Otobong Nkanga

This publication has been produced to accompany the exhibition Otobong Nkanga: From Where I Stand at Tate St Ives and MIMA, Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art. Nkanga's practice spans tapestry, drawing, photography, installation, video and performance.



This book is both a document of the development of the exhibition and a view into Nkanga's creative process. Starting with a poem written by Nkanga herself, it also includes an extensive selection of her photographs, which author Helon Habila has responded to in the form of a short fictional story. It features a selection of Nkanga's other bodies of work, including existing works such as The Weight of Scars 2015 and From Where I Stand 2015 as well as a new sculpture, performance and wall drawing. Nkanga's finished works are shown alongside preparatory drawings and in-progress photographs, with an interview with Nkanga offering further insights into her practice. Otobong Nkanga is one of the most exciting artists working today. She received a Special Mention at the 58th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia and was awarded the 2015 Yanghyun Prize and the 2017 Belgian Art Prize, and in 2019 was the recipient of the Ultimas-Flemish Prize for culture. Tate