Otobong Nkanga

**Otobong Nkanga: Biography** Otobong Nkanga (born 1974 in Kano, Nigeria) is a Nigerian-born visual artist, tapestry maker, and performance artist currently based in Antwerp, Belgium. Her work is internationally recognized for exploring themes of social and topographical change, the complexities of resource extraction (particularly soil and earth), and the subsequent regional and cultural value of these resources. **Early Life and Education** Nkanga was born in Kano, Nigeria, in 1974, and spent the majority of her childhood in Lagos. Her interest in art and the environment began during her youth, collecting minerals and drawing with mica on the streets of Lagos. Her father passed away when she was seven, and her mother, a polytechnic teacher, supported Nkanga and her three siblings. During her teenage years, the family relocated to Paris, France, due to her mother's work. Nkanga pursued formal art education at Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, and continued her studies at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. She later specialized in performing arts, earning a master's degree from Dasarts (now DAS Graduate School) in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in 2008. **Career Progression and Major Achievements** Nkanga's artistic career focuses on how land and bodies are connected through complex historical, economic, and ecological systems. Her multifaceted practice blends installation, performance, photography, drawing, tapestry, and sculpture to address themes of labor, extraction, and globalization. A significant breakthrough came in 2015 when she was awarded the prestigious Yanghyun Prize. Her work has been featured extensively across major international institutions and exhibitions, including the Tate Modern, the KW Institute in Berlin, the Stedelijk Museum, and the 20th Biennale of Sydney. She was also named the 2025 Laureate by the Nasher Sculpture Center. **Notable Works** Her notable works frequently incorporate organic materials and address the flow of resources and capital. *Taste of a Stone* (2010/19) uses Namib Red pebbles, local rocks, and plant materials to meditate on land and resources. Her project *Carved to Flow* (2017), presented during documenta 14, involved a large-scale installation and a workshop for O8 natural soap, exploring the commodification and movement of raw materials. More recently, works like *Leaving trails in the distance* (2021) and *Loaded tears turned to rock* (2023) continue her exploration through hand-tufted carpets, wood, ceramic, and glass. **Current Status** Otobong Nkanga currently lives and works in Antwerp, Belgium. She maintains an active exhibition schedule globally, with upcoming shows including *Otobong Nkanga: Cadence* at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York (October 2024 – July 2025).