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PROJECTS
OKOLO at National Museum Scotland 9th August- 31st October 2025
Informed by his research of National Museums Scotland's African collections, 'Okolo' by Scottish-Nigerian artist and printmaker
Nkem Okwechime looks at the intersection of European and West African identity.
His installation at the National Museum of Scotland features artwork based on observations and inspiration from visits to the National Museums Collection Centre.
Nkem worked with groups of young people from surrounding community groups to co-create responses to the collection. The groups shared in their learning about the meaning behind the objects, and Nkem's own artistic practice.
This installation was featured as part of the Edinburgh Art Festival 2025.
Joseph Khight Banner, Perth Musuem 2024
This project highlights the connection between Scotland and its colonial slave trade history. Im honoured to have been given this responsibility to celebrate the accomplishments of this extraordinary man, defying all odds to become a freeman in Scotland which triggered the abolition of slavery in Scotland 1778.
Joseph Knight banner will be open to the public from tomorrow. Alongside many valuable and interesting artefacts such as 'The stone of destiny. Joseph Knight banner to be on display for 20+ years so plenty of time to visit it!
'Untold Stories'
"The Cairncross Gallery is home to six original artworks that tell stories from Perth and Scotland in new ways. Perth and Kinross Council commissioned six artists to work with communities to produce the stories on these six Standards. Standards were banners that played a crucial role in identifying troops, rallying soldiers and conveying messages on the battlefield. These Standards tell a series of interconnected stories of struggle, power and freedom. From Tayside mills to Jacobite battlefields, to the sugar plantations of Jamaica, these artworks uncover stories of the past and explore how their impact resounds in our present. This gallery was supported by Perth UNESCO City of Craft and Folk Art."
Artist included- Laura Darling, Nikkita Morgan, Dylan Gibson, Ashleigh Slater and Emily Smit-Dicks
Okolo Exhibition, Generator Projects, Dundee
17th November - 10th December 2023
You walk into Generator Projects in Dundee, the city where this creative journey first began in 2014. The atmosphere carries a sense of return — a cycle coming full circle — as the second solo show of 2023 unfolds before you.
Moving through the space, you encounter collages that blend African and UK culture, a practice that first took shape in 2017. Photographs of friends become source material, layered with the visual language of African masks, giving rise to hybrid figures that feel at once ancient and contemporary.
At the center stands Okolo — an alter ego born from this fusion, a character that carries the weight of tradition while embodying the pulse of modern life. Through Okolo, you are invited to reflect on identity, cultural intersections, and the ways stories are passed down, reshaped, and reborn.
Ikenga Series, The Alchemy Experiment, Glasgow, 28th July - 6th August 2023
This recent body of work explores Igbo spirituality, focusing on Ikenga — a deity within Igbo culture that embodies spiritual force and energy. Traditionally represented as a wooden or metal figure with two horns, Ikenga serves as a personal shrine, symbolising power, wisdom, and the drive to overcome challenges in pursuit of achievement.
The installation “Agiabor na ezinaunōya” (Agiabor and her family), positioned on the lower floor, draws from this symbolism. Acting as both shrine and gathering, it reflects the enduring role of ancestral forces as sources of guidance, inspiration, and resilience.
M.R.L.C Takeover, Pipe Factory, Glasgow
30th September - 2nd October 2022
"In my work I am trying to show there is a vision that is based in my own background and community without compromising – another voice to expose the beauty in the ordinary and a perspective which connects mixed/black working-class culture and the world of fine art and beyond. Although I see my work as deliberate social commentary, I hope it is beautiful to look at, highlighting and celebrating traditional African culture alongside images of a strong and positive current British culture and community."
M.R.L.C TAKEOVER, GSA Degree Show, Glasgow, June 2022
M.R.L.C Takeover was Nkem Okwechime’s final degree show at the Glasgow School of Art, presented in 2022. Drawing on his Scottish–Nigerian heritage and experiences growing up between South London, Dundee, and Glasgow, the installation explored themes of identity, cultural connection, and working-class expression.
Through a vibrant mix of printmaking, photography, and textiles, Nkem used his brand M.R.L.C as a platform to merge fine art with the aesthetics of everyday life. The work celebrated Black and multicultural narratives while confronting how they are perceived in contemporary Britain.
Rich in colour, texture, and symbolism, M.R.L.C Takeover acted as both social commentary and celebration — bridging traditional African culture with the energy of modern British street culture. It invited viewers to reflect on belonging, representation, and the power of art to reclaim and affirm identity
"The context of my work is documenting and celebrating my identity. I think artists narrate a personal story using themselves, their history and their surroundings to create a unique view of our existence. We recognise ourselves in our surroundings. I am using my identity as a person, both divided and brought together by several cultures to observe, document and most of all, celebrate my environment which is was the main focus for my degree show installation"
Mis(sing) Information, Perth Art Gallery
19th March - 19th June 2022
Curated by Dundee-based visual artist and curator Saoirse Amira Anis, Mis(sing) Information features work by Tayo Adekunle, Nkem Okwechime, Tako Taal and Natasha Ruwona.
Mis(sing) Information is a long-overdue showcase of the work of Black artists at Perth Museum and Art Gallery, allowing these artists to document and present their own history. This exhibition will draw attention to the white-washed version of history traditionally taught in Scotland, encouraging visitors to reassess the stories they have been taught in the past.
This collection of artworks will offer an alternative picture of colonial relations to the one often projected by British museums by referencing the Western appropriation of African bodies, cultures and artefacts.
Museum collections are home to many objects that have a contested and, in many instances, brutal past. The stories told by these objects often veer towards a version of history that is dominated by Eurocentric accounts. Mis(sing) Information at Perth Museum and Art Gallery will contribute to the conversation that museums are not neutral spaces, and spotlight voices that are often excluded from their own narrative.