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London 2015

  • 1-54 Forum 2015
  • Exhibitors 2015
  • Sponsors 2015

Jebila Okongwu

Born in 1975 in London, UK. Lives and works in Rome, Italy.

Jebila Okongwu, 'Divination Painting no.1', 2014, Mixed media collage on linen, 140 x 113 cm, Courtesy of the artist and Axis Gallery  

Jebila Okongwu critiques stereotypes of Africa and African identity and repurposes them as counterstrategies, drawing on African history, symbolism, and spirituality. Themes of civil rights, migration, street hawkers, and other socio-political concerns are prevalent in Okongwu’s art. He often works with banana boxes, considering that their cliched slogans and tropical graphics articulate an ‘exotic’ provenance, much like the exoticisation of African bodies from an ethnocentric perspective. When these banana boxes are shipped across to the West from Africa, the Caribbean and South America, the old routes of slavery are retraced, as capital and migratory channels carve into existing patterns of exploitation. In cutting up and reconfiguring the boxes, Okongwu seeks to activate the prospect of chance—a vital root of Western Dada and African divination.

Okongwu often employs performance to enact his ideas. He has exhibited at the American Academy in Rome, Italy; Museo di Capodimonte in Naples, Italy; and Museo d’Arte Contemporanea di Roma in Rome, among other international locations.

Selected Artists

Emma Amos

Demola Ogunajo

Apenouvon, Clay

Myriam Mihindou

Ové, Zak

Koko Robert Bi, Jems

Franck Abd-Bakar Fanny

Hervé Yamguen

Artists 2015

  • A

    • Aboudia
    • Adalberto Ferreira (Toy Boy)
    • Adam Madebe
    • Agbodjelou, Leonce Raphael
    • Andrianomearisoa, Joël
    • Anthony Lane
    • Apenouvon, Clay
    • Arlene Wandera
    • Ataa Oko
  • B

    • Ba, Omar
    • Bandoma, Steve
    • Barthélemy Toguo
    • Ben Khelil, Yesmine
    • Ben Rejeb, Lina
    • Benbouchta, Amina
    • Berhanu, Merikokeb
    • Bobson Sukhdeo Mohanlall
    • Bondo, Vitshois Mwilambwe
    • Bouabdellah, Zoulikha
    • Bouderbala, Meriem
    • Boutté, Nathalie
    • Bright Ugochukwu Eke
    • Bruce Clarke
  • C

    • Chamekh, Nidhal
    • Chihota, Virginia
  • D

    • Daniel Blom
    • Deborah Bell
    • Demola Ogunajo
    • Dicko, Saidou
    • Diop, Omar Victor
    • Douglas Camp, Sokari
    • Dükü, Ernest
    • Durant Basi Sihlali
  • E

    • Edson Chagas
    • EL Loko
    • Emma Amos
    • Eric Pina
    • Eyongakpa, Em’Kal
  • F

    • Francisco Van-Dùnem (Van)
    • Franck Abd-Bakar Fanny
    • François-Xavier Gbré
  • G

    • Gaba, Meschac
    • Gakunga, Naomi Wanjiku
    • Gasteli, Jellel
    • Glover, Ablade
    • Guerresi, Maïmouna
  • H

    • Hajjaj, Hassan
    • Hassan Musa
    • Hazoumè, Romuald
    • Hennie Niemann Jnr
    • Hervé Yamguen
    • Hervé Youmbi
  • I

    • Ibrahim Mahama
    • Ingrid Mwangi
  • J

    • Jackson, Ayana V.
    • James Muriuki
    • Jasse, Délio
    • Jebila Okongwu
    • Jim Chuchu
    • Joana Taya
    • Johannes Phokela
    • John Liebenberg
    • Johnson Zuze
    • Joseph Moise Agbodjelou
  • K

    • Kamuanga Ilunga, Eddy
    • Kamwathi, Peterson
    • Kapwani Kiwanga
    • Karo Akpokiere
    • Katembo, Kiripi
    • Kimathi Donkor
    • Klos, Yashua
    • Koko Robert Bi, Jems
    • Konaté, Abdoulaye
    • Kossentini, Nicène
  • L

    • Lemaoana, Lawrence
    • Leon Krige
    • Leuba, Namsa
    • Lindou, Salifou
    • Lo, Ndary
    • Lyndi Sales
  • M

    • Mabunda, Gonçalo
    • Macilau, Mario
    • Maiga, Hamidou
    • Makamo, Nelson
    • Malek Gnaoui
    • Malick Sidibé
    • Maludi, Houston
    • Mapondera, Wallen
    • Mary Evans
    • Masimba Hwati
    • Mehdi Melhaoui
    • Michéa, Vincent
    • Mika, JP
    • Mimi Cherono Ng’ok
    • Miriam Syowia Kyambi
    • Mohamed Camara
    • Monsengo Shula
    • Monteiro, Fabrice
    • Moschetti, Jean-Claude
    • Mudariki, Richard
    • Myriam Mihindou
  • N

    • Ndiaye, Cheikh
    • Ndidi Emefiele
    • Nzebo, Boris
  • O

    • Okore, Nnenna
    • Olu Amoda
    • Onditi, Paul
    • Option Nyahunzvi
    • Otobong Nkanga
    • Ové, Zak
  • P

    • Paa Joe and Jacob Tetteh-Ashong
    • Paulo Kapela
    • Phillemon Hlungwani
    • Pinto, Mauro
    • Platter, Cameron
  • R

    • ruby onyinyechi amanze
    • Ruga, Athi-Patra
  • S

    • Samba, Chéri
    • Sammy Baloji
    • Sanogo, Amadou
    • Selmani, Massinissa
    • Shomali, Kura
    • Siaka Traoré Soppo
    • Simone Leigh
    • Sinzogan, Julien
    • Sonia Boyce
    • Soudan, Gor
    • Stanley, Ransome
  • T

    • Tugbiyele, Adejoke
  • V

    • Vidal, Francisco
  • W

    • Wanjiku, Beatrice
    • William Adjété Wilson
  • Y

    • Yassine Khaled
    • Yo-Yo Gonthier
    • Youssef Ouchra
  • Z

    • Zahrin Kahlo
    • Zangewa, Billie
    • Zinkpè, Dominique

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