As part of our ongoing commitment to fostering reflective and context-driven creative practice, our Collective Remembering Archives Workshop brought together artists for a powerful encounter with the rich legacy held within the CCA Lagos archives.
Through guided sessions, participating artists were invited to explore the archives and uncover the memories, stories, and offerings embedded within its collection. The workshop opened with artists sharing their individual practices and creative origin stories, fostering a dialogue that bridged personal memory with institutional history.
Participants were introduced to the ongoing cataloguing and digitisation efforts led by the archivists-in-residence, who shared insights into the delicate and vital work of preserving artistic and curatorial narratives for future generations.
We were honoured by a special visit from Nadine, Director of the Goethe-Institut Nigeria, the host institution of this residency. Her presence, alongside the enduring words and vision of Bisi Silva, founder of CCA Lagos and key figure in Nigerian contemporary art, helped frame the critical role of the archive in shaping the future of Nigerian and African arts and curatorial practice.
The workshop also served as a reflective space to examine structures of power within archives, and to engage with emerging methodologies in archival justice and restorative memory-making — conversations that are increasingly urgent in the African context.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the participating artists for their invaluable contributions and for continuing the conversation between past, present, and future creative selves.
