…Explores what ‘endures’ or ‘fades’
Once again, the Nigerian art community is set to witness a seemingly exhibition of the year.
From May 11-June 13, 2025, Kokopelli Art Gallery will host an enthralling solo exhibition at its #17 Ademola Street, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Tagged “What Endures, What Fades”, the month-long show, amid enthralling works, is an evocative solo exhibition by Ronke Komos, a multidisciplinary visual artist, that invites viewers to reflect on the customs, trends, and cultural memories that shape communal identity.
Also, in a time of constant flux, the body of work navigates the tension between preservation and transformation, nostalgia and evolution.
As expected, Komos, in the exhibition, explores the delicate balance between continuity and change, questioning how customs, fashion, and cultural identity evolve across generations.
Drawing from her personal archive of photographs, she revives and reimagines visual fragments of history, creating a poignant dialogue between collective memory and individual identity.
Through a series of vibrant, mixed-media works, the exhibition delves into the fluidity of tradition—why certain elements endure while others fade into distant recollection. Pieces like Box TV –“Apoti Fedeko Age” and “Village Christmas Age” speak to familial nostalgia, while “Kori-Kosun, 5&6 Age” contemplates the shifting dynamics of friendship and community in a digitally connected world.
Moreover, fashion becomes both subject and storytelling device, amid enthralling works on display. The
“Peperempe Age” celebrates bold self-expression across time; The “Aso-Ofi Age” transforms woven heritage into sleek contemporary form; and The “Handmade Hat Age” reimagines
cultural pride through the changing symbolism of church fashion.
Komos’s work resonates with themes of memory, presence, and absence, inviting viewers to reflect on the emotional landscapes that shape identity. Her pieces do not provide definitive answers—they open a space for conversation: How do we preserve traditions without stagnation? How do we adapt them without erasure? And ultimately, what truly endures, and what fades?
As well, “What Endures, What Fades” is not only an exhibition; it is a space for remembrance, redefinition, and renewal.
The exhibition runs from May 11-June 13, 2025, at Kokopelli Art Gallery, opening from 2pm to 5pm, Sundays – Mondays and 10 am to 6pm Tuesdays – Saturday.
On the choice of Kokopelli Gallery for the exhibition, the Ikoyi-based outfit is a modern and contemporary art gallery dedicated to showcasing ingenious artists who have mastered the art of storytelling.
Since its establishment in 2021, the gallery has been presenting platforms for creatives who engage in the line with intentions to foster a tradition and dialogue of storytelling.
