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The much talked about Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) Institute, r a preview event of its first purpose-built building, the MOWAA Institute, on Monday, 4 November, 2024, in Benin, Edo State, titled “Museum in the Making: A Space for Critical Conversations and Reflection”.
The two-day event was aimed at sparking critical conversations about the future of museum practice in West Africa.
It brought together MOWAA’s current donors and partners, including the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), the German Foreign Office, US-based Mellon Foundation, and other corporate leaders, international artists, and local cultural practitioners.
Present were prominent thought leaders such as Prof. Chika Okeke-Agulu, Robert Schirmer (Professors of Art & Archaeology and African American Studies at Princeton University respectively), and Prof. Shadreck Chirikure (Edward Hall Professor of Archaeological Science and Director of the Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art at Oxford University), as well as other distinguished intellectuals and cultural practitioners.
They focused their discussions on themes such as: Defining a “West African” museum in the twenty-first century; The changing role of arts organizations in urban transformation and sustainable development; How archeological technologies might challenge misconceptions about Africa’s past, and The significance of African leadership in cultural preservation and the ethics of restitution.
Speaking at the preview, the Director of MOWAA Institute, Ore Disu, noted that without robust records and monuments, it can be difficult to visualise what Africa societies built, invented and achieved.
“When I took up my role at MOWAA, it was with a strong sense that we should create something that gives Black and African people a sense of their place in the world and platforms to articulate what happens next. No Akan, Yoruba or Edo person should ever doubt the sophistication of their ancestors,” she stated.
In his goodwill message, the Director-General of NCMM, Olugbile Holloway, noted that MOWAA has raised the bar, hence, whatever is done at the federal level must match and tie into its vision.
“What we do here serves as a model for what we are capable of as Nigerians and Africans alike. I want everyone to know that NCMM has seen this, and it is a challenge for us,” he added.
On his part, the Consul-General of the Federal Republic of Germany, Weert Boerner, expressed his country’s government’s pleasure in being a collaborator with MOWAA, even as it looks forward with excitement to the launch of its inaugural exhibition next year.
Aside from formal discussions, participants were treated to guided tours of the MOWAA Campus and Institute, participatory workshops on traditional pottery and rammed earth building, and enthralling performances by local and international artists.
Visitors were also able to share their ideas about the role of museums in African contexts, confirming MOWAA’s philosophy of being a responsive, dynamic institution.
The MOWAA Institute and its Creative Campus will comprise multiple buildings and public spaces for research and education, display, performance, interaction, and the enhancement of arts and culture tourism, designed through the collaboration of local and international architects.
Its future programmes include key focus on research and education, empowering future generations of cultural stewards by developing African leadership in heritage studies and practices.
Formed as an independent non-profit organization in 2020, MOWAA is dedicated to education, learning and skills development aimed at the preservation of heritage, the expansion of knowledge, and the celebration of West African arts and culture.
Its inaugural exhibition will be launched next year.
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