Zidoun-Bossuyt Gallery in Dubai is hosting The Becoming, a solo exhibition by Nigerian artist Awodiya Toluwani that displays his latest works. Running through 11 January 2025, the show explores the values and dynamics of marriage across various Nigerian cultures. It focuses on the institution’s traditions, expectations, and evolving patterns, offering insights into what makes marriages endure.
Marriage holds profound significance in Nigerian culture, reflecting the country’s diverse ethnic and religious heritage. It is more than a union of individuals: it symbolises the bond between families and communities.
Traditional marriage ceremonies in Nigeria are marked by colourful attire, music, and dance. Rituals vary by ethnicity, such as the Igbo’s “Igba Nkwu” (palm wine carrying) or the Yoruba’s “mo mi’n mo e” (“know me and let me know you”). These elaborate events foster cultural pride and communal solidarity, with active participation from family and community members.
Religious beliefs also shape marital practices. Whether Christian, Muslim, or traditional, each faith contributes unique rituals and moral frameworks, reflecting Nigeria’s blending of tradition and modernity. This intersection highlights how young Nigerians navigate their cultural identities in a globalised world.
About the artist
Awodiya Toluwani (b. 1994, Nigeria) graduated in 2017 with a degree in Fine and Applied Arts from the Obafemi Awolowo University (Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria). He is a member of the Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA), founded in 1963 to promote the visual arts in Nigeria.
Toluwani’s art draws from the South Nigerian Adire and Nsibidi traditions, as well as from the Adinkra (Ghana) and multiple other African traditions. His works feature high-relief textures evoking scars, which serve as metaphors for personal and collective histories. While some scars reference physical and emotional pain rooted in slavery, others reflect cultural practices such as tribal marks used for identification, faith, and aesthetics.
Toluwani has showcased his creations in different exhibitions and art events held in his home country and abroad, including INTERWOVEN EXISTENCES (solo) (Zidoun-Bossuyt Gallery, Luxembourg, 2023); Inauguration group show (Zidoun-Bossuyt Gallery, Dubai, 2022); Generations: The Future Masters Series 2 (MyDrim Art Gallery, Lagos, Nigeria, 2019); The Tribe Art Festival (2018); and So Far Exhibition (2014- 2017).
In 2019, Toluwani was a finalist in the Life in My City Art Foundation (LIMCAF) competition. He also participated in residency programmes at Institut für Alles Mögliche (Berlin, Germany) in 2023 and the Burren Immersion Artist Residency (Burren College of Art, Ireland) in 2022.
To get more information about The Becoming, please go to the official web page of the show.
Additionally, you might be interested in visiting Sambadio, Abdoulaye Konaté’s solo exhibition.
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