso Oke: Prestige Cloth from Nigeria, Saint Louis Art Museum, MO (2023 to 2024); As Water Never Touched, Kirstin Hjellegjerde, West Palm Beach, FL, (2023); Free The Wind, The Spirit, and The Sun, Stephen Friedman Gallery, London (2023); Rites of Passage, curated by Péjú Oshin, Gagosian, London (2023); Bangkok Art Biennale (2022 to 2023); Dissolving Realms, curated by Katy Hessel, Kasmin Gallery, New York (2022); and What Lies Beneath: Women, Politics, Textile, The Women’s Art Collection, Murray Edwards College, University of Cambridge (2022). Collections include Baltimore Museum of Art, Maryland; Whitworth, Manchester; Women’s Art Collection, Murray Edwards College, Cambridge; and the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, Florida.
Omuku is represented by Pippy Houldsworth, London, Kristin Hjellegjerde, London, and The Kasmin Gallery, New York.
About the Artist
Nengi Omuku
Nigerian artist Nengi Omuku’s exhibition The Dance of People and the Natural World at Arnolfini Summer 2024.
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29 June - 29 September 2024
