Osaru Obaseki: Bridging Past and Present Through Sculpture and Painting

by

Michael Kolawole

Osaru Obaseki’s studio is a reflection of her artistic process: textured materials scattered across tables by the window; a plastic trolley filled with painting tubes and containers of different sizes, shapes, and colors stands by an alluring portrait of a man at the center; half-formed sculptures are sitting by fully formed ones in the corner. The atmosphere is quiet but contemplative, buzzing with creative energy. Born in Edo State, the heartland of Nigerian art and history, Obaseki’s work is a deliberate fusion of the ancient and modern, exploring themes of identity, heritage, and societal transformation. 

“I’ve always felt a deep connection to my heritage,” Obaseki says, thoughtfully running her fingers along the surface of sculpted pieces titled Coated In Lines. “But I didn’t want just to recreate the past. I wanted to find a way to make it relevant to today’s world.”

Her paintings and sculptures, made from a mix of sand (earth), acrylic, and bronze, do exactly that. They are fully grounded in the earth and elevated by modern sensibilities, telling stories that transcend time. Obaseki’s choice of materials isn’t accidental. Sand (earth), a fundamental element in many ancient sculptures, represents the past, the land, and the stories embedded within it. Acrylic, in contrast, is a contemporary material—light, versatile, and often associated with modern art. By combining these two, she creates a dialogue between eras, allowing ancient narratives to take shape in modern forms. A perfect example is a large, colorful portrait of the Idia Mask hung on the wall, casting an aura of history with a touch of modernity in the studio. 

“When I work with sand (earth), it feels like I’m touching history,” she says. “It’s raw, grounded, and full of stories. Acrylic, on the other hand, brings a certain lightness to the work. It’s more playful, more fluid. Putting them together lets me express how our past informs our present, and how the two can exist in harmony.”

Obaseki’s work, which cuts across sculptures, paintings, and installations, is more about stringing history with modernity. It’s mainly for the progress of tangible and intangible heritage and core values. Her sculptures and paintings mediate between the past and present. “I’m putting the past and present in the same place,” she says, glancing at the studio’s sculptures, paintings, and installations. “I’m documenting now, yet looking at the past and the history we have had. 

This blend of materials is more than just an aesthetic choice—it’s a metaphor for her larger artistic vision: to remind people of their roots while challenging them to think critically about their present and future.

One of the most significant moments in Obaseki’s career came when she began working with bronze, particularly through the lost wax technique—a method historically associated with the renowned Benin Bronzes. For Obaseki, working with bronze is a way to honour her cultural heritage while pushing the boundaries of traditional craftsmanship.

“There’s something almost mystical about the process of bronze casting,” she reflects. “You start with something fragile—wax—and by the time the metal cools, you have something solid, something eternal. It’s a reminder that even the most delicate things can be made strong.”

Though Obaseki’s sculptures and paintings look modern, there is an air of retrospect in them. She achieves this unique impression by using iconographies. The stylization of the faces of her sculptures and paintings, for instance, the use of roses to represent human faces and headgear, which she explains “as the symbolism of the environment.” She explains that she likes using roses, or flowers, to make a statement that just as plants need the right environment to thrive and grow, so do humans.  

To express history and identity in her work, Obaseki embellishes them with African scarifications, motifs, signs and symbols. “These scarifications are from the old Benin’s artefacts. You can find it on the Idia’s mask,” she explains, pointing at two bronze sculptures titled Coated In Lines and her colourful painting of replicas of the Idia’s mask hung on the wall.

Obaseki grew up in Port Harcourt, but whenever she visited her hometown in Edo, the famous Benin Kingdom, she was surrounded by the legacy of some of Africa’s most celebrated artists. The Benin Bronzes, with their intricate detail and historical significance, were a constant source of inspiration for her. But she didn’t want to simply recreate those works. Instead, she wanted to explore how that heritage shapes contemporary African identities. “My work isn’t just about celebrating the past,” she explains. “It’s about asking questions—about who we are, where we are now, and where we’re going.”

Her sculptures often reflect this tension between the old and the new, the fractured and the whole. In some pieces, she uses fragmented human forms to represent the impact of colonisation and post-colonial struggles. “I want people to see that while our history may be complicated, we’re still here,” she says. Yet, these pieces are never truly broken. There is always a sense of resilience in the way they are pieced back together. “We’re still standing and working to make our communities better,” she adds. 

This idea of transformation is central to much of Obaseki’s work. Her sculptures often feature fragmented forms, symbolising the disruptions caused by colonialism, societal change, and personal identity struggles. But there is also a sense of healing in her work—a piecing together of the fractured, a reimagining of wholeness.

Obaseki’s journey into the art world is unique. Through sheer determination and creative vision, she has established herself as a force in the Nigerian art scene, defying the conventional notions of artistic development. She learned by experimenting with materials and reading books, which allowed her to develop a distinctive style that stood apart from convention. This lack of restrictions enables her to find her voice. The voice has connected with audiences both in Nigeria and internationally. 

Obaseki’s work has reached beyond Nigeria’s borders. Her residency at the AKKA Project in Venice/Murano has been a transformative period in her career, enabling her to explore deeply into glasswork, a medium traditionally associated with the famed Murano glassmakers. Invited as part of the residency’s sixth edition, Obaseki’s project focused on exploring themes of cultural identity, materiality, and the historical resonances between Africa and Europe. Her work during this residency not only broadened her artistic approach but also brought a fresh narrative into the Murano glass world, reflecting her Nigerian roots through innovative glass sculptures. The resulting works were showcased as part of The Venice Glass Week and the prestigious Glasstress exhibition, where she exhibited alongside the likes of Ai Wei Wei, Mark Bradford, and so many other key artists. 

“The residency was transformative. I learned how to make sculptures by using glass. I also learned how to process and preserve my sculpture,” she explains, adding that the environment was conducive and the studio was well-equipped.

During her residency, Obaseki collaborated closely with the Berengo Foundation, a renowned institution that has fostered the dialogue between contemporary art and glass. This experience allowed her to integrate sand, acrylics, bronze, and glass, crafting intricate pieces that merge traditional African motifs with Venetian glass techniques. The sculptures illustrate Obaseki’s distinctive ability to intertwine African cultural symbols with modern materials, producing artworks that provoke thought on post-colonial narratives and shared histories.

Her glass sculptures received significant attention, particularly as part of  “Glasstress 8½,”. This exposure has had a profound impact on her career, opening doors for future exhibitions and collaborations while establishing her as an artist capable of bridging distinct art forms and cultural perspectives. Obaseki explains that the residency didn’t only broaden her technical capabilities but also solidified her voice in the international art scene, making it a pivotal step forward in her artistic journey.

“Obaseki’s work gives a fresh insight into the contemporary art scene in Benin City,” says Kora, her curator at the Horniman Museum and Gardens, UK. “Connecting the past and present in her work shows that Benin culture is not frozen in time but is continuously evolving. And that women have a voice in that evolution too.”

Obaseki’s artistic journey has also taken her to the Horniman Museum and Gardens in collaboration with the Winchester School of Art in London, UK. This residency created a space for her to interact with the Benin Kingdom collections and inspired her to create a contemporary sculptural piece that will now be a part of the redisplay of the Benin collections at the World Gallery. 

Kora explains that Obaseki’s use of bronze, as well as the lost-wax casting technique that has been used by artisans for generations, is very poignant. “There’s a thread that connects us with generations past, and the innovative methods used to create bronze works in the 1500s are just as important today,” she buttresses. She adds that methods, designs, and intentions change over time, but it’s interesting to her that fundamentally, it is the same process that has been used for hundreds of years.

The redisplay opened at the Horniman Museum on the 5th of December.

As Obaseki continues to evolve as an artist, she’s excited about the future. She’s currently working on an exhibition that combines sculptures, paintings, and embroidery—an immersive experience that aims to engage all the senses.

“I want to create art that people can feel, not just see,” she says. “Art should be an experience, something that makes you think, feel, and connect with the world in a new way.”

She’s also exploring larger, more abstract bronze forms, continuing to push the boundaries of what sculpture can be. “I don’t want to be confined by tradition or by what people expect of me,” she says with a smile. “I want to keep experimenting, keep growing, and keep finding new ways to tell our stories.”

Obaseki is preparing for her solo exhibition next year. “I want my solo exhibition to leave a mark on people’s hearts,” she says, learning to look into my eyes. She wants the exhibition to represent all of her and her materials. “I don’t like to bore people, so the exhibition will be a variety of projects—paintings, sculptures, installations, and more.”

As we wrap up our conversation, it’s clear that Osaru Obaseki is not just an artist, but a storyteller. Through her sculptures, paintings, and embroidery, she weaves together narratives of history, identity, and resilience. Her work is a reminder that while we may be shaped by our past, we have the power to shape our future.

In a world that often feels fragmented, Obaseki’s art merges disparate elements, blending the past with the present, forging strength and painting harmony. “There’s a lot of noise in the world today,” she reflects. “But I hope that when people see my work, they can find a moment of stillness—a moment to reflect on who they are and where they come from.”