Art

Objects of Power: Somto Ajuluchukwu Reimagines Sacred African Artifacts as Speculative Tech

Award-winning animator and creative technologist Somto Ajuluchukwu unveils Objects of Power, a groundbreaking solo exhibition of 3D-printed sculptures that fuse ancestral African artifacts with futuristic technology. Opening at Soho House Rome on February 20-21, 2026, this marks Ajuluchukwu’s first major solo show—and a bold pivot from screen-based animation to tangible, physical-digital art. Under his artistic […]

Amber Asuni

9 hours ago

Objects of Power: Somto Ajuluchukwu Reimagines Sacred African Artifacts as Speculative Tech

Award-winning animator and creative technologist Somto Ajuluchukwu unveils Objects of Power, a groundbreaking solo exhibition of 3D-printed sculptures that fuse ancestral African artifacts with futuristic technology.

Opening at Soho House Rome on February 20-21, 2026, this marks Ajuluchukwu’s first major solo show—and a bold pivot from screen-based animation to tangible, physical-digital art. Under his artistic alias Anyanwu (Igbo for the sun, light, and truth-revealing force), he transforms seven monumental sculptures into “print-ready” monoliths, each reinterpreting sacred objects as evolved tools of power.

The Sculptures: Ancestral Objects Evolved

Asante Stool as Governance Data Core: A seat of authority reborn as a digital nexus for societal data.
Maasai Shield as Symbolic Firewall: Protection amplified into a barrier against modern threats.
Ancient Ankh as Power Key: Eternal life symbolized as an unlockable energy source.
Ṣàngó’s Axe as Energy Regulator: The Yoruba thunder god’s weapon, now harnessing metaphysical force.

“These objects were always meant to function,” Ajuluchukwu explains. “In pre-colonial African civilizations, they wielded authority, encoded knowledge, and channeled metaphysical energy to govern societies. This exhibition speculates: What if those systems evolved uninterrupted?”

Crafted in PLA filament via FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling), each 3ft × 3ft × variable-depth piece features raw prints or hand-finished surfaces, bridging digital fabrication with cultural memory.

Artist Spotlight: From Spirit Fiction to Physical Realms

A decade into his career, Ajuluchukwu—founder of pan-African studio Vortex Corp—has championed “Spirit Fiction.” This signature style weaves African spirituality, speculative futures, and cultural memory into animation, comics, games, and immersive media. His work has lit up festivals and institutions across Africa, Europe, Australia, and the US.

Objects of Power extends this vision into three dimensions, making the ethereal physical.